Insurance in North Dakota

North Dakota's statewide Contractor License under NDCC 43-07 requires proof of general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage for any construction contract of $4,000 or more. The individual electrician license (NDSEB) and plumber license (ND State Plumbing Board) do not attach their own CGL mandate, but the Contractor License 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 North Dakota trades operators carry $1,000,000 per-occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate CGL at a minimum, with higher limits for commercial work. Workers' compensation. North Dakota is a monopoly workers'-comp state under NDCC Title 65. Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI), the state-owned fund, is the exclusive provider of statutory workers' comp coverage for most North Dakota employees. Private workers'-comp insurance is generally not authorized for statutory coverage in North Dakota. Construction contractors with employees must register with WSI and maintain active coverage. Sole proprietors with no employees are not required to cover themselves but may elect coverage through WSI's optional programs. Verify current WSI coverage posture with the agency before relying. Other coverages trades operators typically carry in North Dakota: - Commercial auto for trucks and vans. Personal auto policies carve out business use. North Dakota'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. Winter-specific exposures. North Dakota construction work often runs through winter. Cold-weather exposures (frozen materials, slip and fall, vehicle incidents on icy roads) drive claim frequency for trades operators. Confirm that your CGL and auto policies do not carve out winter operations, and price inland marine to cover equipment stored on unheated sites. Shop the market annually. North Dakota trade associations (ABC Dakotas, AGC North Dakota, PHCC North Dakota, IEC Dakotas) run group programs that sometimes price below street rates. Whatever you buy, keep the ND Contractor License insurance proof current, WSI workers' comp in force, and both NDSEB (electrical) and State Plumbing Board (plumbing) credentials in good standing.