Insurance in Idaho

Idaho requires proof of general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage to obtain and maintain Idaho Contractor Registration under Idaho Code Title 54 Chapter 52. The Division of Building Safety (DBS) does not attach an insurance mandate to the individual trade license (electrician, plumber, HVAC), but the contractor registration your firm holds must show active liability and workers' comp coverage. General contractors and commercial owners typically require higher CGL limits with additional-insured endorsements. Most Idaho trades operators carry $1,000,000 per-occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate CGL at a minimum, with higher limits for commercial work. Workers' compensation. Idaho makes workers' compensation mandatory for nearly all employers with one or more employees under Idaho Code Title 72 (Worker's Compensation Law). The Idaho Industrial Commission administers the system and is the filing authority for claims. Source: Idaho Industrial Commission (https://iic.idaho.gov/). Sole proprietors with no employees are not required to cover themselves but may elect coverage. Other coverages trades operators typically carry in Idaho: - Commercial auto for trucks and vans. Personal auto policies carve out business use. Idaho's minimum financial responsibility limits are low. Commercial buyers expect well above the state minimum. - Hired and non-owned auto for employees driving their own vehicles on company errands. - Inland marine (contractor's equipment) for tools, equipment, and materials in transit or on site. - Pollution liability for refrigerants, solvents, and fuel handling. Material for HVAC, mechanical, and underground trades. - Umbrella for $1M to $2M over the underlying CGL and auto layers, commonly required by commercial GCs. - Builder's risk, on a per-project basis, for new construction and major remodel work. Shop the market annually. Idaho trade associations (ABC Pacific Northwest, AGC Idaho, PHCC Idaho, IEC Rocky Mountain / Idaho) run group programs that sometimes price below street rates. Whatever you buy, keep Idaho Contractor Registration active, the Industrial Commission workers' comp filing current, and the applicable DBS trade license in good standing.