Umbrella / Excess Liability for Contractors
Umbrella and excess liability coverage provides additional liability limits above your primary general liability and auto policies. Contractors working on major commercial, industrial, and public projects are routinely required to carry $5M to $25M in total liability capacity — umbrella coverage delivers that capacity cost-effectively without requiring primary limits that high.
What it covers
- Additional liability limits above your primary general liability per occurrence and aggregate limits
- Additional limits above commercial auto liability
- Additional limits above employers liability (the Part B of your workers comp policy)
- Drop-down coverage in some umbrella forms to cover claims where the primary policy does not respond
- Defense costs above the primary policy limit
- Broad follow-form coverage following the primary GL and auto policy terms
Who it's for
- General contractors working on projects requiring $5M or more in total liability limits
- Construction managers whose contracts specify umbrella or excess liability requirements
- Contractors bidding on public works, healthcare, institutional, or large commercial projects with high limit requirements
- Established contracting firms with revenue and operations that create exposure beyond standard primary limits
- Any contractor where a single large claim could threaten business continuity without additional layers of coverage
Why CCA
- Umbrella quotes provided alongside your primary GL — total program cost is transparent from day one
- Carriers whose umbrella policies follow-form to your primary GL, ensuring no gaps at the umbrella attachment point
- Capacity to $10M, $25M, and above through excess layers for contractors with the largest project requirements
- Certificates confirming umbrella limits available immediately for project owner compliance
- Umbrella endorsement review — we verify the umbrella actually covers what your project contract requires
Common questions about umbrella / excess liability
Your umbrella attaches above your primary GL per occurrence limit. If a claim exhausts your $1M primary GL limit, the umbrella pays the next layer — $5M, $10M, or whatever umbrella limit you carry. The umbrella typically also extends to your commercial auto and employers liability. It provides access to high total limits at a fraction of the cost of increasing primary limits to the same level.
Umbrella policies provide broader coverage in some respects — they may drop down to cover claims the primary policy excludes and often follow-form more broadly. Excess liability policies are more strictly follow-form — they provide additional limits above the primary with the same terms and conditions. In practice, the line between umbrella and excess blurs. We identify which product meets your project contract requirements.
Standard umbrella policies do not follow professional liability — they typically have professional liability exclusions. If you need excess limits above your contractors professional liability policy, you need a separate excess professional liability policy. We can arrange excess professional liability coverage alongside your standard umbrella when your project requires high E&O limits.
Yes. Contractors Choice Agency holds licenses in all 50 states and writes contractors professional liability programs coast to coast. NPN 8608479.
We work with AM Best A+ rated specialty carriers with proven appetites for construction professional liability risks. Carrier selection depends on your specific operation, project types, professional service scope, and state.
Contact us immediately at 844-967-5247. We provide 2-hour claims response during business hours and will guide you through notifying your carrier, preserving documentation, and protecting your coverage position from the first day of a claim.
Yes. Monthly payment plans are available through most carriers and premium finance options. We walk you through payment options when presenting your professional liability quote.
Founded in 2005 — over 20 years insuring specialty contractors. Contractors professional liability programs have been a core focus throughout our history as contractor project delivery methods have evolved.
Basic information needed: business name, years in operation, annual revenue, project types and sizes, professional service scope (design-build, CM, design-assist, value engineering), states you work in, current E&O coverage if any, and claims history for the past five years.
Yes. New contracting firms can obtain professional liability coverage, though the retroactive date will be the policy inception date with no prior acts coverage initially. Coverage builds as you renew. We explain how this affects your protection and what to watch for in your first few years.
We are experienced with project-specific professional liability requirements — minimum limits, project-specific endorsements, additional insured language, and retroactive date provisions. Tell us what your contract requires and we will confirm your policy meets those requirements before binding.
Yes. Professional liability coverage typically applies wherever you perform professional services. Workers compensation requires separate state filings where you have employees, but professional liability follows your operations nationwide.
844-967-5247, Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm Mountain Time.
12220 E Riggs Road Suite #105, Chandler, AZ 85249. We serve contractors nationwide by phone and online.
josh@contractorschoiceagency.com. We respond to professional liability quote requests within 15 minutes during business hours.
Yes. Submit the online quote form at contractorsprofessionalliabilityinsurance.com/quote and we will respond within 15 minutes during business hours. For fastest service, call 844-967-5247 directly.
Yes. We help manage certificates of insurance for your subcontractors and issue certificates to project owners as required by your contracts — including professional liability certificates with the specific language and limits your project owner requires.
Pair it with related coverage
Get Your Contractors Professional Liability Insurance Quote
E&O, professional liability, and design-build coverage for general contractors, construction managers, and specialty firms — nationwide.