Insurance for demolition contractors.

General liability, workers’ comp, auto, equipment, and pollution coverage, for interior strip-outs and structural demolition, shopped with carriers that write demolition on purpose.

What demolition contractors usually carry

General liability, $1M / $2M
Workers’ comp
Commercial auto
Contractor’s equipment
Contractor’s pollution liability
Umbrella

Watch for these in a demolition policy

Interior-only policiesPolicies written for interior demolition often exclude structural work. If you take out load-bearing walls or whole buildings, it has to be on the policy.
Buildings next doorVibration, collapse, and falling debris that damage an adjoining building are the core demolition claim. Some policies exclude damage to adjacent structures or cap it.
ExplosivesBlasting and implosion are excluded on almost every demolition policy unless specifically covered, usually on a separate policy.
What you find in the wallsAsbestos, lead, and mold turned up mid-job fall under standard exclusions. A pollution policy can cover what you disturb by accident, but abatement itself needs its own coverage.
Where the debris goesDumping at a site without the right permits can create a pollution claim that follows you for years. Many pollution policies cover disposal sites only if you add that coverage.

What GCs and owners ask demolition contractors for

UmbrellaStructural demolition contracts often require $5M or more above your primary limits.
Pollution liabilityOwners usually require contractor’s pollution liability on any building old enough to hold asbestos or lead.
Additional insuredOngoing and completed operations for the owner and GC, and sometimes the neighboring owners.
Waiver of subrogationOn every line, including auto and workers’ comp.

Questions demolition contractors ask

Straight answers.

The questions we hear most, answered plainly.

Is interior demolition rated like structural demolition?

No. Interior, nonstructural strip-outs usually rate lower and have more carriers willing to write them. Structural work narrows the market, so describe exactly what you take down.

Who pays if the building next door cracks while we take ours down?

Your general liability, if it doesn’t exclude adjacent structures. Photograph neighboring buildings before you start, since cracks that were already there are the first argument.

Does my policy cover asbestos we find mid-job?

Not a general liability policy. Stop work and get the material tested. A contractor’s pollution policy may cover an accidental release, but removal is abatement work with its own coverage.