For technicians
How to get insured as an independent IT tech
In short
Most dispatch companies will not send you a ticket until you carry general liability insurance and can produce a certificate naming them. Buy a policy from a small-business insurer, ask your broker for a certificate of insurance for each company that requests one, and diarise the renewal date so cover never lapses mid-engagement.
A note on advice
This is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Cover, wording and requirements vary by insurer, state and client contract. Talk to a licensed broker about your own situation.
What does general liability insurance cover?
Commercial general liability covers third-party claims arising from your work — broadly, bodily injury to someone who is not you, and damage to property that is not yours. In field service terms, that is the ladder that goes through a ceiling tile, the rack that tips, or the visitor who trips over your cable run.
It is worth being clear about what it generally does not cover, because technicians are often surprised:
| Risk | Usually covered by |
|---|---|
| Injury to a third party on site | General liability |
| Damage to a client's property | General liability |
| Your own tools being stolen | Tools / inland marine cover, bought separately |
| Your own injury | Health cover, or workers' compensation where it applies |
| A mistake in your professional advice or work | Errors and omissions / professional liability |
| An accident while driving to site | Commercial auto, or business use on your motor policy |
Some end clients ask for more than general liability — professional liability, cyber cover, or workers' compensation even for a sole operator. Read what the contract actually requires rather than assuming one policy satisfies everyone.
What limits do companies ask for?
Limits around $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate are a common request . “Per occurrence” is the most the policy pays for a single incident; “aggregate” is the most it pays across the policy year.
The number is not set by the dispatch company's preference. It is almost always passed down from the end client's contract, which is why it varies between jobs for the same company. If a requirement looks unusually high, ask whether it applies to the specific client site or to the whole relationship.
What is a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance, almost always called a COI, is a one-page summary issued by your broker. It names your insurer, your policy numbers, your limits, the policy dates, and a certificate holder — the company you are giving it to. It is evidence of cover, not cover itself.
You will be asked for one by nearly every company you onboard with, each naming them specifically. A good broker issues these quickly and at no extra charge. Ask up front how to request one and how long they take, because a slow broker becomes your bottleneck during onboarding.
Certificate holder versus additional insured
These are not the same thing and the difference matters:
- Certificate holder — the company simply receives proof that your policy exists. This costs nothing and changes nothing about your policy.
- Additional insured — the company is added to your policy by endorsement so it can be covered for claims arising from your work. This changes your policy, may carry a fee, and your insurer has to agree to it.
If a company asks to be named as additional insured, tell your broker explicitly. Sending a certificate that merely lists them as holder will be rejected during onboarding, and the request will come back to you a week later.
How do you actually get a policy?
- Work out what you do and where. Insurers price on trade, revenue and the kind of sites you attend.
- Approach a broker who writes small-business or trade policies, or an online small-business insurer.
- Ask for general liability at the limits your target companies request, and ask what else they recommend for IT field work.
- Check whether additional insured endorsements are available and what they cost.
- Confirm turnaround for certificate requests before you buy.
- Bind the policy and save the certificate template, policy number and renewal date in your documents folder.
Expect the whole process to take days rather than weeks, which is why it belongs on your list before you start applying rather than after a company asks.
How do you keep cover current?
A lapsed policy is one of the quietest ways to stop receiving work. Nothing announces it — you simply stop being eligible, and the system stops surfacing you.
- Diarise the renewal date with a reminder a month ahead.
- Re-issue certificates to every active company after each renewal, without waiting to be asked.
- Tell your broker when your work changes — new trades, new states, or higher-risk sites can affect cover.
- Keep the current certificate in the same folder as your W-9 so onboarding requests take minutes.
- Never let a policy lapse between jobs. A gap in cover is a gap in your eligibility.
Checklist
- General liability policy in force at the limits your target companies ask for
- Broker who can issue a COI the same day
- You know the difference between certificate holder and additional insured
- Additional insured endorsement arranged where a company requires it
- Renewal date diarised with a reminder a month ahead
- Certificates re-issued to every active company after renewal
- Current certificate stored alongside your W-9
- Checked whether your motor policy covers business use
- Asked your broker what else is worth carrying for your work mix