Quick answer
A Florida handyman business usually needs general liability, coverage for tools, commercial auto for the work truck and workers' compensation once it has employees. Florida has no handyman license, but the contractor license exemption covers only casual, minor work under $2,500 in total, and not for anyone who advertises as a contractor (section 489.103(9)). Electrical work has no such dollar exemption. Insurers price a handyman policy by the jobs on your list.
Coverage a handyman business usually needs
| Coverage | What it's for |
|---|---|
| General liability | Damage to a client's home or belongings and injuries at the job, during the work or after it. The policy is written for the work you describe, so list everything you do. |
| Tools and equipment (inland marine) | Hand and power tools, ladders and trailers, including theft from your truck or a job site. |
| Commercial auto | A truck or van used for the business, especially one titled to the business. A personal auto policy may limit business use. |
| Workers' compensation | Required once you have employees, at a threshold that depends on how your work is classified. |
| Umbrella or excess liability | Higher limits for property managers and commercial clients who ask for them. |
Florida and federal rules that apply
- Work of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature is exempt from contractor licensing when the total price for labor, materials and everything else is under $2,500. The exemption doesn't apply when the job is part of a larger operation or split into smaller contracts to stay under the limit, or to anyone who advertises as a contractor or says they're qualified to contract (section 489.103(9)).
- Electrical and alarm work is licensed under Part II of Chapter 489, and its exemptions (section 489.503) don't include a dollar amount for small jobs.
- Contracting without a required license is a first-degree misdemeanor, and a third-degree felony during a state of emergency declared by the Governor (section 489.127). A contract made by an unlicensed contractor for work that needed a license can't be enforced by that contractor, and no lien or bond claim exists for the work (section 489.128).
- Workers' compensation applies from the first employee for construction work and from the fourth for most other businesses (section 440.02). Ask us how your work is classified.
As of October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
What drives the price
- The jobs you do and the share of each, especially roof, electrical or plumbing work
- Heights you work at, and any work on new homes or additions
- Annual revenue, payroll and number of employees
- Whether you use subcontractors
- Years in business
- Claims in the last three to five years
Have this ready before you ask for a quote
- A list of the jobs you do and about what share of your work each one is
- Whether you do any roof, wiring, plumbing, air conditioning or structural work
- Annual revenue, payroll and number of employees
- Your truck's year, make, model and VIN, and how it's titled
- A tools and equipment list with values
- A sample work order or contract, and any loss runs
Don't have everything? Send what you have; an agent will ask for the rest. Coverage can't be bound or changed through this website, and each insurance company makes its own underwriting decision.