Carpenter insurance
One application, multiple quotes.
All in one place.
Essential Protection
From
$42.62
/month*
Can help cover claims of accidental damage to a customer’s property, such as dents to walls or floors.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $1M to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
Essential Protection
From
$42.62
/month*
Can help cover claims of accidental damage to a customer’s property, such as dents to walls or floors.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $1M to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
Would you rather pick and choose your coverage? Explore all options
Over 1 million customers worldwide.
Buy instantly online.
Why Does a Carpenter Need Insurance?
As a carpenter, every project demands precision, craftsmanship, and care. But even the best preparation can’t prevent every setback. From accidental damage to a client’s property, stolen tools, or injuries to others, carpenter insurance can help protect your business and keep you building with confidence.
Below are some of the most common types of insurance policies that carpenters carry to stay protected.
What Type of Carpenter Insurance Do I Need?
General Liability Insurance
From
$42.62
/month*
A foundational carpenter insurance coverage to help handle costs from third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
From
$33.75
/month*
General liability, property insurance, and more all in one convenient package.
Workers’ Comp Insurance
From
$38.91
/month*
Coverage to help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Most states require this coverage for small businesses with full- or part-time employees. It also can benefit business owners who don’t have employees.
Contractor’s Equipment and Small Tools
From
$20.83
/month‡
Also known as inland marine insurance, this coverage can financially protect your mobile tools and equipment that are in transport or temporarily stored offsite, depending on your policy.
Business insurance —
a one-minute explanation
Learn more about policies for small businesses, what they cover, why you might need them, and how we can help.
What Does Carpenter Insurance Cover?
From custom cabinets to backyard decks, quality carpentry can transform a client’s home. But without the right insurance, one mishap could leave you footing the bill. Here’s how carpenter liability insurance can help protect against some of the most common risks you may face:
Damage to someone else’s property
While installing crown moulding in a living room, your nail gun slips from the ladder and dents the homeowner’s new hardwood floors. A general liability policy could help cover those types of third-party claims.
Protection for your business property
A late-night electrical fire breaks out in your workshop, destroying stacked lumber, hand tools, and a nearly finished set of built-in shelves. A business owner’s policy (BOP) typically bundles general liability insurance, commercial property protection, and business interruption coverage to help pay for cleanup, material replacement, and lost income — so you can get back to building for your clients quickly. Commercial property protection can also cover tools or equipment that are stolen from your fixed business location.
Many carpenters choose a BOP because it offers more protection than a stand-alone general liability policy without usually costing much more — a great option if you’re established or planning to grow.
Care for sick or injured employees
One of your crew is ripping boards on a table saw when their hand slips, causing a serious cut that requires stitches. Workers’ compensation insurance can help cover their medical bills and provide wage replacement as they recover.
Workers’ comp is often legally required and can protect your business from costly claims, as well as taking care of your crew if they get sick or injured on the job. Even if you operate solo, we recommend workers’ comp, because many health insurance policies won’t cover work-related injuries.
Damaged or stolen equipment
You return to a remodel the next morning and discover your miter saw and cordless drill set are missing from a locked on-site storage area. If you have a general liability policy, adding contractor’s equipment and small tools coverage, also known as inland marine insurance, can help pay to replace or repair your stolen or damaged equipment, whether it’s on the move or at a jobsite.
Honest mistakes and negligence claims
Even seasoned carpenters can face disputes over workmanship. Suppose you install a set of custom cabinets, but within weeks the doors don’t close properly, and the client demands that you repair them. Adding a contractor’s errors and omissions endorsement to your general liability policy could help cover repair costs and help protect you against a negligence claim.
Peace of mind for your clients
You’re contracted to build a large home addition, and the homeowner wants assurance the work will be completed on time and to code. That’s where a surety bond comes in. It’s a financial guarantee that protects your client if you can’t meet your contractual obligations. If the job isn’t finished or doesn’t meet agreed-upon standards, the bond can compensate the client for their losses.
How Much Does Carpenter Insurance Cost?
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Get a quick estimate in just 3 steps.
