General Contractor Insurance in Orlando & Central Florida
What do Orlando general contractors need to start work?
Florida's license floor applies: $300,000 public liability / $50,000 property damage with the DBPR as certificate holder, and workers' comp from employee #1 in construction. On top of that, Central Florida contracts usually demand $1M / $2M general liability, additional insured and waiver wording, and certificates that satisfy subdivision developers, hospitality owners and municipal clients across Orlando, Kissimmee and Lake Nona.
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 to 5 years
- Gross receipts, payroll by class, and cost of subcontracted work
- The developer or owner insurance exhibit, or the COI request 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. Send us one complete submission and we take it to the markets that fit Central Florida contractors, standard carriers first.
Central Florida work: Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake
Orlando-area GCs work on growth: master-planned subdivisions in Horizon West and Lake Nona, hospitality and commercial build-outs along the I-Drive tourism corridor, medical and office work, and steady remodel volume across Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties.
- Developer and builder programs set the terms. Subdivision work often means matching a master program's limits and additional insured wording, with per-project aggregate included.
- Hospitality owners check certificates closely. Hotels, attractions and restaurant build-outs carry their own insurance exhibits, and a generic COI gets rejected.
- Inland does not mean no wind. Central Florida builders risk still carries wind and named-storm terms. Hurricanes cross the peninsula, as Charley and Ian showed.
Coverage we place for Orlando general contractors
General Liability
$1M / $2M standard, per-project aggregate available for developer work, completed operations included, and every self-performed trade described. GC-only paperwork on mixed work is how claims get disputed.
Workers' Compensation
Florida construction rule: required from employee #1. We place it selectively and code payroll correctly across field, supervision and clerical staff.
Excess / Umbrella
Up to $1M of excess over primary GL, auto and employers liability when a developer or owner exhibit requires it.
Builders Risk
Ground-up subdivisions, commercial shells and renovations. We review the wind deductible and the flood exclusion before you bind, not at the first storm warning.
Commercial Auto & Inland Marine
Fleet and single-truck operations across the metro, hired & non-owned auto for supervisors, and tools & equipment coverage for theft from sites and trucks.
Surety Bonds
License and financial-responsibility bonds ($20,000 Division I if your FICO-derived score is under 660), plus bid, payment and performance bonds for public and large private work.
Policy traps we check before you bind
Uninsured subcontractors
Florida law can make a sub's uninsured workers your workers' comp problem, and carriers audit uninsured sub costs into your GL. On subdivision volume work, one bad sub file repeats across dozens of homes.
Tract and residential limitations
Some forms cap the number of units or exclude tract work entirely, which is a problem for Horizon West and Lake Nona-type projects. We check the exact wording.
Endorsement mismatches
Developer exhibits specify CG forms and endorsement editions. Sending the wrong additional insured form is one of the most common reasons an Orlando GC's start gets delayed.
Classification limitation
Only described operations are covered. If your crews self-perform framing, drywall or concrete alongside GC work, all of it goes on the application.
What Orlando-area general contractors typically pay for GL
Central Florida generally prices below both South Florida and the Gulf coast for the same profile. High-volume residential work is the exception.
| Contractor profile | Typical annual GL premium* |
|---|---|
| Owner-operator GC, no employees, under ~$250K receipts | ~$1,700 to $4,000 |
| Small crew (1 to 5 employees), residential / remodel, $250K to $1M receipts | ~$4,000 to $9,000 |
| Mid-size GC, $1M to $5M receipts, subdivision or commercial work | ~$9,000 to $21,000+ |
| Tract development 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What do Orlando developers and owners usually require?
Typically $1M / $2M GL, per-project aggregate on subdivision work, additional insured on ongoing and completed operations, primary and non-contributory wording, and waiver of subrogation, all on the specific endorsement forms named in the exhibit. Send us the exhibit and we match it line by line.
Does working for a homebuilder's master program change my insurance?
It can. Some builders run wrap or master programs that cover part of the risk, and some require you to carry your own full limits anyway. We read the program documents before quoting so you do not buy the same coverage twice, or discover a gap.
Is wind really an issue for inland Orlando builders risk?
Yes. Named storms cross Central Florida with damaging wind, and most builders risk forms here carry a wind or named-storm deductible. Flood is normally excluded. Both numbers are in writing before you bind.
How fast can I get a quote and certificate?
On a complete submission, standard markets often quote in 1 to 3 business days; specialty placements can take about 48 hours longer. Certificates are usually issued the same day coverage binds.
Do you work in Spanish?
Yes. English, Spanish and Portuguese, including certificates and contract exhibits.
Statewide: contractors insurance in Florida · Gulf coast: contractors insurance in Tampa · En español: seguro para contratistas en Orlando.