Rhode Island requires contractors registered with the CRLB to carry liability insurance as a condition of registration. Beyond that, the market (general contractors, commercial customers, larger residential customers, municipal permit offices) will require proof of coverage before you step on site. Minimum coverages a new Rhode Island trades shop should expect to carry: - General liability. Rhode Island CRLB requires registered contractors to maintain commercial general liability insurance; verify the current minimum limits on the CRLB registration page. $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate is the typical commercial job requirement. Source: Rhode Island CRLB (https://crb.ri.gov/). - Workers' compensation. Rhode Island is mandatory. Under R.I. Gen. Laws §28-29-6, almost every Rhode Island employer with 1 or more employees must secure workers' compensation. Sole proprietors, independent contractors, and certain corporate officers may file exclusion affidavits. Beacon Mutual Insurance Company is the Rhode Island-specific workers' comp carrier; standard-market carriers also write RI policies. Source: RI DLT Workers' Compensation (https://dlt.ri.gov/workers-compensation). - Commercial auto. Your 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. - Tools and equipment (inland marine). Homeowners and auto policies exclude business tools beyond small dollar limits. Inland marine is the contractor-specific tool coverage. - Professional liability (errors and omissions). Rarely needed for pure trades work but useful if you do design-build or estimating for others. - Umbrella. A $1M or $2M umbrella is cheap relative to what it protects. Shop the market. Trade association programs (ABC Rhode Island, AGC Rhode Island, PHCC of Rhode Island, IBEW/NECA-affiliated shops) often have group insurance programs that beat street-rate premiums for the trade. Never let coverage lapse during an active job. A 1-day gap on a multi-month project is enough to void a claim if something happens during the gap.
RI · Insurance
Insurance in Rhode Island
General liability, workers comp, and commercial auto for a new shop.
Not legal, financial, or career advice. Trades Navigator compiles state board rules, statutes, and federal data into a navigable layer linked to primary sources. We do not maintain editorial attestation on each line. Always verify the specific number, fee, deadline, or rule against the linked primary source before relying on it. Confirm any decision with the relevant state agency, a lawyer, or an accountant.
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