Trade · Excavation & Site Work · Harder placement
NJ Excavation & Site Work Insurance | NJCIC — honest about the placement.
Site prep, foundations, utilities, demolition. XCU exposure (Explosion, Collapse, Underground) needs confirming on every policy — it’s sometimes excluded by default. We confirm at bind.
Who We Write in This Trade
Residential site prep operators, commercial excavation contractors, utility installation specialists, demolition contractors.
The Placement Reality
Standard panel: Travelers, The Hartford, Nationwide, AmTrust, Cumberland Mutual. XCU exclusion is the main thing to watch — some standard markets exclude XCU by default and require an endorsement to add it back. We confirm XCU is in force on every excavation account we write.
The Coverage Stack You’ll Want
- GL — $1M/$2M standard. XCU coverage must be confirmed — Explosion, Collapse, Underground utility damage. Don’t assume it’s included.
- Workers Comp — higher-rated class codes. Trenching and shoring training matter to underwriters.
- Commercial Auto — dump trucks, low-boys, equipment haulers — different rating from pickup-only operations.
- Tools & Equipment — excavators, skid steers, attachments — usually scheduled equipment, often $200K+ in value.
- Commercial Umbrella — strongly recommended. Severity exposure (utility strikes, collapse) is meaningful.
NJ-Specific Considerations
- XCU coverage — Explosion, Collapse, Underground. Confirm it’s on your GL. Most excavation contractors have it; some don’t and don’t know.
- NJ One-Call compliance — you’re required to call before you dig. Documentation matters at claim time.
- Trenching and shoring — OSHA requirements apply; underwriters look at safety program documentation.
- Demolition — often a separate class; some carriers exclude demo from standard excavation policies.
FAQ
Common questions.
Is XCU on my policy?
If we wrote it, yes. If a previous agency wrote it, check your declarations page or ask us to review. XCU exclusions on excavation policies are surprisingly common and the wrong time to find out is at claim time.
Underground utility hit — what does the claim look like?
Property damage to the utility owner (gas company, water authority, etc.) plus consequential damages (service outages, repair coordination). Severity climbs fast. Your GL pays up to its limit; umbrella picks up from there.
Trench collapse with a worker injured — what responds?
WC for the worker’s medical and wage loss. Employer’s Liability sits inside WC for civil suit exposure. Umbrella picks up over EL. GL doesn’t respond to employee injuries — that’s the WC/EL stack.
Demolition work — separate class?
Sometimes. Some carriers underwrite demolition as part of excavation; others require a separate class or exclude demo. We confirm at quote.
What does a typical excavation program cost?
Wide range. Solo operator with one excavator and a pickup runs $5K–$10K total. 8-person commercial excavation contractor with $1M+ in equipment runs $30K–$80K depending on WC class codes and loss history.
Ready When You Are
Quote your excavation & site work program in one intake.
GL, WC, Auto, Tools, Umbrella — all in one form. We come back with a multi-line quote, not six separate quote events.