Contractor Insurance in Alberta

Usually, yes — either on the primary policy or by adding an umbrella above it. Send me the insurance section of the contract rather than just the number: the limit is only part of it, and the additional-insured and notice-of-cancellation wording is what causes files to bounce back.

Once a policy is in force, a certificate is typically a same-day item. If you are not yet placed, the honest answer is that it depends on how quickly the insurer can bind — which is why it is worth starting before the contract lands, not after.

Only if tools and equipment coverage is on the policy, and subject to its limit, deductible and any conditions about how and where the tools were secured. Many theft claims turn on those conditions, so it is worth knowing what yours say before you need them.

Subcontractors normally carry their own. The practical risk is that if a sub is uninsured and something goes wrong, the claim tends to find its way back to you, and insurers may charge for uninsured subcontract costs at audit. Collecting certificates from every sub is the cheapest risk management in construction.

Builder's risk — also called course of construction — covers the structure and materials during construction or renovation. Who buys it depends on the contract: sometimes the owner, sometimes the contractor. The important thing is that someone does, and that everyone with an interest in the project is named.