Work has been steady, and a customer asks whether you can handle something a little outside your usual lane. The electrician who mostly runs service calls is asked to install EV chargers in a parking garage. The landscaper who mows and plants is asked to build a retaining wall or take down a tree. The flooring installer who lays plank is asked to tile a shower.
Saying yes can be good business. It is also the moment to make one call before the first job, not after it.
Education only, not legal advice. What can be placed depends on the policy, the risk, and underwriting.
One problem: the policy still describes the work you used to do
A contractor’s general liability and workers’ comp are usually written around a description of the business: what you do, how big the jobs are, and who does the work. When the work changes, that description may not keep up.
New work can carry different exposures (height, water, structure, electrical load)
Bigger or commercial jobs often bring new contract and certificate requests
New equipment or a new hire may come with the new work
Payroll for the new work may be classified differently for workers’ comp
If the new work is not described on the policy, whether and how a claim from it is handled depends on the policy, and finding out after a loss is the hard way. Whether your license covers the new work is a separate question for the CSLB; we do not make license rulings.
A Farmers-safe answer (plain words)
At SDL Commercial Insurance (Samuel D Landers Agency, a Farmers appointment), we start with the work you plan to add and how it differs from what you do today, then talk through what Farmers can usually place for that risk. Here is what usually comes up:
The new work, in plain words. “EV charger installs in commercial garages” tells underwriting more than “electrical.” Describe the work, the usual job size, and the type of customer.
How your operations are described today. We look at how the business is described on your Farmers policy and whether the new work fits, needs a change, or needs an underwriting review. Depending on the policy and the risk, some work may not be something we can place.
Who does the new work. Your own crew, a new hire, or a sub. If a sub handles the specialty piece, their certificate matters too.
Payroll and workers’ comp. If employees split time between old and new work, tell us. We do not invent classification rulings; we line up what you describe with how the policy is set up.
The first contract. Bring the first contract or bid request for the new work, especially the insurance pages, so certificate requests can match coverage that is already bound and in force.
None of this is a guarantee of terms. We place Farmers products only; we do not shop other carriers.
What to bring to the call
Business name, entity type and CSLB classification(s)
A short description of the new work and when the first job starts
Expected share of revenue or payroll from the new work over the next year
Who will do the work (crew, new hire, subs)
Current general liability and workers’ comp policies or renewal notices
The first contract or bid packet for the new work, if you have it
Bring what you have. We sort the rest on the call.
In force or not yet
Have an in-force policy we can write from? We issue the certificate from it. No policy yet? Book, bind, then certificate. A certificate is issued only after coverage is bound and in force, never ahead of it.
Next step
Book a call → https://www.sdlcommercialinsurance.com/schedule?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=blog_oct23
Coverage Calculator (planning only, not a quote) → https://calculator.sdlcommercialinsurance.com/
Or call (408) 876-7107
Samuel D Landers · California Insurance License #4538988 · SDL Commercial Insurance · Samuel D Landers Agency
