The policies a deck business carries
A deck has to hold people safely for years, so a railing or ledger that fails is the claim deck builders plan around. Insureon publishes no deck builder page, so the figures here are for carpenters, the closest trade it covers.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $94 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $239 |
| Workers' compensation | $201 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
| Business owner's policy | $130 |
| Professional liability | $67 |
| Commercial umbrella | $116 |
| Builder's risk | $108 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are carpenters pay, from Insureon's cost page; most of its customers have fewer than five employees. Across all its small business customers, general liability runs $265 to $3,030 a year.
Claims deck builders plan for
- A railing gives way under a guest
- A ledger pulls away from the house
- An auger hits a buried line while digging footings
- Stain lifts and the boards need redoing
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a railing gives way under a guest?
- Would my policy pay if a ledger pulls away from the house?
- Would my policy pay if an auger hits a buried line while digging footings?
- Would my policy pay if stain lifts and the boards need redoing?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the deck services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: build labor; decking, pressure-treated; decking, composite; raised deck framing; permit; wood railing, installed; composite railing, installed; stairs; pergola, 12 by 12 ft; tear out an old deck; deck wash; stain and seal; board and railing repair.
Saws, nailers, augers and a lumber trailer are the items to list. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are framing nailer and a joist hanger nailer; hidden fastener tool for composite boards; track saw or a rail for long rips; wood moisture meter; laser level, and from the starter kit, framing hammer, 20 oz; cordless circular saw and a miter saw; cordless drill and impact driver; post hole digger or a rented auger; string line, line level and a framing square.
State rules in the license
Decks work often falls under the general contractor rules. Our general contractor license guide lists the insurance and bond line for each of 48 states from the boards' own pages.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for carpenters is $201 a month, priced per $100 of payroll. A bond protects the state or the customer, not you; Insureon puts its yearly cost at a share of the bond amount:
| Bond amount | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|
| $5,000 | $25 to $500 |
| $10,000 | $50 to $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $250 to $5,000 |
Certificates of insurance
HOAs and homeowners with lenders ask for a certificate before the permit is pulled. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for carpenters, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: General liability insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Workers' compensation insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Surety bond cost, checked October 9, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 9, 2026
- Koira: General Contractor license requirements by state (each row lists its board sources), checked October 9, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.