Your broker or insurance company issues it, and a standard one should not cost you anything. A certificate of insurance is a one page summary of your policies, limits, and dates. A charge for it is unusual. Morrow clients issue their own online in about a minute, any hour, any day, at no charge. Only a policy change (called an endorsement) goes through the broker. Who this is for: demolition and wrecking contractors sending proof of insurance to an owner, a contractor, or a city permit desk.
The short version
- Only your broker or insurance company can issue it, and a standard one should be free.
- Morrow demolition clients issue their own online in about a minute, day or night.
- Owners and cities ask demolition for higher limits than almost any other trade.
- Most liability policies leave out dust, asbestos, and lead, so buyers want a separate policy.
- Many cities will not issue the permit until your certificate names the city correctly.
Who asks a demolition contractor for proof of insurance?
Demolition is the highest risk trade on most sites, so the checking is closer.
| Who asks | What they want | When |
|---|---|---|
| Building owner | High limits, the owner named on your policy, plus endorsement pages | Before signing |
| General contractor | Their name on your policy, plus cover that runs after you leave | Before you mobilize |
| City permit desk | The city named exactly as the permit form spells it | With the permit application |
| Neighboring owner | A copy on file when you work against a shared wall | Before you start |
| Landfill or hauler | Proof on file before they take your loads | Once a year |
Permit work has its own habits. See certificates for government contracts.
What does a demolition certificate need to show?
These are the usual asks. Interior strip out sits low, full structure high.
| Policy | Common requirement | Why it matters in demolition |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for one incident, $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 for the year | Collapse, vibration cracks next door, a struck utility, debris in the street |
| Umbrella | $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 on commercial and city work | One bad day can involve several buildings and many people |
| Coverage for dust and spills | $1,000,000 or more, shown as its own line | Dust drift, lead paint, buried tanks, and what is found behind the walls |
| Commercial auto | $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 combined | Trucks and trailers hauling machines and debris |
| Workers comp | What your state requires, plus the part that pays if a worker sues you, commonly $100,000 each accident, $500,000 policy limit for disease, and $100,000 each employee for disease. Contracts often ask that all three go to $500,000 or $1,000,000 | Falls, heavy iron, and unstable structures |
Two notes. On a policy for dust and spills, unlike your liability policy, the lawyer's bill comes out of the limit, so $1,000,000 covers defense and payment together. Most are written on an occurrence basis, so the policy in place when the damage happens answers. And the state funds in North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming pay nothing when a worker sues, so you need stop gap coverage there.
Why does everyone ask me about dust and asbestos?
Because a plain liability policy leaves it out. The standard form already excludes pollution and prints only a few narrow give backs. Demolition policies then add separate exclusions for asbestos, lead, and silica dust. So an owner asks to see a separate policy instead.
If you strip asbestos or lead, buyers want that work named specifically. Read where to buy pollution coverage before you sign a contract that promises it.
Can I still get instant certificates if I am with a specialty insurer?
Yes. Demolition is often placed with specialty insurance companies that write what standard ones will not. Those policies work the same on paper, and the certificate prints from your broker's record like any other.
What changes is speed on the coverage side. Specialty insurers answer in days, not hours, so a new name or a higher limit needs lead time. On public work, contracts usually set two tests for your insurer: a financial strength rating, commonly A minus VII or better, and that the insurer be licensed (admitted) in the state. A specialty policy can fail that second test, so check both before you bid.
What can I issue myself, and what needs my broker?
| You can do this in a minute | This needs your broker first |
|---|---|
| Add an owner, contractor, city, or neighbor as the name | Adding them to your policy so they can use it if they are sued |
| Type the permit or address in the description box | Buying a policy for dust and spills you do not carry |
| Reissue at renewal mid teardown | Raising a limit or adding a bigger umbrella |
| Send a copy to a hauler or landfill | Cancellation notice wording a city or owner demands |
What does demolition insurance cost?
The certificate is free. The coverage behind it is the most expensive in this group. These figures are illustrative for a small demolition contractor with clean claims.
- General liability: roughly $7,000 to $30,000 a year, with interior work well below structural.
- A $1,000,000 policy for dust and spills: roughly $3,500 to $12,000 a year, with defense coming out of that limit.
- A $5,000,000 umbrella: roughly $10,000 to $30,000 a year, and few insurers offer it.
More on the second layer: commercial umbrella insurance.
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 demolition contractor in California takes an interior strip out of a 1968 office floor. The owner wants $2,000,000 for one incident, a $5,000,000 umbrella, and $1,000,000 for dust and spills.
What went wrong: His certificate shows liability and an umbrella but no policy for dust. The owner's lawyer also asks for the endorsement pages, which show an asbestos exclusion.
What it cost: The job paused for twelve days. The dust and spills policy cost about $5,200 for the year, and the crew idled at roughly $1,100 a day.
The fix: In demolition, buyers read past the certificate. Know which exclusions sit in your policy before you bid, because they change the price.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How can I get a free, instant certificate of insurance for my demolition business?
Only the broker or insurance company that holds your policy can issue one. With online access you type in the owner or city name and download it in a minute. Morrow clients do this at no charge.
Q: Should a demolition contractor ever pay for one?
No, not for a standard certificate. It is routine service on a policy you already bought, even when it comes from a specialty insurer.
Q: Why do owners want $5,000,000 or more from a demolition contractor?
Because the worst case is large. Collapse, damage to a neighboring building, and injuries nearby can happen in one moment, so owners buy room above the basic limit.
Q: Does my liability policy cover asbestos or lead?
Usually not. The standard form excludes pollution, and demolition policies add separate exclusions for asbestos, lead, and silica dust. If your work touches them you need a separate policy.
Q: The city will not issue my permit without insurance. What do they need?
Normally a certificate naming the city exactly as the permit form spells it, at the limits the ordinance sets. Many cities also want to be added to your policy. That takes a few business days and does not reach back, so permission to start early does not create coverage.
Q: How long does it take to add a higher limit before a teardown?
Plan on several business days, and up to two weeks for a large umbrella. Fewer insurers write demolition, so quotes take longer.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Demolition is the hardest trade in this group to insure, so knowing what your policy excludes and getting instant paper for owners and permit desks matters more here than anywhere.
- 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.