$1M/$2M GL premium ranges by trade across GA, FL, SC, TN, NC, AL — plus the sublimits and exclusions to watch.
| Trade | GA | FL | SC | TN | NC | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office / clerical only | $650-$1,100 | $850-$1,400 | $650-$1,100 | $600-$1,000 | $650-$1,100 | $650-$1,100 |
| Janitorial / cleaning | $850-$1,500 | $1,100-$1,900 | $900-$1,500 | $800-$1,400 | $900-$1,500 | $850-$1,400 |
| Landscaping (no equipment) | $900-$1,800 | $1,200-$2,300 | $950-$1,800 | $850-$1,700 | $950-$1,800 | $900-$1,700 |
| Painting | $1,400-$2,800 | $1,800-$3,500 | $1,500-$2,900 | $1,300-$2,700 | $1,500-$2,900 | $1,400-$2,800 |
| Carpentry (commercial) | $1,500-$3,200 | $2,000-$4,000 | $1,600-$3,300 | $1,400-$3,100 | $1,600-$3,300 | $1,500-$3,200 |
| Plumbing | $1,600-$3,400 | $2,100-$4,200 | $1,700-$3,500 | $1,500-$3,300 | $1,700-$3,500 | $1,600-$3,400 |
| Electrical | $1,800-$3,800 | $2,300-$4,800 | $1,900-$4,000 | $1,700-$3,700 | $1,900-$4,000 | $1,800-$3,800 |
| HVAC | $1,900-$4,200 | $2,500-$5,200 | $2,000-$4,300 | $1,800-$4,100 | $2,000-$4,300 | $1,900-$4,200 |
| Tile / flooring | $1,500-$3,200 | $2,000-$4,000 | $1,600-$3,300 | $1,400-$3,100 | $1,600-$3,300 | $1,500-$3,200 |
| Masonry | $2,200-$4,500 | $2,800-$5,600 | $2,300-$4,700 | $2,100-$4,400 | $2,300-$4,700 | $2,200-$4,500 |
| Excavation | $2,800-$5,800 | $3,500-$7,300 | $2,900-$6,000 | $2,700-$5,700 | $2,900-$6,000 | $2,800-$5,800 |
| Concrete | $2,500-$5,200 | $3,200-$6,500 | $2,600-$5,400 | $2,400-$5,100 | $2,600-$5,400 | $2,500-$5,200 |
| Roofing — commercial | $2,800-$5,800 | $3,800-$7,800 | $2,900-$6,000 | $2,700-$5,700 | $2,900-$6,000 | $2,800-$5,800 |
| Roofing — residential | $3,500-$7,500 | $5,000-$10,500 | $3,700-$7,800 | $3,400-$7,300 | $3,700-$7,800 | $3,500-$7,500 |
| Demolition | $4,200-$8,500 | $5,500-$11,000 | $4,400-$8,800 | $4,000-$8,300 | $4,400-$8,800 | $4,200-$8,500 |
General liability for contractors covers third-party bodily injury and property damage from your operations, completed work, or premises. Specific examples:
GL does NOT cover:
| Sublimit | What it does | Typical limit | Recommended limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products & Completed Operations Aggregate | Cap on claims from completed work | Equal to general aggregate | Verify it matches; some carriers sublimit |
| Damage to Premises Rented to You | Damage to space you lease | $100K-$300K | $500K if you lease commercial space |
| Medical Payments | No-fault medical for minor incidents | $5K-$10K | $10K is fine |
| Personal & Advertising Injury | Defamation, copyright, false ads | Equal to occurrence | $1M |
| Subsidence / earth movement | Ground sinking, settling | Often excluded | Buy back if doing foundations / excavation |
| EIFS (synthetic stucco) | Exterior insulation systems | Often excluded | Buy back if applicable |
| Residential construction defect | Defects in residential work | $50K-$250K sublimit | Match to project size if doing custom builds |
| Mold | Mold-related claims | Often excluded or sublimited | Buy back at $50K-$250K |
Three roofer-specific exposures drive GL premium higher than almost any other trade:
Standard markets (Travelers, Hartford, Cincinnati) decline residential roofing outright in many parts of FL in 2026. The realistic markets: Builders Mutual, AmTrust, Markel, ICW, and surplus lines via wholesale.
The $1M occurrence / $2M aggregate standard was set decades ago. In 2026, the median bodily injury verdict in commercial construction exceeds $850K. Six-figure verdicts are routine. Seven-figure verdicts happen multiple times per week in the SE.
Standard practice for contractors over $1M revenue:
For contractors with project sizes over $500K, $5M umbrella is the new floor. For projects over $5M, $10M umbrella becomes table stakes.
Get a 2026 GL quote for your trade →