General Liability

• Third-party bodily injury and property damage from your electrical work
• Client injuries at your shop or on a Michigan job site
• Products & Completed Operations - covers fire or injury claims that surface after the job is finished
• Personal and advertising injury (libel, slander)
• Additional Insured endorsements for GCs, property owners, and municipalities on permitted work
• Primary & Noncontributory and per-project aggregate as required by GC contracts

GL does not cover the cost of redoing faulty electrical work itself - that's a workmanship issue - but it does cover the fire damage, injury, or property loss that results from it. Completed Operations coverage is the single most important feature for this trade given how electrical failures surface.

Errors & Omissions (Professional Liability)

• Claims alleging design or specification errors on larger commercial electrical projects
• Load calculation mistakes or code-compliance failures in project planning
• Particularly relevant for electricians providing design-build or engineering-adjacent services
• Covers defense costs and damages separate from the physical-loss claims GL handles

Most residential and straightforward commercial electrical work is adequately covered by GL's Completed Operations. E&O becomes relevant when your firm takes on design responsibility - sizing service upgrades, specifying panel capacity, or providing load calculations for a commercial build-out.

Inland Marine (Tools & Equipment)

• Hand and power tools, meters, voltage testers, and diagnostic equipment
• Coverage follows tools to Michigan job sites - not just your shop or vehicle
• Theft, damage, and mysterious disappearance at client locations
• Scheduled coverage for high-value equipment (thermal imaging cameras, specialized testers)

Standard Commercial Property covers tools and equipment only at your listed business address. Inland Marine is what protects your tools at every Michigan job site - essential given how much of an electrician's working capital is tied up in tools and meters.

Builder's Risk

• Covers electrical materials and unfinished work while a larger construction project is underway
• Applies when you're a sub on a Michigan ground-up or major renovation project
• Covers materials staged on-site before installation
• Typically arranged by the GC, but confirm your interest is properly reflected

If you're wiring a new building or major renovation in Michigan, confirm whether the GC's Builders Risk policy covers your installed work and staged materials, or whether you need your own coverage for materials and labor at risk before the project reaches completion.

Commercial Auto

• Service vans and trucks carrying tools, ladders, and materials between Michigan job sites
• Liability for accidents on I-75, I-94, and city streets
• Hired & Non-Owned Auto for employees using personal vehicles for parts runs
• Physical damage coverage for owned vehicles and their tool inventory

A service van isn't just transportation - it's often a rolling tool inventory worth tens of thousands of dollars. Confirm whether tools inside the vehicle are covered under Auto, Inland Marine, or both, to avoid a gap if the van is broken into.

Workers' Compensation

• Required by Michigan law for any business with employees
• Medical bills and lost wages for shock, burn, fall, and strain injuries
• Covers apprentices and journeyman electricians alike
• Employers Liability (Coverage B) protects against employee negligence suits
• Non-compliance fines can be significant; Michigan DOL actively audits contractors

Electrical work carries elevated injury risk - shock, arc flash burns, falls from ladders, and lifting injuries are all common. Accurate payroll classification and a documented lockout/tagout safety program help manage WC cost in this high-exposure trade.

License & Permit Bonds

• Required by Michigan and many municipalities as a condition of contractor licensing
• Guarantees your work complies with code and licensing regulations
• Distinct from insurance - a bond protects the public, not your business
• Bid, performance, and payment bonds also available for larger commercial electrical contracts

Michigan's permitting process for electrical work typically requires proof of a current license and bond before a permit is issued. We arrange these bonds alongside your insurance program so licensing and permit applications aren't delayed.

Business Income & Commercial Umbrella

• Business Income: replaces lost revenue if your shop or storage facility is damaged by a covered loss
• Commercial Umbrella: adds $1M - $10M+ excess liability above your GL, Auto, and Employers Liability
• Umbrella often required by GCs and commercial property owners for larger Michigan projects
• Cost-effective way to reach the higher limits commercial contracts specify

A serious fire claim tied to faulty wiring can easily exceed a $1M GL limit once property damage, business interruption for the building owner, and potential injury claims are combined. An umbrella is one of the most cost-effective ways for a Michigan electrical contractor to protect against that exposure.

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Michigan requires a state license to perform electrical work for compensation, administered by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Both individual licensure (journeyman/master electrician exams) and business licensure are required. Proof of liability insurance is a condition of business license issuance and renewal - a lapse in coverage can jeopardize your license status.

Michigan Electrical Permits

Electrical work in Michigan requires permits issued through local municipalities, with inspections required before work is closed up or energized. Permit applications typically require proof of current Michigan electrical contractor license, a license/permit bond, and Certificate of Insurance. Failure to permit electrical work can result in fines and can void insurance coverage if a claim arises from unpermitted work.

Michigan Building Code & NEC Adoption

Michigan adopts editions of the National Electrical Code (NEC) as part of the Michigan Building Code. Local building inspectors enforce these standards on every permitted job. Work that doesn't meet the current adopted code can trigger failed inspections, rework costs, and potential liability if a code violation contributes to a later fire or injury claim.

Michigan Worker Classification (ABC Test)

Michigan applies a strict ABC test to determine whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. Many electrical contracting businesses rely on subcontracted journeymen or helpers; misclassifying them can trigger Workers' Compensation back-premium assessments, wage and hour penalties, and tax liability. The Michigan DOL actively audits contractors - review your worker classifications before an audit, not after.