Texas General Contractor Certificate of Insurance Requirements

A general contractor's certificate of insurance (COI) process is not paperwork — it is the front line of risk transfer. Every sub you allow on site without verified coverage exposes your GL to a claim that should have been theirs. A disciplined COI program protects premium, protects your EMR, and protects you in litigation.

What to Verify on Every Sub COI

• General Liability limit of at least $1M/$2M (commercial: $2M/$2M)
• Your company named as Additional Insured on the policy, not just the certificate
• Endorsement form: CG 20 10 (ongoing operations) or CG 20 37 (completed operations)
• Waiver of subrogation in favor of the GC and owner
• Primary and non-contributory wording
• Policy expiration date and a process to collect renewal before lapse

CG 20 10 vs. CG 20 37 — Why It Matters

CG 20 10 extends additional-insured status for your ongoing operations — it covers a sub-caused incident that injures you or a third party during the work. CG 20 37 extends additional-insured status for completed operations, covering a defect claim that surfaces after the sub leaves the site. Many owners now require both. A sub that provides only a generic "Additional Insured" checkbox without naming the form is giving you weak protection.

The Waiver of Subrogation Trap

Without a waiver of subrogation, after your GL pays a claim caused by a sub, your carrier can sue the sub to recover — which burns the relationship and triggers the sub's GL. With a waiver, your carrier cannot pursue the sub. Owners require the waiver so the entire chain of coverage pays from the top down without litigation between trades.

Primary and Non-Contributory

This wording forces the sub's policy to pay first, before your GL contributes. Without it, your policy could be pulled into a claim a sub caused. Primary/non-contributory is now standard on Texas commercial contracts — if a sub's COI lacks it, send it back.

Tracking and Audit Defense

Lapses are where GCs get burned. A sub whose policy expires mid-project and is not renewed is an uninsured sub the day after expiration. Track expiration dates in a spreadsheet or COI-management tool, require 30-day renewal notice, and store every certificate for the statute-of-limitations window after project completion. Good records win audits and claims.