NY Construction Insurance That Actually Understands New York

Most brokers can place a contractor policy. Few understand what New York's construction liability environment actually requires — and the difference shows up when you need a certificate, lose a bid, or face a claim.


We've been placing construction insurance for New York contractors since 1992. Scaffold Law coverage, NYC DOB project limits, trade-specific GL programs, workers' compensation, and certificates issued fast. One broker. Full NY compliance.

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Why NY Construction Insurance Is a Specialty, Not a Checkbox

New York is the only state in the country that imposes absolute liability on owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries on construction sites. Under Labor Law §240 and §241 — known as the Scaffold Law — it does not matter whether the injured worker was partially or entirely at fault. If the injury involved a gravity-related hazard, liability attaches.


This legal environment makes construction general liability in New York dramatically more expensive and harder to place than anywhere else in the country. It requires carriers and programs specifically underwritten for it — not standard commercial GL policies adapted after the fact.


We have placed NY construction insurance for 34 years. We know which carriers write it, which programs fit which trades, and what your certificates need to say to satisfy a GC, a project owner, or the New York City Department of Buildings.

Coverage for Every Phase and Every Trade

Whether you're a general contractor managing a full project or a trade contractor bidding subcontract work, your insurance requirements are specific to your scope, your contract, and your job site. We build programs around how you actually work.

Workers' Compensation Insurance

New York State requires workers' compensation coverage for any business with one or more employees — no exceptions. We place workers' comp across multiple carriers and can often improve on what you're currently paying.

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General Contractor Insurance

GCs carry the broadest exposure on any project — primary GL, completed operations, additional insured requirements from every sub, and project-specific limits that can reach into the tens of millions. We structure GC programs that hold up under contract review.

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Trade Contractor Insurance

Electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, carpenters, ironworkers, and other specialty trades each carry a distinct risk profile. We work with carriers who underwrite NY trade contractors across a range of trades and revenue levels, including programs for smaller artisan contractors.

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Builders Risk Insurance

Coverage for the structure itself during construction — protecting against fire, theft, vandalism, and weather damage before the project reaches completion. We place builders risk for new construction, renovation, and mixed-use projects across Long Island and New York City.

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Contractor Certificates & Compliance

Certificates of insurance are where most coverage problems surface. Wrong limits, missing endorsements, incorrect additional insured language — any one of these can hold up a job or disqualify a bid. We review your project specs and issue certificates that meet the actual requirements.

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NYC DOB Project Requirements: What Contractors Working in the City Need to Know

If you work on New York City job sites, your GL limits are not set by your broker or your general contractor alone. The NYC Department of Buildings sets minimum coverage requirements under 1 RCNY §101-08, and they vary significantly by project type:

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Sidewalk sheds and supported scaffolding: $1,000,000 per occurrence

Demolition projects: $5,000,000 per occurrence

New buildings and alterations (standard): $5,000,000 per occurrence

Buildings over 14 stories: $25,000,000 per occurrence

Tower crane projects: $80,000,000 per occurrence

These are floor requirements. Project owners and GCs frequently require higher limits, project-specific policies, or endorsements that name multiple parties as additional insureds. We read the contract, identify what's actually required, and source coverage that meets it.

Don't Lose the Bid Over Insurance Requirements

Contractors lose work every day not because their price is wrong but because their certificate doesn't match the project specs. Wrong limits. Missing endorsements. A carrier the project owner won't accept.


Bring us the project requirements before you submit the bid. We'll tell you what coverage you need, whether your current program covers it, and what it will take to get you compliant. Fast turnaround on certificates is something our clients count on — and our 175+ Google reviews reflect it.

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Workers' Compensation: Not Optional, Not Flexible

New York imposes criminal penalties for workers' compensation lapses starting at one employee. A gap in coverage — even a short one — can result in fines, stop-work orders, and personal liability for business owners.


We place workers' compensation alongside your GL and ensure both are structured to meet your contractual requirements. If a GC or project owner requires proof of workers' comp, we issue that certificate too.

Carriers Who Actually Write NY Construction

Not every carrier will write a contractor policy in New York. The Scaffold Law exposure narrows the market significantly, and the carriers who do write it have underwriting requirements that vary by trade, revenue, and project type. We work with admitted and specialty market carriers including Travelers, The Hartford, Nationwide, and others with programs specifically designed for the NY construction environment.


Our independent broker status means we are not tied to any single carrier. We place your coverage where it fits best — not where our contract points us.

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Frequently Asked Questions About NY Construction Insurance

  • What makes construction insurance in New York different from other states?

    New York's Scaffold Law — Labor Law §240 and §241 — imposes absolute liability on owners and general contractors for gravity-related construction injuries, regardless of the injured worker's own fault. No other state has this standard. It significantly increases the GL exposure for every construction project in New York and requires carriers and programs specifically underwritten for it.

  • Do I need different coverage for NYC projects than for Long Island projects?

    NYC projects carry additional compliance requirements under 1 RCNY §101-08, which sets minimum GL limits by project type — ranging from $1M for sidewalk sheds to $80M for tower crane projects. Projects outside New York City are subject to contract-specific requirements rather than a city-mandated schedule, but the Scaffold Law applies statewide.

  • How quickly can you issue a certificate of insurance?

    For existing clients with coverage already in place, we issue certificates same-day in most cases. For new clients or projects requiring coverage changes, turnaround depends on what needs to be bound — we'll give you a straight answer on timing once we've reviewed the project specs.

  • Can you cover a small trade contractor who only has a few employees?

    Yes. We work with carriers who write NY trade contractors across a range of trades and revenue levels, including programs for smaller artisan contractors. We also ensure your workers' compensation is in place — New York requires it starting at one employee, and the penalties for a lapse are serious.

  • What is a project-specific general liability policy, and when do I need one?

    A project-specific GL policy covers a single construction project for its duration rather than providing annual coverage across all your work. Project owners, lenders, or GCs on larger or higher-risk projects sometimes require them. We place project-specific policies and can advise whether your existing annual program satisfies the requirement or whether a dedicated policy is necessary.

  • What trades do you cover?

    We place construction insurance for general contractors, electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, carpenters, ironworkers, masons, roofers, excavators, and other specialty trades working in New York. If you don't see your trade listed, contact us — the range of trades we can cover through our carrier relationships is broad.

Serving Long Island Contractors for 34 Years

We're based in Centereach and have been placing construction insurance across Suffolk County, Nassau County, and New York City since 1992. If your work takes you across Long Island or into the boroughs, we know the requirements — and we know how to get you covered.


Construction clients in Centereach and across Suffolk County have relied on us for the full scope of their insurance needs: GL, workers' comp, builders risk, commercial auto, and certificates issued when the job demands them.