Builder’s Risk and Contractors’ insurance

Protection for your project or contracting business

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Rated A+ by Standard and Poor’s and A by A.M. Best

If you’re looking to protect your project or contracting business, Aviva can provide you with the flexibility to select the right insurance, custom-built to protect you from start to finish.


Which product option is right for my business?

Small business owner or entrepreneur?

Aviva Onpoint™ insurance is right for your business if you have one location with up to 3 types of business operations and up to $5 million in Canadian revenue per year.

Small to medium-sized enterprise?

Aviva Enterprise™ insurance is right for your business if you have multiple locations and types of business operations with up to $100 million in Canadian revenue per year.

Choose the right coverage

If you’re a builder or contractor, we’ve got the experience to provide you with the right insurance coverage such as: 

Aviva Onpoint™ insurance for small businesses.

All policies include

Commercial general liability

Coverage to protect you in case of lawsuits for bodily or mental injury and property damage, personal and advertising injury liability, and employers’ liability available for Canadian resident employees. The coverage territory is worldwide, provided the action is brought in Canada or the U.S.

Additional coverages to consider

Property

If you own or rent space in a building, office or workshop, coverage is available for buildings and business contents:

  • your buildings, including exterior glass and signs, towers, renewable energy equipment, sewers and utilities above and below ground on the premises and more
  • your office contents and equipment, electronic equipment (including laptops) on and off premises
  • accounts receivable
  • extra and expediting expenses
  • installation floater
  • privacy breach expenses*
  • and more

Equipment breakdown

On your premises, protection for accidents to compressors, heating systems, electrical panels, hoists, mechanical or electrical machines or apparatus, including
production machinery. Coverage includes:

  • ammonia contamination
  • fluid escape
  • hazardous substances
  • loss of income resulting from an equipment breakdown
  • and more

Business income

Protection for your business income**, after a loss, until your business returns to normal, including:

  • ordinary payroll expenses 
  • utilities service interruption
  • restricted access
  • negative publicity
  • and more

Crime

Coverage for a broad range of business-related crime, including:

  • employee dishonesty
  • money, securities and other property
  • counterfeit currency and money orders
  • forgery, alteration, credit card and automated teller card
  • electronic fraud and funds-transfer fraud
  • incoming cheque forgery
  • client or customer property
  • medical expense incurred from robbery

Inland marine

Coverage for contractor’s equipment and tools that are offsite.

*Only available for certain operations

**The actual amount of the business income loss would be covered including any extra expense.

Aviva Onpoint insurance is currently available for Business & Professionals, Contractors and Retailers.

Aviva Enterprise™ insurance for small to medium-sized businesses.

Builder's Risk

Property

Coverage for all property at the project site, including:

  • all materials required 
  • landscaping, growing plants or trees
  • temporary buildings, scaffolding, falsework and hoardings
  • temporary infrastructure during construction
  • project materials while in transit to the site
  • project materials while in storage at another location, awaiting delivery to the project site
  • all contractors and subcontractors are additional insureds            

Business income

Covers builder’s or owner’s financial loss if the project is not completed on time, due to an insured loss. Available coverages include:

  • soft costs
  • extended business income for delayed start-up
  • extended rental income for delayed start-up

Equipment breakdown

Covers testing and commissioning of normal building systems and equipment intended to service the building, such as:

  • boilers, chillers, pumps, electrical panels, domestic plumbing, sprinkler systems, air conditioning and HVAC systems are covered for mechanical and electrical breakdown

Wrap up liability

Coverage meets the requirements of CCDC and provides comprehensive protection for:

  • project owners, project managers, architectural and engineering consultants and all contractors and subcontractors working on the project

Coverage extends during correction of deficiencies for 365 days and covers third party liability arising from:

  • bodily/mental injury and property damage
  • personal and advertising injury
  • tenant’s property damage 
  • and more

Add even more protection

  • forest fire-fighting expenses
  • coverage for non-owned automobiles
  • residential builder’s risk coverage

Projects types

  • civil works - heavy equipment, tunneling or performing bridge and roadwork
  • commercial, industrial and institutional - office buildings, condominiums, schools or hospitals
  • residential construction – for builders, project owners or developers

