General Liability for Concrete Lifting Contractors

General liability insurance is the policy every contractor carries and—for concrete lifting contractors—the policy most likely to have dangerous gaps. Understanding exactly what your GL covers (and what it doesn't) is one of the most important things you can do for your business.

What GL Actually Covers

A standard commercial general liability policy covers three things: bodily injury to third parties, property damage to third-party property, and personal and advertising injury. For concrete lifting contractors, the most relevant exposures are property damage and bodily injury from job-site operations.

If your equipment causes a crack in a client's driveway, a neighbor's vehicle is damaged when a slab shifts unexpectedly, or someone trips over your hoses and is injured—those are GL claims. A properly written GL policy covers defense costs and damages up to your policy limits.

The Pollutant Exclusion: The Biggest GL Gap for Foam Contractors

Standard ISO GL policy forms contain a 'pollution exclusion' that excludes coverage for bodily injury or property damage arising from the discharge of pollutants. The problem for polyurethane foam contractors: foam is classified as a pollutant under most policy definitions.

This means that without a pollution liability endorsement (ISO GL 99 17 or equivalent), your GL policy may deny foam-related claims entirely. This isn't a hypothetical risk—it's a documented coverage gap that has resulted in claim denials for contractors who didn't know to ask about it.

The fix: require that your GL policy include an endorsement specifically removing the pollution exclusion for polyurethane foam lifting operations, or purchase a standalone pollution liability policy as a supplement.

Completed Operations: How Long Are You Covered?

GL policies typically include 'completed operations' coverage, which covers claims that arise after a job is finished. The question is how long that coverage applies.

Many standard GL policies have a completed operations aggregate that resets annually but doesn't extend coverage retroactively if you switch carriers. If you lift a slab in 2025 and the client files a claim in 2027, you need the carrier who was on risk in 2025 to cover it—or you need to carry ongoing coverage that includes prior acts.

For concrete lifting contractors who offer multi-year workmanship warranties, this is a real exposure. Verify your completed operations term and aggregate before assuming you're covered.

Certificate of Insurance Requirements

Many property managers, general contractors, and commercial clients will require certificates of insurance before allowing you on a job. Common requirements: - $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate (minimum) - $2M/$4M for larger commercial projects - Additional insured endorsement naming the property owner or GC - Waiver of subrogation endorsement - 30-day cancellation notice

Carrying adequate limits isn't just about claim protection—it's about being able to take the jobs you want. Contractors with lower limits get disqualified from bids regularly.

Recommended GL Structure for Concrete Lifting Contractors

For most small to mid-size concrete lifting operations, we recommend: $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate general liability, with a pollution liability endorsement removing the foam exclusion, completed operations aggregate equal to the per-occurrence limit, and additional insured endorsements available on request.

If your revenue exceeds $1M or you regularly work on commercial projects, consider umbrella coverage to extend your limits to $3M-$5M. The additional premium is modest relative to the protection it provides.