The Contractor Insurance Checklist

A companion to the California Contractor Insurance Handbook — this is the working version. Use it at each stage of a project rather than reading it once and forgetting it.

Before You Bid

• Confirm your current GL and umbrella limits actually meet the project’s stated insurance requirements — don’t assume, check the specific numbers in the bid documents; for background, see construction GL: what’s covered and excluded
• Confirm your workers’ comp experience modification rate (X-Mod) is current and won’t disqualify you from GC prequalification
• If the project is a wrap-up (OCIP/CCIP), understand how your bid needs to be submitted both fully-loaded and wrap-up net
• Check whether the project requires bonding beyond your standard CSLB license bond (performance/payment bonds on public works)

Before You Start Work

• Certificate of insurance issued and delivered to the GC/owner before mobilization, not after; see when your COI needs to land
• Additional insured endorsement in place, not just requested — a pending endorsement is not the same as an active one
• Waiver of subrogation endorsement added if required by contract
• If enrolling in a wrap-up: enrollment paperwork fully submitted and confirmed, including for any lower-tier subcontractors you’re bringing on
• Confirm your commercial auto policy covers the specific vehicles and drivers who’ll be on this project

While the Job Is Running

• Report payroll on schedule if enrolled in a wrap-up — late reporting is the single biggest source of year-end audit surprises
• Notify your broker immediately of any incident, even minor ones — delayed reporting makes claims harder to defend, not easier
• Re-verify insurance for any new lower-tier subcontractor you bring on mid-project — this is the most common coverage gap on multi-tier jobs
• Keep your own copies of every certificate and endorsement — don’t rely solely on the GC’s files

At Renewal

• Review whether your average project size has grown enough to require higher limits
• Confirm your X-Mod hasn’t drifted in a direction that will hurt future bid competitiveness
• Revisit whether an umbrella policy addition makes sense if you didn’t carry one last year
• If you’re planning your first project large enough for wrap-up consideration, start that conversation with your broker before you’re mid-negotiation on the bid