Framing Contractor Insurance in North Carolina: What Framers Need
For framing crews and framing subcontractors working for builders and general contractors.
Framers carry some of the heaviest risk in residential construction. Crews work at height with nail guns and saws, the structure you build carries the whole house, and defects can surface years later.
Most framers work as subcontractors, so the coverage you buy is shaped by what the general contractor demands on the certificate: general liability with completed operations, workers comp, and often an additional insured endorsement and a waiver of subrogation.
Coverages framing contractors need
General liability with completed operations. Covers injuries and property damage from your work, including structural problems discovered after the house is finished. Check for exclusions on residential, multi-family, condo, tract-home or height work, which are common in framing policies.
Workers compensation. Covers your crew's injuries. Falls, cuts and back injuries make framing one of the most expensive comp classes, and an uninsured crew member or sub will show up on your audit.
Inland marine (tools and equipment). Covers nail guns, compressors, saws and equipment on the trailer or job site, which are frequent theft targets.
Commercial auto. Covers trucks hauling lumber, trailers and crews.
Umbrella. Adds limits many builders require on their subcontract agreements.
Occupational accident. Some framing crews are owners without employees. Occupational accident can cover the owner, but it is not a legal substitute for workers comp for employees.
Forms, endorsements and availability vary by insurance company. Your own policy governs.
North Carolina licensing and requirements
No separate framing license. A general contractor license is required when the cost of the project is $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1, NCLBGC). Framing done as a subcontractor to a licensed general contractor falls under the GC's license.
Workers comp and subs. Employers with three or more employees regularly employed must carry workers comp (G.S. 97-2). Sole proprietors, partners and LLC members are not counted automatically but can elect to cover themselves by notifying the insurance company (NC Industrial Commission). A contractor who hires a subcontractor without first getting a certificate of workers comp coverage can be liable for the sub's injured workers, even if the sub has fewer than three employees (G.S. 97-19).
Fall protection. OSHA's construction rules generally require fall protection at 6 feet or more, with specific provisions for residential construction (29 CFR 1926.501). Falls drive both workers comp claims and premiums in this trade.
Vehicles. Business vehicles need at least North Carolina's 50/100/50 liability minimums on policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 (NCDOI).
What drives the cost of framing contractor insurance
The main factors insurance companies weigh:
- Payroll and the framing workers comp classification
- Residential vs. commercial, and number of stories
- How much you subcontract, and whether subs carry certificates
- Revenue, limits and exclusions on the liability policy
- Tool and equipment values
- Vehicles and drivers
- Claims history and experience modifier
We do not publish average prices. A licensed advisor quotes your actual operation across more than 100 insurance companies.
Common Questions
What insurance do framing contractors need?
General liability with completed operations, workers comp, tools and equipment coverage, and commercial auto. Most builders also require additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation.
Do framing contractors need a license in North Carolina?
There is no separate framing license. A general contractor license is required for projects of $40,000 or more, and framing under a licensed GC falls under that license.
Do framing subcontractors need workers comp in NC?
Required at three or more employees, but general contractors usually demand a certificate from every sub because they can be liable for an uninsured sub's workers.
Do I need workers comp if I'm a sole proprietor in NC?
Not by law if you have no employees, but you can elect to cover yourself, and many GCs will require a certificate anyway.
Why is framing insurance so expensive?
Framing has high fall and injury rates and long-tail structural claims, which push up both workers comp and liability pricing.
What other coverage do framing contractors need?
Tools and equipment coverage, commercial auto, and an umbrella if your builders require higher limits.
The Bottom Line
- Tell us before you sign a builder's subcontract, so the certificate matches it.
- Read your liability policy for residential, condo and height exclusions.
- Get certificates from anyone you sub work to.
- Insure nail guns, compressors and trailers separately.
- Keep fall protection and training records.
Forms, endorsements, and availability vary by insurance company. Your own policy governs.
Sizemore Insurance is an independent insurance company founded in North Carolina in 1977. Tell us what your business does and what you need to protect, and a licensed advisor will compare more than 100 insurance companies to find the coverage that fits. Insurance made just for you.
Sources: G.S. 87-1, who is a general contractor ($40,000 threshold); NC Licensing Board for General Contractors; G.S. 97-2, workers compensation definitions (3 or more employees); NC Industrial Commission, employer insurance requirement; G.S. 97-19, contractor liability and subcontractor certificates; 29 CFR 1926.501, OSHA fall protection in construction; NC Department of Insurance, auto changes effective July 1, 2025.
Forms, exclusions, endorsements, and availability vary by carrier. This page is general information, not a policy or legal advice. Review your own policy or talk to your advisor.