Why Carpenters Choose Simply Business
Small business insurance is what we do. Whether it’s covering you for accidents and errors, meeting workers’ comp requirements, or financially protecting your business from the unexpected, we can help find coverage for your handyman business.
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Answers to More Questions About Carpenter Insurance
What is carpenter insurance?
Carpenter insurance is a collection of policies that can help protect your business, your gear, and your livelihood.
Is a carpenter required to have insurance by law?
Most states mandate workers’ compensation insurance if you have employees. Liability coverage is also frequently a requirement for professional licensing. We recommend checking with your state and local governments regarding the insurance requirements you need to satisfy.
If one of my employees gets injured using a table saw or other power tool, which policy covers their medical bills?
Workers’ compensation insurance is designed to cover exactly this kind of scenario. If an employee is injured on the job, workers’ compensation can help cover their medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of lost wages while they recover. It can also help protect your business from lawsuits, since employees who receive workers’ compensation benefits generally can’t sue their employer over the same injury.
Is workers’ compensation required for solo carpenters?
Even if you don’t have employees, many general contractors and commercial clients require solo carpenters to carry their own workers’ compensation policy to step onto a jobsite. Additionally, because many personal health insurance policies exclude work-related injuries, a solo policy can help cover your medical bills if you’re injured on the job.
Are my power tools covered if they’re stolen from a job site or my work truck?
Standard general liability insurance doesn’t cover theft of your own equipment. A business owner’s policy (BOP) may include some business personal property coverage, but it’s typically limited to items stored at a fixed business location—not tools in transit or left at a job site. That’s where contractor’s equipment and small tools insurance comes in. It’s designed to cover tools and machinery that travel with you—whether they’re on a job site, in your truck, or in a storage trailer.
If I accidentally damage a homeowner’s cabinets or trim during installation, will my general liability insurance cover the repair costs?
Let’s say you nick a client’s kitchen cabinets while installing a countertop, or scuff their hardwood floors moving materials, your general liability policy’s property damage coverage could help pay to repair or replace what was damaged. General liability typically covers damage to the client’s property but not the cost of redoing your own work.
Does my general liability insurance cover damage if I mismeasure lumber or framing, and the client has to pay for materials to be redone?
Standard general liability policies include what’s known as a “your work” exclusion, which typically excludes the cost of redoing or correcting your own faulty workmanship. That said, an errors and omissions (E&O) policy could help cover the cost to repair your work and help protect you from a negligence claim.
What determines the cost of carpenter insurance?
The cost for your insurance coverage is usually determined by:
- The type of work you do
- Where your business is located
- Your annual revenue and/or payroll
- The types of policies and limits you choose
Other factors can include your claims history and how long you’ve been in business.
Will my insurance cost more if I work on commercial builds or high-risk projects like structural framing?
Insurers typically classify carpentry work by risk level, and the type of projects you take on is one of the biggest factors impacting your premium. Finish carpentry, such as trim work, cabinetry, and millwork, generally carries a lower risk profile than structural framing, roofing support, or commercial construction. If your work regularly involves heights, heavy structural elements, or multi-trade job sites, your premiums will likely reflect the higher risk classification of those activities.
What should I consider before buying carpenter insurance?
If you’re thinking of buying carpenter liability insurance, we recommend having the following information on hand when using our carpenter insurance calculator:
- The state where you do business
- Your type of business or trade
- Your annual revenue and payroll estimates
This information can make it easier to get a quote from one of our insurers.
Can I get a Certificate of Insurance (COI) immediately?
COIs for most insurance policies are available as soon as you purchase your policy. Once available, Simply Business provides instant digital certificate of insurance access through your online account any time of day. So if a general contractor needs proof of coverage before you can start framing on Monday morning, you can pull your COI and send it over in minutes.
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*The displayed price for each product is a monthly estimate calculated from the 10th percentile of relevant policies sold by Simply Business (e.g., General Liability data is used for General Liability estimates). This estimate uses data from relevant policy sales between July–December 2025. Final price and payment terms, which may include an initial down payment, are subject to change based on your state, selected insurance provider, and specific business details.
† Limits may vary by state and nature of your business.
‡ Displayed price is based on the lowest available coverage limit for Equipment and Small Tools policies.