Insurance in West Virginia

West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board applicants maintain the insurance set by Board rule, and project owners routinely require proof of coverage before you step on site. Workers' compensation is mandatory for most West Virginia employers under W. Va. Code Chapter 23; coverage is provided by private-market carriers. Minimum coverages a new trades shop should expect to carry: - General liability. $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate is the typical commercial job requirement. Covers bodily injury and property damage arising from your work. - Workers' compensation. Mandatory for essentially all West Virginia employers under W. Va. Code Chapter 23. Coverage is through private-market carriers after the 2005 reform of the workers' comp system. The WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner regulate the market. - 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. - Umbrella. A $1M or $2M umbrella is cheap relative to what it protects on a job with property damage exposure. Shop the market. Trade association programs (ABC, AGC WV, PHCC, MCA, IEC) often have group insurance programs that beat street-rate premiums for specialty trades. Independent agents who write construction can quote multiple carriers and compare class codes. 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. The Contractor Licensing Board can suspend a license if required coverage lapses.