Written By: Krystal Jackson, President, Barbee Jackson Insurance. Over the past 20 years Krystal and her team have insured thousands of contractors and small businesses throughout the United States. Licensed in 30+ states. Last updated: September 16, 2026.

Florida General Contractor Insurance
Florida puts a number on it. Unlike most states, Florida’s licensing board sets specific public liability minimums for certified general contractors — and if you hold the license, carrying the coverage isn’t optional. But here’s what two decades of insuring Florida contractors has taught us: the state minimum and the coverage that actually protects a Florida GC are two very different numbers.

We’re Barbee Jackson Insurance — headquartered in Florida, licensed in 30+ states, and contractors are one of our core divisions.

What Florida Requires — by License Type
Florida’s Construction Industry Licensing Board sets both what each license can build (§ 489.105, Fla. Stat.) and the public liability insurance it must carry (Rule 61G4-15.003):

Notice the jump: the insurance floor triples when you step up from residential to building or general contractor — so the license upgrade and the policy upgrade travel together. And now the honest part: almost no working Florida contractor should stop at the floor. Commercial contracts, owners, and lenders routinely require $1,000,000 per occurrence — and Florida’s construction-defect and injury litigation environment means the state minimum disappears fast in a real claim. The minimum keeps your license. The right limits keep your business.

The Florida Factors
Completed operations in a litigation state. Florida’s construction-defect environment makes your finished work a live exposure for years. Completed operations coverage — and the CG 20 37 endorsement owners demand — matters more here than almost anywhere.

Hurricane season and builders risk. An unfinished structure in a named storm is the exact loss builders risk exists for. Know what your builders risk says about wind, when coverage attaches, and what your obligations are when a storm is named before hurricane season.

Workers’ comp and the exemption trap. Florida construction has its own workers’ comp rules, and officer exemptions are widely used — and widely misunderstood. Payroll baselines also drive pricing: owner payroll is currently calculated on a baseline of $33,800. Tell us your real crew structure and we’ll make sure the program matches it.

Subcontractor discipline. Everything on our national GC page about certificates and additional insured status applies double in Florida — an uninsured sub’s injury claim in this state is not a problem you want to own.

What Does It Cost in Florida?
Pricing starts at $1,900 a year. Your trade mix, payroll and receipts, loss history, limits, and where in Florida you build all move the number — South Florida prices differently than the Panhandle. Call us with how you actually build: (850) 389-2001.

Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance is required for a Florida general contractor license? Under Rule 61G4-15.003, general and building contractors must maintain at least $300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage in public liability; residential and specialty contractors carry at least $100,000/$25,000. Most working contracts require far more — typically $1,000,000 per occurrence.

I’m moving up from a residential license to building or general contractor. Does my insurance change? Yes — the public liability floor triples, from $100,000/$25,000 to $300,000/$50,000, when you step into the building or general contractor tiers. Line up the policy change with the license application, not after it.

Is the Florida state minimum enough? It keeps your license. It will not satisfy most commercial contracts, and it will not go far in Florida’s litigation environment. Carrying only the minimum is legal — and one serious claim from being catastrophic.

Do I need builders risk on every project? On any project where you’d feel the loss of the unfinished structure — and in Florida, hurricane season makes that nearly every project. Lenders usually require it anyway.

How fast can I get a certificate of insurance? Within five minutes during normal business hours unless a change is required. Call (850) 389-2001.

Why Florida GCs Work With Barbee Jackson Insurance
We’re Florida-headquartered, independent, licensed in 30+ states, with 400+ five-star Google reviews — and we insure Florida contractors every single day. Call (850) 389-2001, email services@barbeejackson.com, or request a quote below. Your Goals, Our Strategies.

Also see: General Contractor Insurance (national) · Florida Electrical Contractors · Florida Carpentry Insurance · Workers Compensation