Find Insured Concrete Contractors in Phoenix
Concrete Contractors Insurance. Cement and concrete contractors clear and level job sites, dig footings for proper foundation support, lay wood or metal forms, place mesh or rebar as needed, then pour wet concrete into the forms. The cement or concrete must then cure and kept moist so it dries slowly to maintain its strength, harden, and dry. Concrete is made of aggregate (sand and gravel), fluid cement (the binding agent), and water that may be mixed in transit or at the job site.
Pigments, crushed glass, or small decorative stones may be added to the mixture or the concrete may be stamped into a pattern to achieve a designer effect. Many insured concrete contractors specialize in flatwork such as sidewalks, post-tension slabs, driveways, patios, parking lots, and roads. Others pour structural concrete varying from foundations and footings to walls and bridge decking.
Concrete contractors are responsible for a variety of duties including following the architect’s plans and notes, digging foundations, and laying sidewalks. While the specific roles of your cement or concrete contracting business depend on the unique nature of your business, there are a variety of inherent risks associated with operating a company in this industry.
If you’re a concrete contractor having the right insurance is important.
Why Is Liability Insurance Important For Concrete Contractors?
Liability insurance protects the contractor and person or business that hires them against lawsuits and claims of third party bodily injury or property damage. It’s required by law in Arizona that Concrete Contractors have General liability insurance.
To protect your property or business during the construction phase, you have to choose the right concrete contractor, and one with insurance. Choosing a concrete contractor with insurance doesn’t guarantee they will do a good job
What Type Of Insurance Should Concrete Contractors in Phoenix Have?
There are several types of insurance that concrete contractors in Phoenix should have and will vary by the specific nature of your concrete project. There are specific coverage options that all cement contractors should carry, such as:
- Commercial Auto – This type of insurance protects clients, vehicles, and other types of property that become damaged as a result of the driver of our commercial vehicles; for example, if an employee side-swipes another car or building while driving a work truck, our commercial auto insurance would help cover the claim.
- Workers Comp – This type of insurance covers work-related injuries or illnesses that our employees may sustain. For example, if a piece of machinery malfunctions and injures a member of our crew, workers’ comp will most likely pay for any related medical expenses, as well as any wages lost during recovery. It can also help to pay for any training needed for a new job if they are unable to return to work as a result of the injuries. Having and maintaining Workman’s comp insurance in Arizona requires a good safety record, something we are very proud of.
- Inland Marine
Inland marine covers our equipment from any type of loss while stored, in transit, or at the job site. There have been cases where someone crashes into a piece of heavy equipment while being transported with state minimum coverage of $10,000 in Arizona. The transport trailers alone can cost between $10,000 and 110,000 each. Heavy equipment used by concrete contractors in Arizona ranges between $50,000 and several million dollars each, not including downtime.
- Commercial General Liability
These are just some of the recommended contractor insurance policies that concrete contractors should carry; other coverage options that are highly recommended are errors and omissions insurance.
Do Concrete Contractors in Arizona Need Workers Compensation Insurance?
Yes, as a concrete contractor, your work will consist of the use of heavy equipment. Most times you’ll be required to move heavy equipment to the location of the job. As a result, you must ensure you have the proper coverage in case something goes wrong during the transportation process or while on the job site.
If an employee gets injured on a project site, they can benefit from workers’ compensation. Whether it’s for medical expenses or lost wages this compensation will help to minimize the costs. In the case of a fatal accident happening while on the job, this type of compensation also offers survivor benefits to the family.
Having this policy in place is required in Arizona for any non-owner employees. Typically before a client hires a concrete contractor they will want to verify you have this type of coverage.
How Do Concrete Contractors Insure Their Equipment?
You not only want to ensure the workers are safe when working but you also want to be able to protect the equipment we use while on the job. Most of the equipment utilized for a concrete project is expensive. In case any of them gets damaged, we want to make sure they are covered.
Concrete Contracting’s Risks & Exposures
Premises liability exposure is low at the contractor’s premises since visitor access is limited. Equipment and materials stored in the open may present an attractive nuisance to children. At job sites, the contractor is responsible for the safety aspects of the entire project even after hours when there is no construction activity.
Excavation, the operation of heavy machinery, and the weight of large mixers and mix-in-transit vehicles present numerous hazards to the public and employees of other contractors, particularly when there is structural work. Hazards increase significantly in the absence of job site control, including spotters, signage, and barriers where appropriate.
Injuries can occur from trips and fall over debris, equipment, or uneven ground. Excavation and digging can result in cutting utility cable, damaging property of the utility company, and disrupting service to neighboring residences or businesses.
A significant morale hazard may be indicated by the absence of detailed procedures to determine utility locations and to research prior uses of the land. Construction sites create an attractive nuisance hazard, especially if work is close to residential areas. Wet cement in particular attracts children and vandals. Safety barriers such as perimeter fencing may be needed, especially if the excavation work is complete but another phase of construction has not yet started.
