The policies a glass business carries
Glass companies handle heavy, sharp material, so injuries from breaks, a shower door that shatters and water leaking around new glass are the claims to plan for.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $83 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $270 |
| Workers' compensation | $160 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers among contractors as a group (it publishes no separate figures for glass) 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 glass companies plan for
- A shower door shatters after install
- A pane breaks while carrying it and injures a helper
- A storefront panel leaks in a storm
- A mirror falls off the wall
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a shower door shatters after install?
- Would my policy pay if a pane breaks while carrying it and injures a helper?
- Would my policy pay if a storefront panel leaks in a storm?
- Would my policy pay if a mirror falls off the wall?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the glass services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: single pane glass; double pane glass; tempered glass; low-e glass; wood frame repair; frameless shower door; framed shower enclosure; custom mirror; tabletops and shelves; emergency board-up; storefront glass; sliding door glass.
Glass racks, suction lifters and the truck are the items to list. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are glass rack for the truck; glass drill bits and a drill press setup; edge polisher or sanding belts; laser level; two-person vacuum lifter, and from the starter kit, glass cutters and running pliers; suction cup lifters, a pair; cut-resistant gloves, sleeves and safety glasses; tape measure and a glazing gauge; glazing tools: putty knife, glazier's points driver and setting blocks.
State rules in the license
Glass and Glazing 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 contractors as a group is $160 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
General contractors and commercial building managers ask for a certificate before install. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for contractors as a group, 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.