The confusion comes from mixing two different things. WSIB is Ontario's workplace injury system: it covers injuries to workers, including you in many construction trades, and the law decides who must be in it. Liability insurance is a private policy that pays when you damage a customer's property or hurt someone. You can have one without the other, and most contractors need both.
What does commercial general liability insurance cover?
CGL pays for third-party property damage and bodily injury caused by your work, and your legal defence if someone sues. A burst fitting that floods a finished basement, a ladder that goes through a window, a customer who trips on your extension cord: those are CGL claims. It does not pay to redo your own faulty work, and it does not cover your own injuries or tools.
- Limit: $2 million per occurrence is the common minimum asked for by homeowners, property managers and platforms; roofers, tree removal and larger renovation contractors are often asked for $5 million.
- Exclusions to check: water damage for plumbers, pollution for pest control, snow and ice for plowing, height or roofing work, and work outside the trades named on the policy.
- Proof: a certificate of insurance (COI) from your broker, showing your name, the policy number, the limit and the end date. A quote or a payment receipt is not proof.
- Additional insured: some customers and platforms ask to be named on your policy, which your broker adds as an endorsement.
Do I need WSIB as a contractor in Ontario?
If you work in construction, probably yes. Since January 1, 2013, most independent operators, sole proprietors, partners and executive officers in construction must have WSIB coverage even if they have no employees. Any business, in any industry covered by the system, must register once it hires workers.
There is one important exemption. An independent operator is exempt if they only do home repairs or renovations on private residences, and are hired and paid directly by the homeowner or resident. Take even one job outside that, such as subcontracting for a general contractor or working on a commercial unit, and you lose the exemption: you must register, report earnings and pay premiums for at least three months.
| Situation | Usually needs WSIB? |
|---|---|
| Construction independent operator, no employees, working for several clients | Yes, mandatory |
| Only home repairs or renovations, hired and paid directly by the homeowner | Exempt |
| Subcontracting on a general contractor's project | Yes |
| Any business that hires workers in a covered industry | Yes, register as an employer |
| Cleaner or other non-construction sole operator with no workers | Often not required; optional coverage is available |
Working through a platform or another company can change the answer. If the customer pays the platform and the platform pays you, you may not be hired and paid directly by the homeowner, so do not assume the home-renovation exemption applies. On Doyo, for example, the customer pays Doyo and Doyo pays the pro, so construction pros should confirm their position with WSIB directly.
What is a WSIB clearance certificate?
It is a document that shows a business is registered with WSIB and in good standing. General contractors and other businesses that hire construction contractors ask for one before they pay, because under Ontario's workplace insurance law a business that pays a contractor without a valid clearance can be held responsible for that contractor's unpaid premiums, and many sites refuse entry without one. Anyone can look up a clearance online for free. A clearance is valid for up to 90 days and can be renewed, and most newly registered businesses pay a $250 advance, credited to future premiums, the first time they get one.
Do I need insurance for my tools?
Not by law, but a stolen trailer or van full of tools can end a small business for weeks. A tools and equipment floater covers tools wherever they are, including on job sites and in the vehicle, which home or standard business contents policies often do not. Keep a list of serial numbers and receipts; it makes a claim much faster.
Does my personal car insurance cover work?
Often not fully. Personal auto policies are rated for personal use, and driving to jobs with tools and materials is business use that you must tell your insurer about. A van or truck used mainly for work may need a commercial auto policy. Tell your broker how you use the vehicle and get the answer in writing.
What should I ask my broker before I buy?
Ask questions tied to the work you actually do, because the policy only covers the operations it describes. A broker who knows trades will expect these:
- Does the policy name every trade I do, including the side work, such as a painter who also installs trim?
- Is water damage, height work or work in occupied homes excluded or limited?
- Can you add a customer or a platform as an additional insured, and how fast can you issue a certificate?
- Does the policy cover completed operations, meaning damage that shows up after I have left the job?
- What deductible applies per claim, and does it change for water losses?
What insurance does Doyo require from pros?
Doyo requires commercial general liability of at least $2 million per occurrence for nine trades: plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, painting, renovation, flooring and tiling, landscaping and decks, moving, and pest control. On plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, renovation, and flooring and tiling, Doyo Innovative Solutions Inc. must be named as an additional insured. Movers also need goods-in-transit cover. The policy is the pro's own; Doyo checks the certificate.
Questions people ask
Insured and ready? Become a Doyo proSee how