Completed operations liability exposures can be very high due to the injury and property damage that can result from improper mixing, installation, and curing. Concrete may collapse, crack, or rapidly deteriorate. The mixture of the cement, concrete, and curing agents must meet all engineering specifications.
Quality control and full compliance with all construction, material, and design specifications are necessary. Hazards increase in the absence of proper record keeping of customer specifications, work orders, change orders, as well as inspection and written acceptance of finished work by the customer.
Environmental impairment liability exposures may arise from the waste generated in the fueling and cleaning of heavy equipment, include mix-in-transit containers. Allowing waste to accumulate either at the job site or in the contractor’s yard could result in contamination of air, ground, or water supply. Collection, transportation, and disposal of waste must meet all federal and state requirements.
Workers’ compensation exposures can be very high. Lifting strains and crush injuries may arise at every phase of the operations. From the clearing and excavation of the site, whether inland or water, to the laying of forms, to pouring of concrete, to the drying, curing, and completion of the project, frequent and severe losses can occur. Work done above water, below ground, or at heights can result in injury or death from collapse of scaffolds or trenches, drowning, falls, or being struck by falling objects.
Other common hazards include cuts and puncture wounds from working with hand tools, foreign objects in the eye, and hearing impairment from cumulative exposure to high-decibel operations. The fine sand from aggregate may cause eye injuries or lung disease such as silicosis. Pouring mixed concrete from a mixer usually involves operations on top of the vehicle. The absence of proper guarding may indicate a morale hazard.
Property exposures at the contractor’s location are generally limited to an office and storage of material, equipment, and vehicles. Ignition sources include electrical wiring, heating, and air conditioning systems. The contractor’s yard may include piles of gravel as well as large mixing or batch plants that combine the ingredients for mixing cement or concrete and load them into trucks. The exposure is greatly increased if there are large drum mix plants or batch plants involving heat and flammable bitumen or tar.
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Crime exposure is from employee dishonesty. Background checks should be conducted before hiring any employee. All orders, billing, and disbursements must be handled as separate duties and annual external audits conducted.
Inland marine exposure is from accounts receivable if the contractor bills customers for services, contractors’ equipment and tools, goods in transit, installation floater, and valuable papers and records for custom project plans, clients’ and suppliers’ information. Construction equipment and concrete mixed in transit are heavy and difficult to transport. The training of drivers and haulers, especially concerning the loading, tie-down, and unloading is important to avoid damage from overturning or collision.
At the job site, hazards come from uneven terrain, from the abrasive or caustic nature of some of the materials, or the sheer weight of the concrete as it may exceed the equipment’s load capacity. Tools and equipment may be damaged by dropping, and falling from heights, or being struck by other vehicles. The concrete forms lack identifying marks and must often be left overnight or longer at a site, increasing the exposure to vandalism and theft.
Equipment may strike underground objects or utility lines during excavation or fall into mud, water, pits, or sinkholes. It may be damaged by rock, land, or mudslides or from fire due to overload. Materials and equipment left at job sites may be stolen or vandalized unless proper controls are in place.
Copies of project plans should be kept at an offsite location for easier restoration.
Commercial auto exposures have catastrophic potential. Since mix-in-transit units are among the heaviest on the road, they can cause severe injury or damage even in minor collisions. These units are awkward to handle while driving or in operation and are difficult to tow if they overturn or become stuck in the mud. All drivers must have appropriate licenses and acceptable MVRs. Vehicles must be maintained and the records kept in a central location.
Commercial Insurance And Business Industry Classification
- SIC CODE: 1771 Concrete Work
- NAICS CODE: 238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
- Suggested ISO General Liability Code(s): 91560, 92215, 95505, 91266, 99507, 99321
- Suggested Workers Compensation Code(s): 5213, 5215, 5221, 5222, 5223, 5506
Description for 1771: Concrete Work
Division C: Construction | Major Group 17: Construction-Special Trade Contractors | Industry Group 177: Concrete Work
1771 Concrete Work: Special trade contractors primarily engaged in concrete work, including portland cement and asphalt. This industry includes the construction of private driveways and walks of all materials. Concrete work incidental to the construction of foundations and concrete work included in an excavation contract are classified in Industry 1794; and those engaged in construction or paving of streets, highways, and public sidewalks are classified in Industry 1611.
- Asphalting of private driveways and private parking areas-contractors
- Blacktop work: private driveways and private parking
- Concrete finishers-contractors
- Concrete work: private driveways, sidewalks, and parking areas
- Culvert construction-contractors
- Curb construction-contractors
- Foundations, the building of poured concrete-contractors
- Grouting work-contractors
- Gunite work-contractors
- Parking lot construction-contractors
- Patio construction, concrete-contractors
- Sidewalk construction, except public-contractors
- Stucco construction-contractors
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization. Through the NAIC, state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, conduct peer review, and coordinate their regulatory oversight.
Commercial insurance is particularly important for small business owners, as they stand to lose a lot more. Should a situation arise – a lawsuit, property damage, theft, etc. – small business owners could end up facing serious financial turmoil.
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