Tile Contractor Insurance: Cost & Quotes from $11/month

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As a tile contractor, your clients contract you to transform every surface from floors to walls. Similar to roofing contractors, siding contractors, and masonry contractors, chances are you assume that all you need is top-notch craftsmanship, attention to detail, and quality service. However, this is a fallacy. In your line of duty as a tile contractor, you've got to navigate risk and exposure to potential claims, which is where tile contractor insurance comes in.

Whether you are a ceramic or mosaic tile contractor, you can leverage tile business insurance policies as the first line of defense against the unexpected.  Tilers insurance covers your business, assets, and reputation, whether you are involved in residential, commercial, or governmental projects.

Note that tile contractors insurance is not mandated by law, but it could mean all the difference when an accident happens. Think of it this way. When an event occurs that would bring your business to its knees, tile insurance for contractors cushions you.

Here's a breakdown of what you want as part of said package.

Tile Contractor Liability Insurance

Similar to flooring contractors, there are a vast number of calamities that can put a serious dent in your bottom line as a tile contractor. For instance, an employee could drop a customer's tile, ultimately breaking them. Or, a customer might get hurt at your commercial space while at a consultative meeting. Or you could very well be sued by a competitor for reputational damage for something that was said by either you or your employees.

Each of these scenarios represents a situation where you could be found liable. The consequence will often be dragged out legal processes which come with mounting fees. Even if the courts rule in your favor, lawsuits still take a toll on your finances.

An essential part of your tile contractor liability insurance package is general liability insurance. You don’t only need this for protection but also as a requirement for getting hired by general contractors and other clients.

This foundational coverage protects your business from the financial liability linked to lawsuits associated with bodily injury and property damage filed by an aggrieved third party. Use the table above to compare the general liability insurance of companies we recommend.

Let's look at real-life situations where tile contractor general liability insurance comes in:

• You are tiling the bathroom wall. You accidentally dropped the tool and it leaves an ugly crack on the bathtub

• You were applying aerosolized coating on the client’s recently installed tile flooring. During the work, the client’s kid came to watch and experienced breathing difficulties afterwards

General liability policy for tile contractors covers these expenses when a claim is filed:

• Medical treatments

• Reimbursements for property damage

• Attorney fees, court filing fees, and other legal expenses

• Court judgments

An insider tip would be to have your carrier include products/completed operations coverage in your general liability insurance. This policy covers any liability that arises after you've completed the project.

Consider this. You are contracted to install a kitchen backsplash, and at the end of the project, everyone's happy. Unfortunately, after a few days, the entire installation comes tumbling down, cutting the client's hand. In such a case where the completed project causes harm, the products/completed operations policy steps in to pay the arising costs.

Similar to the general liability insurance of concrete contractors and fence installation contractors, your general liability insurance can have these add-ons:

• Hired non-owned auto liability coverage

• Rented premises liability coverage

• Tools and equipment coverage

Professional Liability Insurance for Tile Contractors

Other than the general liability, another type of tile contractors insurance you ought to purchase is a professional liability policy. Use the table above to compare the professional liability insurance of companies we recommend.

Contractors professional liability insurance protects you from any claims against the services you offer. Commit an issue and clients will ask for reimbursement since tiling mistakes can plague a building for years. The policy covers claims of:

• Failure to deliver promised services

• Negligence in providing services

• Errors and oversights

• Inaccurate advice

Insurance companies sell professional liability insurance for tiling contractors as a claims-made or occurrence coverage. We recommend the second because it provides lifetime protection so long as a covered peril happens during the policy duration.

Tile Contractor’s Tools and Equipment Coverage 

You rely on specialty equipment just like cabinetry contractors and plastering contractors. Implements are integral because, without them, you can’t do your job well. If these were to be stolen, vandalized, or damaged, you’ll face heavy losses. it could mean the closure of your business. 

Fortunately, if you've invested in a tools and equipment policy, you are assured of little to no downtime. Use the table above to compare the tools and equipment insurance of companies we recommend. 

This insurance steps in paying for the cost of repair or replacement. The tools and equipment policy covers the following:

• Mortar mixer

• Tile saw

• Manual tile cutter

• Drills

• Suction cups

• Tile trowels 

• Tile leveling systems

• Electronic tile installation gadgets

Commercial Property Insurance for Tile Contractors

All tile contractors need a physical location that clients can visit and where equipment and merchandise can be stored or sold. 

