Texas Framing Contractor Workers' Compensation Insurance

Framing is a fall-heavy trade. Framing crews work at height on trusses, walls, and scaffolding, and operate saws and nail guns. Falls, saw lacerations, and nail-gun injuries are the top claims — and framing falls are frequently severe. Texas does not require workers' comp for private employers, but a framing shop without it puts the owner's personal assets behind every fall and locks the shop out of commercial work.

Fall Exposure from Trusses and Walls

Falls from trusses, walls, and scaffolding are the top framing claim. Fall-protection training, lift certification, and engineered-truss hoist programs reduce both injuries and the experience modifier. Carriers ask about fall-protection programs; a documented program is a premium factor.

Saw and Nail-Gun Injuries

Saw lacerations and nail-gun injuries are the most frequent framing claims. Blade-guard protocols, sequential-trigger nail guns, and PPE reduce frequency and severity. Even frequent lower-severity claims drive the experience modifier up over time, which raises premium and can cost commercial contracts.

Owner and Officer Coverage

Texas allows sole proprietors and officers to exclude themselves from workers' comp. Many framing owners include themselves because working owners face the same fall, saw, and nail-gun exposures. An owner who excludes himself has no wage-loss or medical coverage for his own injury — and a working-owner fall can end the business.

Uninsured Subcontractor Exposure

If you use 1099 framing crews without workers' comp, an injured sub can bring a claim against your policy. Texas carriers charge uninsured subcontractor exposure at the framing rate at audit — among the higher construction rates. Requiring 1099 crews to carry their own workers' comp and name you additional insured removes the exposure and the premium.

What Commercial GCs Require

• Workers' comp with statutory Texas benefits and employer liability of $1M/$1M/$1M
• Waiver of subrogation in favor of the GC and owner
• Coverage continuing through framing closeout and inspection
• Certificate delivered before the sub mobilizes