Ask your broker to add a waiver endorsement (a one page change to your policy) to your general liability policy, and usually your workers comp too, then send your general contractor (GC) a certificate and a copy of each page. A waiver of subrogation means your insurance company agrees not to go after your GC to recover money it paid on a claim. Who this is for: subcontractors and trades whose GC put a waiver in the subcontract or on the certificate request.
The short version
- A waiver is a promise from your insurance company, not from you. It is added to your policy as a one page change.
- Most GCs want the waiver on two policies: general liability and workers comp.
- Your policy may already have a "blanket" waiver that covers any customer you sign a contract with. Check before you pay for one.
- Adding a waiver usually takes one to three business days, so send the request the day you get the contract.
- The check box on your certificate is only a claim, not proof. Your GC will likely ask for the policy page that adds the waiver.
Why does my GC want this waiver?
Say one of your workers is hurt on the GC's site. Your workers comp insurance company pays the medical bills. Then it looks for someone to blame. If the GC left a hole in the floor, your insurance company can sue the GC to get its money back. That is called subrogation.
Your GC does not want that lawsuit, so the subcontract says you will waive it. Once the waiver is on your policy, your insurance company gives up that right for this GC. The claim stops with your policy.
Which of my policies need the waiver?
Read the insurance section of your subcontract. It usually names the policies. If it just says "all policies," ask your broker which ones can carry it. The costs below are illustrative, for a small contractor with a clean claims history. Your price depends on your trade, payroll, state, and insurance company.
| Policy | How often GCs ask | The page your broker adds | Typical cost (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability | Almost always | The general liability waiver page (form CG 24 04). Its title starts with "Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery." | Often free with blanket wording. Otherwise about $0 to $250 per customer. |
| Workers comp | Almost always | The workers comp waiver page (form WC 00 03 13). It is one form. Your broker types either blanket wording or one customer's legal name in its box. Texas uses its own form, WC 42 03 04. | Usually 2% to 5% of the premium for the payroll on that job, or a flat minimum. |
| Commercial auto | Sometimes | A waiver page for the auto policy | Usually free or a small charge. |
What are the exact steps?
- Find the wording. Look in the subcontract for "waiver of subrogation" and for the certificate instructions. Note which policies it names.
- Check what you already have. Many general liability policies include a blanket waiver that covers any customer you agreed to waive for in a written contract. Workers comp rarely does unless you asked. See how to tell if your policy already has a waiver.
- Send your broker three things. The GC's exact legal name, the job address, and the insurance section of the contract. A photo is fine.
- Wait one to three business days. That is how long most insurance companies take to issue the endorsement.
- Send the GC the proof. A certificate with the waiver box checked, plus a copy of each endorsement page. Most GCs now want both.
What if my insurance company will not add the waiver?
On general liability, a refusal is rare. On workers comp it happens more. A few states restrict workers comp waivers, and some insurance companies will not add them for certain trades. Ask your broker first. If the answer is no, tell the GC right away and ask to limit the waiver to the policies that can carry it. Most GCs agree once a broker explains why.
Never sign a promise your policy cannot keep. If you agree to a waiver in the contract and never get the endorsement, you have broken the contract, and the cost of a claim can land back on you.
Should I just sign it?
Usually yes. Two things to watch:
- Keep it tied to the job. Some contracts ask you to waive for the GC's related companies, its lender, and anyone it later hands the contract to, forever. Ask to narrow it to this project.
- Read the indemnification clause next to it. Indemnification is your promise to cover someone else's losses. A waiver plus a broad indemnity promise can shift the whole cost of a shared fault claim onto you. Have a broker read it.
For more, see what a waiver of subrogation is, how it appears on a certificate, and how to get the workers comp version.
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: An electrical subcontractor in Florida signs a $180,000 subcontract on a strip mall build out. The GC asks for a waiver on general liability and workers comp. The broker sends a certificate with the general liability box checked and the workers comp box blank.
What went wrong: The GC's insurance desk rejects the certificate the Thursday before the Monday start. The sub calls the broker Friday afternoon. The workers comp insurance company issues the endorsement the next Wednesday.
What it cost: The crew of four sat idle for three working days, about $5,400 in labor the sub could not bill. The waiver itself cost $150 (illustrative), the insurance company's minimum charge, because 3% of the workers comp premium on that job's payroll came to less than that.
The fix: Send the insurance section to your broker the day you get the contract. The workers comp waiver takes days, not minutes, and it is the one most often missed.
Frequently asked questions
Q: My GC asked for a waiver of subrogation. What do I need to do?
Ask your broker to add a waiver endorsement to your general liability policy and, in most cases, your workers comp policy. Then send the GC a certificate showing the waiver, plus a copy of each endorsement page. Allow one to three business days.
Q: What does a waiver mean in plain English?
Your insurance company agrees not to chase your GC to get back money it paid on a claim. The claim stops with your policy. You are not giving up your own coverage.
Q: Does the waiver cost me money?
On general liability it is often free, especially with blanket wording. On workers comp most insurance companies charge 2% to 5% of the premium for the payroll on that job, or a flat minimum (illustrative).
Q: How long does it take to add a waiver?
Usually one to three business days after your broker sends the request. Start early, because the GC will not let you on site until the paperwork clears.
Q: Is checking the box on my certificate enough?
Usually not. The box only says the endorsement exists; it is not proof. Most GCs now ask for a copy of the endorsement page as well, so send both together.
Q: Does the waiver cover the GC if the GC caused the accident?
It stops your insurance company from suing the GC to recover what it paid on your claim, even if the GC was partly at fault. It does not turn your policy into the GC's policy. That is a different endorsement's job (called additional insured, it lets your GC use your policy if they get sued because of your work).
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Getting a waiver added to a policy and into a GC's hands before the start date is one of the most common things we do for subcontractors.
- 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.