Does Florida really require workers' compensation for a contractor with only one employee?

Yes. Florida law requires workers' compensation coverage for construction class codes at one or more employees, including the owner in some corporate structures. This is stricter than most other states. Contractors working on Orange County commercial sites or Osceola County residential projects need to be in compliance before their first day on any jobsite, and a lapse can result in a stop-work order from the Florida Department of Financial Services.

What general liability limits do Orlando-area general contractors typically require from subs?

Minimum limits vary by GC and project type, but contracts on larger commercial builds in submarkets like International Drive or Downtown Orlando frequently specify one million dollars per occurrence with a two-million-dollar aggregate, additional insured endorsements, and completed-operations coverage. Medical City and healthcare-adjacent projects may carry additional requirements. Ellie reviews the actual contract language with you so the policy is structured to satisfy the specific requirements of your GC rather than a generic threshold.

Do I need a separate inland marine policy for my tools and equipment, or does GL cover them?

General liability does not cover your own tools, equipment, or materials on a jobsite — it covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. Contractors' equipment coverage, placed as an inland marine policy, is what protects owned and rented equipment against theft, damage, and loss. For crews moving between Apopka, Ocoee, and Kissimmee jobsites, this coverage is especially relevant because equipment in transit or staged on an active site faces elevated exposure.

What insurance do contractors need in Orlando?

General contractors, subcontractors, and specialty trades — roofing, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete, and more. A typical Orlando program combines several of these coverages based on the operation, contracts, and exposures.

How much does contractor insurance cost in Orlando?

Cost depends on the size of the operation, payroll or revenue, vehicles, prior claims, and Florida-specific factors. Florida requires workers' comp for construction at a single employee, and GCs must verify every sub's coverage before work begins or absorb the exposure on their own policy. An Instant Quote across 100+ markets is the most accurate way to know.

What's different about insuring contractors in Florida?

Florida requires workers' comp for construction at a single employee, and GCs must verify every sub's coverage before work begins or absorb the exposure on their own policy.

Can Ellie Insurance Group shop contractor insurance for my Orlando operation?

Yes. As an independent agency we shop 100+ carrier markets for contractor insurance, including specialty markets for harder-to-place contractors. Orlando is part of our core Florida service area.

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Orlando, FL · Contractors

Orlando contractors insurance from a Florida-rooted agency

General liability, workers' comp, tools, and commercial auto for general and specialty trade contractors. Ellie Insurance Group shops 100+ carrier markets to place contractor insurance for Orlando, Orange County businesses.

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At a Glance

Industry: Contractors
Market: Orlando, FL
Markets: 100+
Service: Same-day COIs

Quick answer

Ellie Insurance Group is an independent business insurance agency (founded 2014, based in Tampa, Florida) that insures Orlando, Orange County contractors businesses through 100+ carrier markets. General liability, workers' comp, tools, and commercial auto for general and specialty trade contractors. As an independent broker we shop those markets side by side — instead of quoting one carrier — to match Orlando business owners with the right program at a competitive price. Start an Instant Quote and a licensed agent shops your contractors business for you.

Orlando's construction market is expanding on multiple fronts — residential communities in Apopka and Ocoee, commercial builds along International Drive, healthcare campuses in Lake Nona's Medical City corridor, and mixed-use redevelopment Downtown and in Winter Park. General contractors, subcontractors, and specialty trades working across these submarkets face a layered set of insurance requirements: general liability thresholds set by GC contracts, mandatory workers' compensation under Florida's strict construction rules, and commercial auto needs driven by crews moving between jobsites across Orange and Osceola counties daily.

Ellie Insurance Group shops more than 100 carrier markets to find contractor programs that match your specific trade, crew size, and project footprint. Whether you run a roofing crew based in Kissimmee, an electrical sub serving Medical City build-outs, or a general contracting firm handling commercial projects across the metro, the coverages — and the underwriting questions — differ. A licensed agent reviews your classification codes, subcontractor relationships, and equipment exposure before recommending a program, so you are not paying for coverage that does not fit or going bare on exposures that do.

