Yes. A waiver of subrogation (your insurance company agreeing not to go after your customer to recover money it paid on a claim) can be added for one customer and one job, using a "scheduled" policy change that names them. It is usually the cheapest choice if you sign one or two contracts a year. Past three or four, a "blanket" version that covers every customer you sign a written contract with usually costs less. Who this is for: owners who got their first waiver request and do not want to pay for more than this job needs.
The short version
- A one job waiver is a "scheduled" page added to your policy. Your customer's exact legal name is typed on it.
- It works for that customer only. A new customer needs another one, plus one to three business days.
- Blanket wording covers every customer you sign a written contract with, and usually wins on price past three or four contracts a year.
- On general liability a one job waiver is often free or under $250. On workers comp it is usually 2% to 5% of the premium for the payroll on that job. Both illustrative.
- Tell your broker how many contracts you expect this year. That one number decides which to pick.
How does a one job waiver work?
Your broker asks your insurance company for a waiver endorsement (a one page change to your policy) with one customer's name typed in the box. It can go on general liability, workers comp, or both. Each is a separate page, and most general contractors (GCs) ask for both. For the plain English of the term, see waiver of subrogation.
Should I get the waiver for just this job, or for every customer?
Both use the same endorsement form. The only difference is what is typed in the box. Here is how they compare.
| What to look at | One job (scheduled) | Blanket |
|---|---|---|
| What the page says | One customer's legal name | "Any person or organization" you agreed to waive for in a written contract |
| Who it covers | That customer only | Every customer with a signed contract that requires the waiver |
| Wait on the next job | One to three business days for a new endorsement | None. The certificate can go out the same day. |
| Risk of a miss | A misspelled name or a forgotten request means you broke the contract | Low, as long as the contract is signed before the loss |
| Best for | One or two contracts a year | Three or more contracts a year |
| General liability form | CG 24 04, the general liability waiver, with a name in the box | CG 24 04 with blanket wording in the box |
| Workers comp form | WC 00 03 13, the workers comp waiver, with a name in the box (Texas uses WC 42 03 04) | Same form with blanket wording |
What does a one job waiver cost?
These figures are illustrative, for a small contractor with a clean claims history. Your trade, payroll, state, and insurance company set the real number.
Run the math with real numbers. Say your workers comp premium is $10,000 a year and your insurance company charges 3%. Blanket is $300 for the year. A one job waiver on $40,000 of payroll might be $120, but with a $150 minimum you pay $150. Two jobs equals blanket. Three jobs and blanket is cheaper. More in does adding a waiver cost extra.
What do I send my broker for a one job waiver?
- The customer's exact legal name. Copy it from the contract. "Summit Builders" and "Summit Builders of Florida, LLC" are different names to an insurance company, and the GC's insurance desk will reject the wrong one.
- The job address. Some insurance companies type the project on the page too.
- The insurance section of the contract. It shows which policies need the waiver.
- Your payroll on the job, if workers comp is one of them.
Then allow one to three business days. Send the customer a certificate with the waiver box checked, plus a copy of the endorsement page. The box alone only says the endorsement exists; it is not proof, and most GCs now ask for the page. See how the waiver shows on a certificate.
Does the waiver end when the job ends?
The page usually stays on your policy, and most insurance companies carry it forward at renewal unless you ask to remove it. What matters is that the waiver is on the policy in force when the injury or damage happens. A claim from work you finished this year can show up next year, and then it is next year's policy that answers. If the contract asks for the waiver to continue after the job, keep it on each renewal for that long. The exact wording controls, so ask your broker.
What this looks like in real life
Illustrative example. It is typical of what we see and is not a promise of how any specific situation would be handled.
The setup: A tile subcontractor in Massachusetts does mostly homeowner work and lands her first commercial job, a $38,000 lobby floor for a general contractor. The GC asks for a waiver on general liability and workers comp. Her broker adds a scheduled waiver naming the GC on each policy.
What went wrong: The general liability waiver is free. The workers comp waiver costs the $150 minimum (illustrative). Six months later she has three more GC jobs, each with a new waiver request, a new $150 charge, and a two day wait on each certificate.
What it cost: Four scheduled workers comp waivers came to $600 (illustrative). A blanket waiver at 3% of her $9,000 workers comp premium would have been $270, with no wait on any of the four certificates.
The fix: A one job waiver is right for a one off. The moment commercial work turns into a pattern, ask your broker to switch to blanket wording.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I get a waiver of subrogation for just one job?
Yes. Your broker adds a scheduled waiver endorsement with the customer's legal name typed on it. It covers that customer only. It is the right choice if you sign one or two contracts a year, and blanket wording is usually cheaper past three or four.
Q: What does a one job waiver cost?
On general liability, often nothing, or up to about $250. On workers comp, usually 2% to 5% of the premium for the payroll on that job, with a minimum around $100 to $250. These figures are illustrative and depend on your trade, payroll, state, and insurance company.
Q: How long does a one job waiver take?
Usually one to three business days after your broker sends the request. Every new customer needs a new endorsement and a new wait, which is the main reason busy contractors switch to blanket wording.
Q: Does the waiver come off my policy when the job is done?
Not by itself. It usually carries forward at renewal unless you remove it. Keep it, because a claim from that job can show up after the job ends, and the policy in force at that time needs the waiver.
Q: What if I spell the customer's name wrong?
The GC's insurance desk will likely reject the endorsement, and a corrected page takes another one to three business days. Copy the legal name from the contract, including "LLC" or "Inc."
Q: Can I start with one job and switch to blanket later?
Yes. Your broker changes the wording in the box, usually at renewal, but often in the middle of the policy year too. Ask whether the insurance company will credit what you already paid for the scheduled waiver.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Helping an owner pick between a one job waiver and blanket wording, then getting the right one on the policy before the start date, is a conversation we have every week.
- Free contract review. Send us the contract or bid documents and we mark up the insurance section in plain English, whether or not you buy anything from us.
- Free, instant certificates. Clients issue their own certificates of insurance online in about a minute, any hour, any day, at no charge.
- Markets you cannot reach online. One application, shopped across many insurance companies for general liability, workers comp, auto, umbrella, and pollution coverage.
One more thing. This article is general information and is not legal advice or a statement of coverage. Your contract and your policy wording control in every case. Requirements vary by customer, by state, and by insurance company, so have a licensed advisor review your own contract and your own policy before relying on any of it.
Last updated: Reviewed by the Morrow commercial lines team. Last updated September 2026.