Get the right insurance
6 insurance policies every painter should consider
General liability insurance
A general liability insurance policy protects painters against legal expenses related to client property damage and injuries. It's often required by commercial leases and contracts.
- Client bodily injuries
- Damaged customer property
- Advertising injury and copyright lawsuits
Business owner's policy
A BOP bundles commercial property insurance and general liability coverage at a discount. It's often the most cost-effective type of business insurance for painting contractors.
- Accidental client injuries
- Accidental damage to client property
- Libel, defamation, and copyright lawsuits
Workers' comp insurance
Most states require painting companies with employees to carry workers' comp to help cover workplace injuries. In some states, even sole proprietors who work in construction must have this policy.
- Medical bills from work injuries
- Disability benefits
- Lawsuits from workplace accidents
Commercial auto insurance
Painters with business-owned vehicles must carry commercial auto coverage to comply with state laws. It helps cover financial losses in an accident, including legal costs and property repairs.
- Auto accident injuries
- Auto accident property damage
- Vandalism of a painter's vehicle
Contractor's tools and equipment
A type of inland marine insurance, business tools and equipment insurance protects your equipment wherever you bring them. That includes items in transit to job sites, stored off-site, or at a client's home.
- Equipment that is less than five years old
- Items valued at under $10,000
- Tools that travel to painting projects
Professional liability insurance
Professional liability insurance covers legal fees related to a mistake, missed deadline, or other accusation of professional negligence. It's also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O).
- Project delays and budget overruns
- Wrong paints and other mistakes
- Breach of contract
Painter insurance costs
Here's a quick look at the average costs of common painter insurance policies purchased by TechInsurance customers:
General liability: $59 per month
Business owner's policy (BOP): $84 per month
Workers' compensation: $239 per month
Factors that can influence painting contractor insurance costs include:
- Types of painting services offered, such as commercial painting
- Number of employees you have, including subcontractors
- Types of insurance purchased
- Policy limits, deductibles, and other coverage options (e.g., endorsements)
- Claims history
Start a free application to see how much insurance will cost for your business.
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Common questions about painting insurance
Is professional indemnity insurance required for independent painting contractors?
Professional indemnity insurance, which is sometimes called professional liability insurance, can protect your painting business from customer lawsuits over a claimed error, mistake, or negligence that negatively impacted them.
While not usually required, it's particularly useful for independent painting contractors who market and sell their industry expertise and knowledge. It protects against:
- Professional negligence
- Breach of contract
- Oversights and errors
- Breach of confidentiality
- Poor professional advice
- Missed deadlines and undelivered services
Human error is inevitable, and the out-of-pocket costs associated with legal action can be expensive. Having the right painters liability insurance policy can protect your business in the event of an unsatisfied customer lawsuit, and provide peace of mind.
What other insurance coverage should painters consider?
While common coverages, like a general liability policy or a BOP, provide crucial protection against third-party claims, they don't cover every risk a painting business might face. Painting professionals, including sole proprietors, should also consider:
- Builder's risk insurance, which provides coverage for a structure under construction, along with materials, such as paint, at a construction site. It's sometimes called course of construction insurance.
- Inland marine insurance protects painting tools and equipment in transit, stored off-site, or at a job site. A common type of inland marine insurance is contractor's tools and equipment insurance, which covers a painter's tools while they're away from the main office.
- Commercial umbrella insurance boosts the coverage on your general liability, commercial auto, and employer's liability insurance once the policy limit is reached.
Do painters need a license, permit, or bond?
A large number of states mandate painters to be licensed before they can undertake contracts, and some also require your business to be registered.
In order to be licensed, each state has their own education and insurance requirements. However most require passing a state exam, a certain amount of work experience, and specific types of insurance coverage and surety bonds.
Some examples include:
- Arizona: Painting contractors working on projects more than $5,000 must be licensed and show proof of a surety bond. The bond amount varies from $4,250 to $100,000, and is based on your gross volume of income per license.
- Georgia: At the state level, there are no license requirements for painting businesses. But you should still check at the city and county level for any local requirements.
- Washington: All construction contractors must register with the Department of Labor & Industries, as well as be bonded and insured. Specialty contractors, such as painters, need a surety bond of $15,000 (starting July 1, 2024) and proof of general liability insurance.
Some bond and insurance requirements are regulated by your state and local government, like workers' compensation insurance, commercial auto policies, or various types of surety bonds.