Contractors

Contractor's equipment

  • including portable equipment and hand and power tools
  • loss of earnings
  • employees’ tools and clothing
  • clean up expenses for land and water pollution
  • contractors’ equipment breakdown
  • rental reimbursement
  • loss of use
  • expediting expense
  • and more

Liability

Coverage to protect you in case of lawsuits for bodily or mental injury and property damage, personal and advertising injury liability, tenant’s property damage liability and voluntary medical payments. Other coverages* include:

  • employers’ liability for Canadian resident employees
  • employee benefits errors and omissions (E&O) liability
  • completed operations
  • product and work removal expense (rip and tear)
  • coverage for damage to your work in progress
  • contractors’ E&O liability
  • contractors’ pollution E&O liability
  • wrap up extension for projects requiring coverage for project owners, project managers, architectural and engineering consultants and all contractors and subcontractors working on a project**
  • pesticide applicator’s pollution liability 
  • commercial auto***
  • umbrella coverage provides an extra layer of liability coverage in the event of a catastrophic loss
  • and more

Property

If you own or rent space in a building, office or workshop, coverage is available for:

  • your buildings including exterior glass and signs, towers, renewable energy equipment, sewers and utilities above and below ground on the premises and more
  • your office contents and equipment, electronic equipment (including laptops) on and off premises
  • accounts receivable
  • extra and expediting expenses 
  • installation floater
  • privacy breach expenses
  • and more

Equipment breakdown

On your premises, protection for accidents to compressors, heating systems, electrical panels, hoists, mechanical or electrical machines or apparatus, including production machinery. Coverage included:

  • ammonia contamination
  • fluid escape
  • hazardous substances
  • portable objects*
  • loss of income resulting from an equipment breakdown
  • and more

Business income

Protection for your business income after a loss at your premises until your business returns to normal, including:

  • no dollar limit on loss of business income, extra expenses, or additional time due to bylaw compliance
  • payroll expense coverage 
  • utilities service interruption
  • restricted access
  • negative publicity
  • and more

Crime

A broad range of coverages, including:

  • employee dishonesty
  • money, securities and other property
  • counterfeit currency and money orders
  • forgery, alteration, credit card and automated teller card
  • electronic fraud and funds-transfer fraud
  • professional fees
  • incoming cheque forgery  

Add even more protection

  • builder's risk - blanket
  • builder's risk - business income extension

*coverage limited to certain operations 

**a separate wrap up policy is available for large, single location projects

***commercial auto is offered on a separate policy

For your surety needs

Financial security guaranteed to get the job done

Contract Surety

Whether your project includes bridge building, sewer, tunneling or hospitals, you can guarantee your commitments with a contract surety bond.

Learn more

Residential Surety

Aviva has a full suite of surety, home warranty and insurance solutions for your project and your business.

Learn more

Insurance solutions you need

With Aviva Business Builder’s Risk and Contractors’ insurance, you'll get:

Construction project insurance experts

Experts who understand the needs of a wide range of businesses within the builder’s risk and construction sectors.

One comprehensive policy

In addition to what’s offered in our standard policies, this specialized package includes unique protection.

Access to our wide network of claims professionals

In the event of a claim, we’ll help you get back on track by resolving it efficiently and hassle-free.

Frequently asked questions

We answer your questions on automotive sales and services

Why do I need commercial property insurance for my business?

To keep your business operating you rely on having its physical assets protected, such as the building, equipment, inventory and stock, tools, contractor’s equipment, business income and rental income.  A commercial property insurance policy protects your assets from damage or destruction.

What is Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance? Why do I need it for my business?

CGL insurance is designed to protect your business from being found legally liable for injuries or property damage caused by your product, completed work or accidents on your premises involving visitors or customers, or at your customer’s location.  Standard coverage includes - Bodily injury and property damage liability, Personal injury liability, Medical payments and Tenant’s legal liability.  Every day your business is exposed to different liability hazards associated with the work you do.  No one thinks a claim or a lawsuit will be filed on their business until it happens. Having the right CGL policy for your business is one of the smartest decisions you can make to protect it.


What could happen if I don’t have the right coverage in place for my business?

Your business could be responsible for paying for claims or lawsuits on your own. These expenses could be in the form of damages to third parties, legal defense costs, replacement of uninsured property, among many others.  Depending on the nature of the loss, this could result in an unexpected expense for the business. Or in more severe cases, it could have a significant impact on the ability for your business to remain open.

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