Insurance in Kansas

Kansas has no statewide trade license, so insurance requirements for Kansas trades contractors come from municipal ordinances and from the commercial market, with workers' compensation driven by state statute. 1. Workers' compensation. The Kansas Workers' Compensation Act (Kansas Statutes Chapter 44, Article 5) applies to employers whose gross annual payroll exceeds the statutory threshold. Construction employers generally cannot rely on being below the threshold once active on jobsites with employees. Coverage is provided through an authorized insurer or an approved self-insurance program administered by the Kansas Department of Labor Division of Workers Compensation. Source: Kansas Department of Labor — Workers Compensation (https://www.dol.ks.gov/workers-compensation). 2. General liability. Each Kansas city or county that licenses trade contractors (Wichita, Kansas City KS, Johnson County, Topeka, and others) requires a local certificate of insurance as part of contractor registration. Typical commercial job requirements are $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate regardless of the local minimum. 3. Commercial auto. A personal auto policy almost certainly excludes business use. Hired and non-owned auto coverage protects against claims arising from employee-owned vehicles used on company business. 4. Tools and equipment (inland marine). Homeowners and auto policies exclude business tools beyond small dollar limits. Inland marine is the contractor-specific tool coverage. 5. Umbrella. A $1M or $2M umbrella is inexpensive relative to what it protects and is commonly required on commercial GC paperwork. 6. EPA Section 608. HVAC technicians who handle regulated refrigerants must hold current EPA Section 608 certification under 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F. Insurers and employers increasingly ask for proof. Shop the market. Trade association programs (ABC, AGC, PHCC, MCA, NECA) often have group insurance programs that beat street-rate premiums for the trade. Never let coverage lapse during an active job. A one-day gap on a multi-month project is enough to void a claim if something happens during the gap.