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Kentucky Umbrella and Excess Liability Guide

Kentucky does not have one universal umbrella limit for contractors. A September 2026 City of Erlanger roof-replacement bid sets $1 million per occurrence/$2 million aggregate general liability and $1 million auto, requires primary/non-contributory status including excess and umbrella policies, calls for a project aggregate, and extends completed-operations liability for at least seven years or the applicable statute of repose, whichever is longer. Its pollution requirement applies only to listed higher-risk work scopes. Compare your own signed contract and its excess endorsements with the work you actually perform. 1,2

What Is Umbrella And Excess Liability?

Umbrella or excess insurance adds liability limits above the policies named in the quote after a covered claim exhausts their limits. It may fit if a contract sets higher limits; check which primary policies are listed and any gaps between them. Read the national Umbrella and excess liability guide.

Kentucky Requirements

RequirementDetails
Erlanger roof-replacement contract example (September 2026)This city contract calls for $1m per occurrence/$2m aggregate CGL, $1m combined auto, Kentucky-specific workers’ compensation, and $1m employers’ liability limits. For all liability coverage including umbrella/excess it requires primary/non-contributory terms; construction services require specified additional-insured forms and a per-project aggregate. Completed-operations coverage must continue for at least seven years after substantial completion or the applicable statute of repose, whichever is longer. 1
Pollution coverage for enumerated work scopesThe Erlanger bid requires $1m/$2m contractor pollution liability when construction includes a building envelope, fire suppression, mechanical, plumbing, site work, or environmental/abatement/remediation work. This is a condition in this city contract, not a statewide rule for all contractors. 1

What to Watch for in Kentucky

  • Primary/non-contributory status must reach the excess layer

    The Erlanger contract expressly applies primary/non-contributory treatment to all liability coverage, including excess and umbrella policies. If your customer requires the same, verify the endorsement or policy language on every layer; the certificate wording alone does not establish that the excess policy follows the required status. 1

  • Long completed-operations terms affect future renewals

    For construction under the Erlanger contract, completed-operations protection continues at least seven years after substantial completion or for the applicable statute of repose, whichever is longer. Ask whether your actual CGL and excess policies maintain matching completed-operations coverage through that period, especially if the business may change insurers or cease operations. 1

  • The listed construction scopes add a separate pollution policy

    Erlanger names building-envelope, fire-suppression, mechanical, plumbing, site, and environmental/abatement/remediation work as triggers for contractor pollution liability. Do not treat an umbrella’s limit as proof of that separate coverage. Identify the work scope and confirm the required pollution policy and limit before pricing the bid. 1

  • Homeowner checks are not commercial contract schedules

    Kentucky’s Attorney General contractor guidance tells consumers to look for workers’ compensation when a contractor has employees and general-liability insurance. That is consumer guidance, not a statewide umbrella mandate or proof that a contractor meets a commercial customer’s limits. Ask for the contract-specific policies and endorsements when hiring a business for a larger project. 2,1

Who Regulates Insurance in Kentucky

Kentucky Department of Insurance

The Kentucky Department of Insurance licenses agents and insurers, monitors the insurance market, and accepts complaints about insurance companies and agents. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 3% on Kentucky-home-state premiums and other premium consideration; separate 1.8% surcharge on eligible risks located in Kentucky, subject to statutory exceptions; applicable local-government premium tax may also apply When Kentucky is the insured's home state, the state tax is 3% of premium and other consideration treated as premium; local-government premium taxes may also apply. A separate 1.8% surcharge generally applies to Kentucky risks, but state law exempts multistate nonadmitted risks and specified government and nonprofit premiums. The broker must make a diligent effort to place coverage with an admitted carrier before using surplus lines. 6,9,7,8,10

Providers With Documented State Licenses

These providers publish a national listing for Umbrella and excess liability; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Kentucky. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

  • CorgiCorgi Insurance Services, Inc.Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. 13
  • TechInsuranceSpecialty Program Group LLCInsurance producer · checked 2026-09-28TechInsurance’s current licensing page names Specialty Program Group LLC / SPG Insurance Solutions and lists state license numbers, but labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses” rather than identifying a license for the named agency. RI is omitted because this disclosure does not establish agency authority there; this is a search limitation, not an assertion that the company is unlicensed. The remaining state entries are company-reported and are not an insurance product availability map. 16
  • VouchVouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLCInsurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28Vouch’s licenses page, effective January 16, 2025, lists producer licenses in all 50 states and DC. Its separate surplus-lines table includes Idaho number 870820, while a footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses. Because those statements conflict for Idaho, this record keeps Idaho producer-only and does not treat the table number as established agency surplus-lines authority. The page is company-reported and does not establish product availability. 17

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Kentucky

  1. Which entity is doing the work, and do the primary and umbrella policies name it and the additional insureds correctly?
  2. Does the contract require primary/non-contributory status on excess layers, specified additional-insured forms, and a per-project aggregate?
  3. What completed-operations period does the contract require, and can every scheduled policy maintain it after project completion?
  4. Does the scope include any listed building-envelope, fire-suppression, mechanical, plumbing, site, or environmental work that triggers separate contractor pollution liability?

Umbrella And Excess Liability in Kentucky: FAQ

Does Kentucky require every business contractor to carry a $1 million umbrella? 1

The $1 million/$2 million general-liability and $1 million auto limits are in one City of Erlanger roof-replacement bid. The bid also requires umbrella/excess terms but does not state that every Kentucky contractor must carry that same umbrella limit. 1

Does the Kentucky Attorney General’s contractor page set an excess limit? 2,1

No. The AG’s consumer guidance advises checking general-liability coverage and workers’ compensation when there are employees. It does not specify a commercial umbrella limit; use the written project contract for that requirement. 2,1

Umbrella And Excess Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Kentucky

Sources

  1. Public Safety Center East Roof Replacement Bid Packet (posted September 17, 2026). City of Erlanger, Kentucky; Agreement §3.0 Contractor’s Insurance: pp. 6–7, CGL/auto/WC, umbrella/excess primary/non-contributory, endorsements, pollution scope trigger and seven-year/repose period. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Contractor Registration Program. Kentucky Office of the Attorney General; Consumer guidance: verify general-liability insurance and workers’ compensation where the contractor has employees; guidance is not an umbrella mandate. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Kentucky Department of Insurance. Kentucky Department of Insurance; Homepage and consumer telephone. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Insurance License Lookup. Kentucky Department of Insurance; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. File an Insurance Complaint. Kentucky Department of Insurance; Official DOI consumer complaint page accepts complaints involving general liability and disputes with insurers, agents or adjusters. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. KRS 304.10-180. Kentucky General Assembly; KRS 304.10-180(1): Kentucky-home-state; 3% applies to premiums, assessments, fees, charges or other premium consideration; local premium tax is separate. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Local Government Premium Taxes. Kentucky Department of Insurance; Current local tax schedules. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. KRS 304.10-090. Kentucky General Assembly; KRS 304.10-090 requires policy notice that nonadmitted insurer is not a Kentucky Insurance Guaranty Association member and its benefits are unavailable upon insolvency. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. KRS 136.392. Kentucky General Assembly; KRS 136.392(1),(5)-(6): $1.80 per $100 on premium/other charges for Kentucky risks; named government/nonprofit exceptions; multistate nonadmitted risks exempt. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Surplus Lines. Kentucky Department of Insurance; Full page states licensed surplus-lines brokers must make a diligent effort to place with an admitted carrier before exporting coverage. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  12. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  13. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  17. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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