If a deck I framed years ago fails, does my current GL policy cover it?

Coverage depends on which policy was active when the work was performed, not when the claim is made — this is why maintaining continuous GL coverage matters even between active jobs. Completed operations coverage on the applicable policy responds to claims tied back to that original work.

Does GL cover the table saw that got stolen off my truck?

No — GL responds to third-party injury and property damage, not your own tools. A stolen table saw is a tools and equipment claim, which requires separate inland marine coverage.

What's actually different between GL and workers compensation for a framing crew?

GL covers claims from people outside your business — a GC's site visitor, a neighbor, another trade. Workers comp covers your own crew if they're hurt on the job, which is a near-certainty on any framing crew given the physical nature of the work. Both are typically required, and they're separate policies.

Does GL cover it if my finish work just doesn't look right to the client?

No. GL responds to actual third-party damage or injury, not dissatisfaction with workmanship quality. If your work causes damage — say, poor sealing leads to water intrusion — that resulting damage may be covered, but redoing the work itself isn't a GL claim.

What GL limits do most residential jobs actually require versus commercial ones?

Most residential work and smaller commercial jobs are fine at $1M/$2M. Framing and structural scope on larger commercial contracts increasingly requires $2M/$4M — we can quote both so you know before you bid.

General Liability Insurance for Carpenters

General Liability, Built Around How Carpenters Actually Get Sued

Most carpenters don't think about general liability until something goes wrong on a job — and by then, what matters is whether the policy actually responds to what happened. GL isn't a generic box to check for GCs; it's the coverage that pays out when your work creates a real cost for someone else. Understanding what actually triggers a claim, and what doesn't, is more useful than memorizing a coverage checklist.

The Two Kinds of Damage Claims Carpenters Actually See

In practice, carpentry GL claims tend to fall into two buckets. The first is injury: someone trips over lumber staged in a driveway or hallway, or a bystander is hurt by material that shifts or falls near your work area. The second is property damage: a table saw kicks fine dust across a client's finished floors, a nail gun mishap dents drywall, or trim installation scratches cabinetry that was already in place. Both are common enough that most GCs and homeowners now expect proof of coverage before you start, not after something happens.

When the Claim Shows Up After You've Already Left the Job

Some of the more expensive carpentry claims don't happen during the job at all — they show up months or years later. A deck starts to show movement where it wasn't properly flashed. A built-in shifts and stresses the wall it's anchored to. This is where the completed operations portion of your GL policy matters: it responds to claims tied back to work you already finished and got paid for, which is exactly the kind of exposure that catches carpenters off guard if they assume their coverage ends when the job does.

The Coverage Gaps GL Doesn't Fill for Carpenters

GL is broad, but it isn't everything, and carpenters in particular tend to assume it covers more than it does:

Your table saws, nail guns, and other tools — that's tools and equipment (inland marine) coverage, a separate policy
Custom cabinetry or millwork you're installing that isn't yours to keep — that's an installation floater, also separate
Your crew's injuries on the job — that's workers compensation, required in most states once you have employees
Your truck or trailer — that's commercial auto
Redoing work that simply wasn't done well — GL covers the resulting third-party damage, not the cost of fixing your own workmanship

Carpenters who carry GL alone and skip tools or installation floater coverage are usually fine — until the job where a compressor gets stolen off a truck, or a delivered set of custom cabinets gets damaged before install. Those are the gaps that GL was never designed to fill.

Picking Limits That Actually Match Your Jobs

GL policies carry two numbers: a per-occurrence limit, the most the policy pays on any single claim, and an aggregate limit, the total it pays across all claims in a year. $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate covers most residential and smaller commercial work. Framing and structural scope, or larger commercial contracts, increasingly call for $2,000,000/$4,000,000 — worth confirming before you bid a job, not after you win it.

Getting Covered Without Slowing Down Your Start Date

Fill out the quote form and our licensed agents build your GL quote, typically the same business day. Once you're bound, your certificate is issued instantly, so a new job or a new GC relationship doesn't sit waiting on paperwork.