General Contractor Insurance in Miami & South Florida
Why is Miami different for general contractors?
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach work runs on certificates. Condo and HOA boards, municipalities, lenders and owners all set their own limits, usually $1M / $2M GL, and check additional insured wording before you mobilize. Add coastal wind on builders risk, a largely bilingual sub base whose COIs still have to be verified, and Florida's rule that an uninsured sub's workers can become your workers' comp liability. We are based in Hollywood, in Broward County, so this is our home market.
Speed up your quote: send these first. Email adolfo@nextguardinsurance.com with:
- Your current dec page (policy declarations), if insured
- Loss runs for the last 3 years
- Receipts, payroll and subcontracted costs
- The exact insurance exhibit from the contract, board or lender you need to satisfy
- Sample sub COIs, if you use subcontractors
Please don't send the same submission to other brokers. Duplicate submissions block carrier markets and slow your quote. One complete submission, taken to the right Florida markets, is faster.
What Miami and South Florida jobs usually require
- $1M / $2M general liability as the working floor. The $300K / $50K figure is only the Florida license minimum, and no board or owner contract accepts that level.
- Additional insured, primary & non-contributory, and waiver of subrogation, worded exactly as the contract states, for ongoing and completed operations.
- Workers' comp from employee #1, with valid exemptions on file for any exempt officers.
- Builders risk with wind for ground-up and renovation work. Check the named-storm deductible percentage before binding.
- Per-project aggregate when a lender or large owner requires limits that do not erode across jobs.
Coverage we place for Miami-area GCs
General Liability
Residential, condo, commercial and mixed-use work across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, described accurately, including any self-performed trades.
Workers' Compensation
Placed selectively, with class codes and sub costs structured correctly so your audit does not become a second premium.
Excess / Umbrella
Up to $1M of excess when a board, lender or contract requires limits above your primary GL.
Builders Risk & Wind
New builds, gut renovations and additions. In South Florida the wind deductible and flood gap matter more than the headline premium.
Commercial Auto & Inland Marine
Work trucks and vans, hired & non-owned auto, and tools & equipment coverage for theft from trucks and sites.
Traps specific to South Florida GC work
Condo and HOA work
Some GL forms exclude condo and townhome work entirely. If boards are your clients, that exclusion ends the conversation, so we check it first.
Unverified sub COIs
A COI in a drawer is not verification. Expired, exempt-only and wrong-entity certificates are the most common South Florida audit and claim problem we see.
Named-storm deductibles
Builders risk wind deductibles are often a percentage of project value, not a flat dollar amount. On a $2M project, 5% is $100,000 out of your pocket.
Height and exterior work
Balcony, façade and roof-adjacent work is classified and priced differently from interior GC work. Describe it so the carrier does not discover it later.
What Miami-area general contractors typically pay for GL
Miami-Dade and Broward generally price at the top of the Florida range for the same profile.
| Contractor profile | Typical annual GL premium* |
|---|---|
| Owner-operator GC, no employees, interior / remodel | ~$2,200 to $5,000 |
| Small crew (1 to 5 employees), residential and condo work | ~$5,000 to $12,000 |
| Mid-size GC, $1M to $5M receipts, subbed-out trades | ~$12,000 to $25,000+ |
| Coastal, condo tower or higher-hazard work | Priced individually |
*Estimates for general liability only, based on typical Florida pricing. Not a quote. Receipts, payroll, subcontracted costs, trade mix and loss history drive the final number. Workers' comp, auto, builders risk and excess are additional.
Watch: Miami contractor insurance explained
Short videos on GL limits, condo work, and certificates from our YouTube channel.
NextGuard Insurance on YouTube
Contractor insurance, trucking, marine and commercial coverage explained in English and Spanish.
Client reviews
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Contractors across South Florida and New York trust NextGuard to get their GL, workers' comp and builders risk placed fast, in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Read what they say on Google.
Frequently asked questions
What limits do Miami condo associations and owners require?
Most commonly $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate GL, with the association or owner as additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis, plus a waiver of subrogation. Some towers and lenders require more. Send us the contract exhibit and we will match it exactly.
Do I need builders risk for a renovation in Miami?
If the contract makes you responsible for the work in progress, and most do, yes. Confirm wind is included and what the named-storm deductible is before you bind.
My subs are mostly Spanish-speaking independents. What do I need from them?
A current COI showing GL and either workers' comp or a valid Florida exemption, with your company named correctly. We explain the requirement to subs in Spanish every week. It is a normal part of onboarding.
How fast can I get on a job?
Standard Florida markets often quote in 1 to 3 business days on a complete submission, and certificates are usually issued the same day you bind.
Do you work in Spanish?
Yes. English, Spanish and Portuguese, including certificates and contract exhibits.
Statewide overview: general contractor insurance in Florida. En español: seguro para contratistas generales en Miami.