The policies a tile business carries
Tile claims are usually about water: a shower pan that leaks into the room below, or grout and caulk that let water into the wall. Cracked tile from a floor that flexes is the other common complaint.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $72 |
| Tools and equipment | $41 |
| Commercial auto | $368 |
| Workers' compensation | $137 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
| Commercial umbrella | $75 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are tile and stone installation contractors 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 tile installers plan for
- A shower pan leaks into the ceiling below
- Tiles crack because the floor flexes
- Grout haze etches a natural stone floor
- A wet saw sprays water onto walls and trim
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a shower pan leaks into the ceiling below?
- Would my policy pay if tiles crack because the floor flexes?
- Would my policy pay if grout haze etches a natural stone floor?
- Would my policy pay if a wet saw sprays water onto walls and trim?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the tile services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: bathroom floor; kitchen floor; tile floor, installed; kitchen backsplash; shower walls and floor; tub surround; subfloor leveling; waterproofing membrane; cracked tile replacement; regrout and reseal.
Wet saws, large format cutters and mixers are the items to list. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are large format tile cutter; suction cups and a tile carrier; laser level; hole saws and core bits; shower pan and waterproofing tools, and from the starter kit, tilesetter tool kit: notched trowels, grout float, nippers, carbide chisels, knee pads and a torpedo level; wet tile saw; manual tile cutter; mixing paddle and a corded drill; buckets and sponges.
State rules in the license
Tile 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 tile and stone installation contractors is $137 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 remodelers 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 tile and stone installation contractors, 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.