Carpenter Contract Checklist

Business: ________________ Project: ________________ General contractor or owner: ________________ Project state: ________________ Contract date: ________________ Certificate due date: ________________

Use this checklist while reading the insurance section of the subcontract. Mark any item that appears in the contract, then confirm whether your current policy and endorsements can meet the requirement before work starts.

• General liability limits: Write the required each occurrence limit, general aggregate limit, and products-completed operations aggregate from the contract.
• Umbrella or excess liability: Check whether the contract allows higher required limits to be met with umbrella or excess coverage.
• Completed operations: Check whether the contract requires products-completed operations coverage after the carpentry work is finished.
• Work type: Note whether the contract describes finish carpentry, framing, rough carpentry, cabinet installation, exterior work, or another carpentry operation.
• Other policies: Check whether the contract separately asks for workers compensation, commercial auto, tools coverage, or property coverage.
• Higher-risk work: If the project includes rough carpentry, stairs, decks, railings, structural supports, exterior doors, windows, or attached cabinetry, confirm that the required limits and completed operations language match the project.

• Additional insured: Check whether the owner, general contractor, property manager, lender, or other party must be named as an additional insured.
• Ongoing operations: Check whether the additional insured requirement applies while your carpentry work is being performed.
• Completed operations: Check whether the additional insured requirement continues after the work is complete.
• Primary and noncontributory: Check whether the contract requires your general liability insurance to apply before the other party's insurance.
• Waiver of subrogation: Check whether the contract requires your insurer to waive recovery rights against the owner, general contractor, or another party.
• Endorsement copies: Check whether the contract asks for actual endorsement copies in addition to the certificate of insurance.

• Certificate timing: Check whether the certificate of insurance must be delivered before work starts.
• Certificate holder: Copy the exact certificate holder name and address from the contract.
• Named insured: Confirm the business name on the certificate matches the contracting entity.
• Policy dates: Confirm the policy period covers the planned work dates.
• Limits shown: Confirm the certificate shows the limits the contract requires.
• Description wording: Check whether the contract requires project name, job number, additional insured wording, waiver of subrogation, or primary and noncontributory wording in the certificate description.
• Subcontractors: If you hire subcontractors, keep their certificates and compare their limits and endorsements with your subcontract requirements.

Contract items to send for review:

Questions before signing:

• Can the current policy meet the required limits?
• Does the contract require endorsement wording that is not shown on a certificate?
• Will any endorsement need carrier approval before the certificate can be issued?
• Does the contract require coverage to continue after the job is finished?