Tile contractor insurance packages offer a commercial property policy. This allows you to protect the investments you’ve made in renovating and furnishing the office and warehouse of your tile installation business. Use the table above to see the features of commercial property insurance from companies we recommend. 

Commercial property insurance will reimburse your losses if something happens to the office or warehouse because of:

• Fire

• Theft

• Vandalism

• Civil commotion

• Falling objects

• Weather

• Aircraft

• Vehicle

• Sprinkler leakage

Other than the office, commercial property insurance can also protect valuable papers and records, HVAC system, signage, accounts receivable, merchandise, computers, and other valuables within the business premises. 

Business Owner’s Policy for Tile Contractors

Stone construction insurance for tile contractors might come with a business owner’s policy. The table above compares the features of the business owner’s policy from companies we recommend. 

A business owner’s policy allows you to insure your business against commercial losses and legal liabilities. It’s an insurance product that’s made by combining general liability and commercial property insurance. 

With a business owner’s policy for tile contractors, you don’t need to get commercial property insurance and general liability insurance separately. You’ll also save money on premiums and enjoy easy policy management. 

Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Tile Contractors

When one of your employees sustains work-related injury or illness, workers' compensation insurance pays medical expenses and partially missed wages.

Moreover, workers' compensation covers temporary or permanent disability and death benefits. Note that the policy steps in to cover injuries or illnesses that your employee’s health insurance might not cover. Overall, a workers' compensation policy for tiling contractors and EIFS contractors covers the following:

• Immediate medical care

• Ongoing medical care, including physical rehabilitation

• Partial lost wages while the employee is unable to work

• Death benefits to the dependents if the employee were to succumb to the work-related injury

Commercial Auto Insurance for Tile Contractors

As a tile contractor, chances are you will be driving your employees, tools, equipment, and inventory to and from work sites.  This use of the commercial vehicle exposes your business to a high level of risk. Another motorist can get injured or you'd need to repair your construction truck or van. 

You need commercial auto insurance. Specifically, commercial auto insurance covers the following:

• Property damage

• Medical bills of third parties

• Medical bills of your commercial vehicle’s driver and passengers

• Repair or replacement of your commercial vehicle’s damaged parts

• Repair or replacement of trailers and other attachments to your commercial ve

Inland Marine Insurance for Tile Contractors

Commercial auto insurance can’t provide coverage in case portable equipment and merchandise get damaged or destroyed during vehicular accidents. 

And so, it’s important to get inland marine insurance as a tile contractor. Inland marine insurance will take care of expenses if implements, tiles to be installed, and other valuables get damaged or lost during transit because of:

• Theft

• Vandalism

• Malicious mischief

• Vehicular accidents

• Mysterious disappearance

So how should you purchase inland marine insurance? This policy is available as an add-on to general liability insurance, tools and equipment coverage, commercial property insurance, or business owner’s policy. 

Builder’s Risk Insurance for Tile Contractors

A builder's risk insurance policy, also known as course of construction insurance, takes care of the following:

• Safeguarding construction materials

• Protection of any temporary structures

If you install a tile flooring and it gets damaged before the completion of the project, the builder's risk policy would reimburse losses or sees to it that you can carry on without lengthy interruptions. 

Note that once you invest in a builder's risk insurance, it comes into effect before the first building material gets to the client's property. 

Surety Bonds for Tile Contractors

A surety bond is a contract between your tile contracting business, your client, and your insurance carrier of choice. It guarantees that the client is paid if you fail to deliver the contracted services.

There are a number of surety bonds you can get. The first type is license bonds and permit bonds. The latter might be mandated before you can even secure a contract. These types of bonds guarantee that your business will comply with local laws and regulations.

The second type of surety bond is bid bonds. If you bid on tile contracting jobs, then you might be required to purchase a bid bond. If you win the contract but are unable to take on the project, the client will be reimbursed the difference between the bid amount and that of the lowest bid.

Tile Contractor Insurance Cost

The average tile contractor insurance cost is $58 per month or $696 per year for a $1 million general liability insurance. This assumes that you have 5 employees and make $500,000 or less per year. Factors that affect the cost of tilers insurance are:

• Tiling services offered

• Value of business property and equipment

• Business income

• Types of insurance coverage bought

• Policy limits and deductibles

To give you a further idea of the cost of a $1 million general liability insurance, we’ve made this table that shows the rates of the best tile contractor insurance companies: