Commercial Umbrella for residential remodeling contractors
Excess liability limits above your GL, commercial auto, and employers liability — protecting your remodeling business from catastrophic claims that exceed your primary coverage. The most cost-effective way to significantly increase your total protection.
What it covers
- Excess limits above GL when per-occurrence limit is exhausted
- Excess limits above commercial auto liability
- Excess limits above employers liability (GL Part Two)
- Defense costs above primary policy limits
- Follow-form coverage matching primary GL terms
Who it's for
- Remodelers whose GC subcontracts require umbrella limits
- Contractors doing larger projects where claims can exceed primary limits
- Firms with multiple crews and vehicles creating higher aggregate exposure
- Any remodeler who wants meaningful protection above primary limits at reasonable cost
Why CCA
- Umbrella placed with carriers that provide follow-form coverage through primary terms
- Additional-insured status extended through umbrella layer when required
- Limits from $1 million to $5 million+ depending on project and contract requirements
Common questions about commercial umbrella
A $1 million GL limit can be exhausted by a single serious completed-operations claim, a fire caused by defective wiring, or a catastrophic jobsite injury. An umbrella provides the next $1–5 million at a fraction of the cost of increasing primary limits.
Most commercial umbrellas are 'follow form' — they follow the terms and exclusions of the underlying GL. This means the umbrella responds to the same types of claims, but not claims excluded by your GL (like pollution).
$1 million GL + $1 million umbrella is a common floor; $2 million GL + $3 million umbrella is increasingly standard on larger residential projects. Always check your subcontract requirements before starting a job.
No — umbrella coverage sits above liability policies (GL, auto, employers liability). It doesn't extend to first-party coverages like tools and equipment or the statutory benefits portion of workers' comp.
Cost is driven by project types, annual revenue, payroll, crew size, and loss history. We quote your actual operation in about 15 minutes — never a ballpark from a generic contractor form.
Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes residential remodeling programs nationwide.
Typically 15 minutes on a call. Larger programs with multiple crews or significant revenue may take a day or two to place with the right markets, but we move fast and set expectations up front.
Often yes. We have admitted and E&S markets for remodelers declined over loss history, completed-operations claims, or other issues. Bring us your situation and we'll find a market.
Usually yes. A coordinated program closes gaps between policies and is typically cheaper and cleaner than separate policies from separate carriers — especially at claim time.
A.M. Best ratings reflect a carrier's financial strength and ability to pay claims. We place coverage with A-rated carriers so the coverage is there when a completed-operations claim, a CPL lawsuit, or a workers' comp injury hits.
Yes. If your business spans remodeling and new construction, we structure a program that covers both exposures — including the different completed-operations and GL considerations that apply to each.
GL policies include a completed-operations section with its own aggregate limit. We make sure the limit is adequate for remodeling exposure and that the form doesn't contain exclusions that would carve out your most common claim types.
Project types (kitchens, baths, additions, whole-home), annual revenue, payroll and crew size, number of vehicles, tools value, current coverage, and loss history. The more detail, the more accurate the quote.
Yes, though historic work may involve additional CPL exposure (lead paint, asbestos, plaster with hazardous materials) and completed-operations considerations. We note historic-home work when shopping markets.
The coverage lines are the same, but project values, trade mix, and CPL exposure can vary. Kitchen remodelers tend to carry higher project values and plumbing/electrical sub exposure; bath remodelers have significant tile and waterproofing completed-ops risk.
Completed-operations coverage on your GL responds to property-damage and bodily-injury claims arising from finished work. On an occurrence-based policy, the coverage active at the time you did the work responds — even if the claim arrives years later.
Yes. If you operate multiple LLCs, have a separate rental entity, or work through different business structures, we build programs that cover each entity correctly and coordinate between them.
Yes — this is a standard requirement in most subcontract agreements. We add additional-insured endorsements to your GL (and often your umbrella) so you can name GCs and project owners as required by your contracts.
Pair it with related coverage
Ready to protect your remodeling business?
Get a 15-minute quote from specialists who understand residential remodeling — completed operations, CPL for lead and asbestos, workers' comp for your crews, and tools coverage for your jobsites.