Local underwriting realities

What shapes contractors in Orlando here

Central Florida's construction volume creates concentrated underwriting pressure. Orange County's hurricane wind exposure affects builders' risk pricing even for inland projects, and roof age on existing structures draws additional scrutiny. In Osceola and Kissimmee, contractors working on short-term rental renovations may encounter specialty liability requirements that standard GL forms do not address cleanly. Florida's construction workers' comp mandate — coverage required at a single employee — means a sole-proprietor who adds even one helper triggers a state obligation. GCs operating across these submarkets must also verify every subcontractor's certificate before work begins or risk absorbing uninsured payroll into their own policy premium.

Illustrative scenario

A Specialty Trade Sub Picks Up a Lake Nona Commercial Contract

A plumbing subcontractor based in Apopka lands a subcontract on a medical-office build in the Lake Nona corridor. The GC's contract specifies minimum general liability limits, requires the sub to be listed as an additional insured, and demands a current workers' compensation certificate before mobilization. The plumbing company has three field technicians and a service van — all of which need to be correctly scheduled on the policy. Because the project involves a healthcare-adjacent facility, the GC also requests completed-operations coverage extending beyond project closeout. A single program combining GL, workers' comp, and commercial auto, structured to meet those contract requirements, is what gets the sub on-site and keeps the GC's project moving.

Example for illustration only. Coverage depends on your policy's terms, limits, and exclusions.

Contractors coverage

Coverages Orlando contractors typically buy

General Liability
Required by most GCs, GMP contracts, and Florida licensing boards.
Workers' Compensation
Mandatory in Florida at one or more employees for construction class codes.
Commercial Auto
Trucks, trailers, and hired/non-owned auto for crews on the road.
Contractors' Equipment
Inland marine for tools, equipment, and materials on the jobsite.

Orlando considerations

Local factors for contractors in Orlando

Hospitality exposure
Tourism-driven liquor liability, guest injury, and seasonal payroll swings shape underwriting.
Construction boom
Heavy residential and commercial construction increases GL, WC, and builder's-risk demand.
Hurricane wind
Inland but still wind-exposed; roof age and building age affect property pricing.
Short-term rentals
Osceola/Kissimmee STR concentration needs specialty landlord and liability markets.

Orlando · Contractors

Contractors coverage built for Orlando businesses

A Florida-rooted agency shopping 100+ markets for contractor insurance across Orange County — admitted and specialty.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Florida law requires workers' compensation coverage for construction class codes at one or more employees, including the owner in some corporate structures. This is stricter than most other states. Contractors working on Orange County commercial sites or Osceola County residential projects need to be in compliance before their first day on any jobsite, and a lapse can result in a stop-work order from the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Minimum limits vary by GC and project type, but contracts on larger commercial builds in submarkets like International Drive or Downtown Orlando frequently specify one million dollars per occurrence with a two-million-dollar aggregate, additional insured endorsements, and completed-operations coverage. Medical City and healthcare-adjacent projects may carry additional requirements. Ellie reviews the actual contract language with you so the policy is structured to satisfy the specific requirements of your GC rather than a generic threshold.
General liability does not cover your own tools, equipment, or materials on a jobsite — it covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. Contractors' equipment coverage, placed as an inland marine policy, is what protects owned and rented equipment against theft, damage, and loss. For crews moving between Apopka, Ocoee, and Kissimmee jobsites, this coverage is especially relevant because equipment in transit or staged on an active site faces elevated exposure.
General contractors, subcontractors, and specialty trades — roofing, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete, and more. A typical Orlando program combines several of these coverages based on the operation, contracts, and exposures.
Cost depends on the size of the operation, payroll or revenue, vehicles, prior claims, and Florida-specific factors. Florida requires workers' comp for construction at a single employee, and GCs must verify every sub's coverage before work begins or absorb the exposure on their own policy. An Instant Quote across 100+ markets is the most accurate way to know.
Florida requires workers' comp for construction at a single employee, and GCs must verify every sub's coverage before work begins or absorb the exposure on their own policy.
Yes. As an independent agency we shop 100+ carrier markets for contractor insurance, including specialty markets for harder-to-place contractors. Orlando is part of our core Florida service area.

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Carrier access

Access to 100+ A-rated commercial markets

As an independent agency we shop 100+ admitted and surplus-lines carrier markets — so the carrier competes for your business, not the other way around.