COI requirements by trade / Flooring and tile
Flooring and tile COI requirements
Flooring looks low-risk until a tenant slips on a freshly sealed floor or a moisture problem under new planks turns into a full tear-out. Completed operations and property damage are where flooring claims tend to land.
What makes flooring and tile risky
- Slip-and-fall injuries to tenants, visitors, or other trades during and after installation.
- Property damage from adhesives, sealers, and moisture problems that show up after the job.
- Fumes and dust in occupied units, especially in multifamily buildings.
- Back, knee, and cutting injuries to installers.
Coverage to require on the certificate
| Coverage | What's common, and what to check |
|---|---|
| General liability | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate is a common floor. Confirm products-completed operations is included. |
| Products-completed operations | Matters because failed installs and moisture damage often surface weeks or months later. Ask for completed operations AI wording. |
| Workers' compensation | Statutory limits, with employers' liability (often $1M/$1M/$1M). Flooring crews are often 1099 installers, so ask who is actually doing the work. |
| Commercial auto | $1M combined single limit is common for vans and trucks hauling material. |
On top of the coverage itself, most contracts also require additional insured status for you (and the owner, where applicable), a waiver of subrogation, and primary and noncontributory wording. Those come from endorsements, so ask for copies.
Red flags on flooring and tile certificates
- A crew of installers working under a sole proprietor's policy with no workers' comp.
- Completed operations excluded or missing.
- An insured name that doesn't match the company on your contract, common with installer networks and subcontracted labor.
Tip
If the flooring company subs out installation, ask for the installer's certificate too. The company on your contract may not be the crew in your building.
Review checklist
- Insured name matches the company on your contract.
- Every coverage above that your contract requires is listed.
- Each limit meets your minimum.
- No policy expires before the job ends. Track each expiration date separately.
- ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD are marked, with endorsements on file.
- You've asked the agent about any flooring and tile exclusions that matter.
New to reading certificates? Start with how to read an ACORD 25, grab the free COI checklist, or log dates in the free expiration tracker.
Common questions
What insurance should a flooring and tile subcontractor carry?
Common requirements include general liability, products-completed operations, workers' compensation, and commercial auto. Your contracts and broker set the actual minimums.
Are these limits required by law?
Generally no. Insurance requirements for subcontractors and vendors are set by your contracts, your own insurer, and any owner, lender, or public agency on the job. Workers' compensation requirements are set by state law. The figures here describe common practice only.
Does the ACORD 25 show exclusions?
Usually not. A certificate summarizes policy types, limits, and dates. Exclusions like height limits, residential work, or pollution are in the policy itself, so ask the agent directly when they matter for the trade.
Who should issue the certificate?
Ask the sub's insurance agent or broker to issue it, not the sub. Agents issue certificates daily and can send the endorsements at the same time.
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