Service trucks in the morning, a GC’s new build in the afternoon, an emergency call at 9 p.m. Your insurance needs to keep up with all of it.
Mechanical, HVAC, plumbing & electrical contractors insurance with your business in mind.
MJH Insurance works with MEP contractors across Gardner, Olathe, Johnson County, and the Kansas City metro. We put together full accounts (liability, commercial auto, umbrella, workers’ comp, tools and equipment, and help with bonds) built around how mechanical, plumbing, and electrical shops actually run.
What makes MEP contractors different.
- You do both service work and construction work: Residential service calls, commercial maintenance agreements, and new-construction or tenant-finish work each carry different risks. Underwriters want to know your mix, and your application and policy should describe your operations accurately.
- Your work is in the walls: A leaking fitting, a failed connection, or a heat exchanger issue can show up months after the job is done. Completed operations exposure is a big part of MEP risk, which is why GCs ask about it and why your policy details matter.
- Water, fire, and gas: Plumbing and mechanical contractors are often asked about water damage. Electrical contractors get asked about fire. HVAC contractors may work with gas lines and refrigerants. How your policy treats these exposures depends on its terms and exclusions, so ask us to walk through it, including whether contractors pollution liability is worth a look.
- Your trucks are rolling warehouses: Parts inventory, meters, press tools, threaders, lifts, and diagnostic gear ride around all day, park at job sites, and sometimes sit overnight at an employee’s house.
- Your techs drive a lot: Service-heavy shops put serious miles on vehicles. Driver selection, motor vehicle record (MVR) reviews, and take-home vehicle policies all affect your auto program. See also fleet insurance.
- Licensing and permits: Many cities in Johnson County and the Kansas City area require trade licenses, permits, and proof of insurance, and some require license or permit bonds. Requirements vary by city and trade, so check with the licensing authority where you work.
Coverages to talk through with us.
General educational descriptions. Coverage depends on your policy, its forms and endorsements, and underwriting.
- General liability: Third-party injury and property damage arising from your work, including completed operations, subject to policy terms. Review additional insured, waiver, and primary/non-contributory endorsements for GC jobs.
- Commercial auto: Service vans and trucks, trailers, and take-home vehicles. Ask about hired and non-owned auto for employees driving personal vehicles on errands.
- Umbrella / excess liability: Many GC and commercial-owner contracts set umbrella requirements above primary limits.
- Workers’ compensation: Often required for Kansas employers; requirements vary, so ask how they apply to you. Correct classification (plumbing vs. HVAC vs. electrical vs. clerical) matters at audit.
- Inland marine: tools & equipment: Tools, meters, press tools, lifts, and diagnostic equipment on trucks and at job sites.
- Installation floater / builders risk: Equipment and materials you’re installing (rooftop units, switchgear, water heaters, fixtures) before the owner accepts them. Your contract usually sets who’s responsible.
- Contractors pollution liability: May be worth reviewing for refrigerant, mold, sewage, or fuel-related exposures. Many general liability policies limit pollution coverage.
- Property / BOP: Shop, office, and parts inventory at your location.
- Bonds: License/permit bonds, and bid/performance/payment bonds for larger or public jobs. We work with surety partners to help you apply. Approval is up to the surety.
The GC paperwork: certificates done right.
GCs on commercial and multi-family projects around the metro usually send a list of insurance requirements with the subcontract. Common items include:
- Minimum general liability per-occurrence and aggregate limits, sometimes a per-project aggregate
- Additional insured for ongoing and completed operations
- Waiver of subrogation on general liability, auto, umbrella, and workers’ comp
- Primary and non-contributory wording
- Umbrella limits above primary
- 30-day notice of cancellation language (how notice works depends on the policy and the insurer, so flag this one early)
What we do: compare the GC’s requirements to your policies before you sign, flag gaps, and quote what it would take to close them where your insurer offers it. Then we issue certificates when you need them: same business day for requests received by 2 p.m. CT on a business day. We review insurance requirements only; for indemnity and other contract terms, talk with your attorney.
Request a certificate: certificate request form · · .
Include the holder name and address, the project, and any special wording.
Growing from 3 trucks to 15.
The jump from a few trucks to a real fleet changes things:
- Driver programs start to matter a lot more: MVR checks, written vehicle-use policies, and rules for who can take a truck home.
- Workers’ comp payroll estimates need to keep up with hiring, or the audit can bring a surprise bill.
- Contract requirements grow too. Bigger GCs often mean higher umbrella requirements and stricter additional insured wording.
- Bonding may become part of bidding larger or public work.
We’d rather hear about growth before it happens. Call us when you’re planning to add trucks, crews, or a new type of work.
Serving MEP contractors across Johnson County.
From our office at 345 N Moonlight Rd in Gardner, we work with mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors in Olathe, Overland Park, Lenexa, Shawnee, Edgerton, Spring Hill, De Soto, and throughout the Kansas City metro, from new-construction work along the I-35 corridor to service work all over JoCo. If you also work in Missouri, let us know. Multi-state work can affect workers’ comp and other coverages.
Trade-specific pages.
Other trades: see glass, specialty trade & remodel contractor insurance, or go back to contractor insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my policy cover water damage if a fitting I installed fails?
It depends on your policy, the facts of the claim, and any exclusions. General liability generally addresses damage to other property caused by your work, and often doesn’t pay to redo your own faulty work. This is a good one to go over with us using your actual policy.
I do mostly residential service but some commercial new construction. Does that matter?
Yes. Underwriters rate and write coverage based on your described operations, so your application and policy should reflect your real mix of work. Tell us when it changes.
My techs take trucks home. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily, but your insurer should know about it, and you should have a written vehicle-use policy. We can help you think through driver and take-home practices.
Do I need pollution coverage as an HVAC or plumbing contractor?
Many general liability policies limit pollution-related coverage. Depending on your work, such as refrigerants, sewage, mold, or fuel, contractors pollution liability may be worth reviewing. Ask us to compare your current general liability wording.
What do I need for a Johnson County contractor license?
Requirements vary by city and trade, so check with the licensing authority in each city where you work. We can provide the certificates of insurance they request.
Get a straight review of your MEP account.
Send us your current dec pages and one recent GC insurance requirement sheet. We’ll show you what lines up, what doesn’t, and what it would take to close the gaps.
Request a commercial coverage review.
Call
Talk with Sean Halpin:
· · 345 N Moonlight Rd, Gardner, KS 66030
Coverage descriptions on this page are general information only, not a statement of coverage or legal advice. Coverage depends on your policy, including its terms, conditions, exclusions, and endorsements, and is subject to underwriting approval.
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