As a glazier, you are responsible for installing glass in windows, skylights, mirrors, and other fixtures in residences and buildings. Your work plays an important role in construction—from high-efficiency windows that keep a home’s temperature better regulated, to tempered glass doors that are less prone to breaking.

Having the proper insurance coverage in place can help you win new jobs, and provide peace of mind by protecting you financially if an unexpected disaster strikes.

What insurance coverage do I need as a glazier?

Some of the most common coverages for glaziers are listed below, along with relevant examples of incidents that would trigger these coverages.

• Commercial General Liability Insurance protects your business if you physically injure another person or cause damage to someone else’s property. Many clients require PV installers to carry commercial general liability insurance in order to be hired.
  • Property Damage: You are installing a new skylight on a client’s home and accidentally damage the roof. The client sues your business for the cost to repair the roof.
  • Bodily Injury: A client trips over tools that were left out by one of your workers. The client injures their hip and requires surgery. They sue your business for medical expenses and lost wages from being unable to work.
  • Products & Completed Operations: You complete a skylight installation for a client. Months after completing the job, a leak springs in the roof due to poor sealing around the skylight. The leak ends up causing significant water damage to the client’s home. The client sues your business.
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance provides funds for medical expenses and lost wages if one of your employees is injured or killed while on the job. In almost all states, workers’ compensation insurance is required for companies that have employees.
  • One of your employees falls off a ladder while carrying a window to the second floor of a home. He injures his back and is unable to work. Workers’ compensation insurance would provide coverage for the employee’s medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, and a portion of his lost income.
• Commercial Property Insurance provides protection for property that your business owns or is responsible for.
  • Commercial Property Insurance provides protection for the property stored at your office owned by your business. If your business owns your office, it can also provide protection for the building itself.
    • You have computers and inventory at your office. A fire breaks out, destroying property stored at your office.
  • Mobile Equipment Insurance provides protection for mobile equipment that is commonly stored on client sites or outside of your business premises. This insurance protects your mobile equipment regardless of where it is.
    • You own a crane that is parked at a construction site. A windstorm knocks down a tree branch that damages your equipment.
  • Installation Floater Insurance protects property before or during installation. For PV installers, this could cover solar panels or mounting racks you are transporting or installing for clients.
    • You store a custom mirror at a client site. It is stolen overnight when no one is present at the site.
• Commercial Auto Insurance protects your business if you or one of your employees causes injury or damage to someone else while driving a business vehicle or while driving for business purposes. It also protects vehicles owned by your business from damage or theft.
  • Your work van crashes into another vehicle on the way to a job. The other driver is injured and sues your business.
  • The truck owned by your business is stolen from the parking lot in front of your business.

How do I get glazier insurance?

There are many factors to consider when purchasing insurance for your glazier business—from the financial strength of an insurer to the pricing that you’re offered. A solid insurance package for your glazier business will be fairly customized, as no two businesses are the same, so it is particularly important to select an insurance provider that can build custom coverage to fit your specific needs.

When selecting an insurance company, there are three main factors you should look at:

• The financial strength of the insurer
• Pricing
• Reputation for customer service

» Learn more about how to get glazier insurance