The policies a painting business carries
Painters deal with spilled paint on carpet, overspray on cars and falls from ladders. In homes built before 1978, lead-safe work practices matter for both safety and liability.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $72 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $295 |
| Workers' compensation | $190 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
| Business owner's policy | $109 |
| Professional liability | $67 |
| Commercial umbrella | $79 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are painters 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 painters plan for
- Overspray lands on cars parked next door
- A paint can tips onto new carpet
- A ladder slips and dents siding and a gutter
- Lead dust from prep reaches a child's room in an older home
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if overspray lands on cars parked next door?
- Would my policy pay if a paint can tips onto new carpet?
- Would my policy pay if a ladder slips and dents siding and a gutter?
- Would my policy pay if lead dust from prep reaches a child's room in an older home?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the painting services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: interior walls; ceilings; trim and baseboards; cabinet painting; accent wall; exterior, paintable area; pressure wash before painting; deck and fence staining; front door refinish; drywall patch, small hole; drywall patch, large hole; caulking and wood repair; lead-safe prep on pre-1978 homes.
Sprayers and ladders are the high-value items to list on a tools policy. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are airless paint sprayer; larger cart airless sprayer; pressure washer; plank and ladder jacks or a walk board; dust-free sander with a vacuum; epa rrp containment supplies, and from the starter kit, angled sash brushes in two or three widths; roller frames, extension poles and roller covers; 5 in 1 or 6 in 1 tools and putty knives; drop cloths, plastic sheeting and painter's tape; step ladder and a multi-position ladder.
State rules in the license
These are the insurance and bond lines in each state's painting contractor license rules, from our painting contractor license guide, which reads each state board's own pages. 15 of the 35 states we cover set an insurance or bond rule in the license itself. Click a state for the full license steps.
| State | Insurance in the license rules | Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Workers' compensation as required, plus liability insurance of at least $20,000 property damage, $50,000 injury to one person and $100,000 injury to more than one person. Contractors whose every project is $2,500 or less are exempt from the liability insurance rule. | $10,000 for a specialty contractor. |
| Delaware | You give your workers' compensation policy for Delaware when you apply. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Idaho | General liability of at least $300,000 single limit, and workers' compensation or a statement of why it is not needed. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Maryland | Proof of $50,000 liability insurance with the application. | Applicants who do not meet the financial solvency guidelines can buy a surety bond or use an indemnitor. |
| Mississippi | Commercial applicants show general liability coverage of at least $300,000 per occurrence or $600,000 aggregate. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Nebraska | Contractors with one or more employees file a current workers' compensation certificate with the Department of Labor listed as holder. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| New Jersey | Commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| North Dakota | A certificate of liability insurance listing the Secretary of State as holder, plus workers' compensation proof from WSI if you have employees in North Dakota. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Oregon | General liability insurance in the required amount, naming the Construction Contractors Board as certificate holder. Workers' compensation if you hire employees. | A CCB surety bond in the amount for your endorsement type. |
| Pennsylvania | At least $50,000 of personal injury liability and $50,000 of property damage coverage. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Rhode Island | A $500,000 certificate of liability insurance naming the board as certificate holder, plus workers' compensation if you have employees. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Tennessee | Home improvement licensees need general liability and workers' compensation. | Home improvement license: a $10,000 surety bond or other financial security. |
| Utah | General liability of at least $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 total, with DOPL as certificate holder, plus workers' compensation. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Vermont | Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. | Not set in the license rules we checked |
| Washington | General liability of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or a $250,000 combined single limit, with L&I listed as certificate holder. | A $15,000 continuous contractor surety bond for specialty contractors. |
States not listed either leave insurance to cities and counties or set no rule in the license. Your city, your customers and your contracts can still ask for more.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for painters is $190 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
Property managers, HOAs and general contractors ask for a certificate before you start. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for painters, 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: Painting Contractor license requirements by state (each row lists its board sources), checked October 9, 2026
- EPA: Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, contractors, checked October 8, 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.