Your work is your reputation. Your coverage should protect both.

Contractors and tradespeople carry one of the most complex risk profiles in the commercial insurance market. You’re managing crews, subcontractors, job sites, vehicles, tools, and completed work — often simultaneously across multiple locations. One uninsured gap in that picture can produce a claim that costs more than the job was worth.

Most contractors aren’t underinsured because they skipped coverage. They’re underinsured because their program was built around a generic application, not around how they actually operate. Misclassified workers’ comp codes, missing completed operations coverage, no subcontractor liability requirements, inadequate tools and equipment limits — these gaps are common, and they don’t surface until a claim is already filed.

At Avanti Group, we run a Business Risk Diagnostic™ before we build any submission for a contractor or trade client. We map your full exposure — your operations, your subcontractors, your vehicles, your payroll structure, and your contract requirements — and make sure every line of coverage is positioned correctly for how your business actually works.

Who We Work With

We place insurance programs for contractors and trade businesses across Iowa and the Midwest, including:

• General contractors and construction managers
• Electrical contractors
• Plumbing and mechanical contractors
• HVAC and refrigeration contractors
• Roofing and exterior contractors
• Excavation and grading contractors
• Concrete and masonry contractors
• Painting and finishing contractors
• Landscaping and lawn care companies
• Flooring and interior finish contractors
• Framing and carpentry contractors
• Demolition contractors
• Property maintenance and facility services companies

The Coverage Lines That Matter Most

A complete contractor insurance program goes well beyond a general liability policy. The lines we evaluate and place include:

• General Liability — bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury claims arising from your operations and completed work
• Completed Operations — coverage for claims arising after a job is finished, when a defect or error causes damage or injury
• Workers’ Compensation — one of the most mismanaged lines in contracting; accurate class codes and experience modification management can significantly impact your premium
• Commercial Auto — owned vehicles, hired vehicles, and non-owned auto liability for employees using personal vehicles on company business
• Tools & Equipment / Inland Marine — coverage for owned tools and equipment on job sites, in transit, and in storage
• Builders Risk — project-specific coverage for structures under construction, including materials and equipment on site
• Contractor’s Professional Liability — coverage for design-build contractors and those providing professional advice or specifications
• Pollution Liability — critical for contractors working with fuels, chemicals, or disturbing existing building materials including asbestos and lead
• Commercial Umbrella / Excess — additional limits above primary lines, often required by contract on larger projects
• EPLI — employment practices liability for contractors with employees, covering wrongful termination, discrimination, and wage and hour claims
• Surety Bonds — performance, payment, and license bonds required by contract or licensing boards

The Risks Most Contractor Programs Miss

Workers’ comp class codes are frequently wrong. In contracting, payroll is spread across multiple class codes — and even a single misclassified employee can result in overpaid premiums, an inflated experience modification factor, and coverage gaps if a claim falls outside the stated class. We audit class code assignments before we build any submission.

Subcontractor liability is one of the most overlooked gaps in contracting. If a subcontractor you hired causes injury or property damage and they don’t carry adequate insurance, that claim can land on your policy. We help you build proper subcontractor insurance requirements into your contracts and verify certificates before work begins.

Completed operations coverage is often sublimited or excluded. A roofing job that leaks two years later, a concrete pour that cracks — these claims come in long after the work is done. If your completed operations coverage is inadequate, you’re absorbing those losses directly.

Tools and equipment limits are almost always underestimated. Most contractors carry the limit they purchased five years ago. If your fleet of equipment has grown, your inland marine program probably hasn’t kept up.

How to Get Started

Contractor insurance isn’t a commodity product. The right program depends on your specific trade, your payroll structure, your subcontractor relationships, your contract requirements, and your loss history. We need to understand your business before we can build the right program for it.

Call our office or use the button below to start a conversation. We’ll review your current program, identify any gaps, and let you know exactly where you stand before we ever go to market.