The claim you worry about is not the one on site. It is the one after handover.
Large home builders do not just manage construction risk. You manage long tail liability. Water losses. Deficiency disputes. Subcontractor failures. Claims that arrive long after a project is completed.
In Ontario, builders operate within a regulated warranty environment that shapes expectations, timelines, and dispute pathways. Your insurance needs to match that reality.
Where large builders get burned
• Water damage that expands into multi trade disputes and large remediation costs
• Subcontractor compliance failures that push liability back to the builder
• Completed operations limits that do not reflect the portfolio risk
• Builder risk coverage that does not match project values, soft costs, or realistic schedules
• Contract terms that shift risk without clear insurance alignment
What a builder program should look like at scale
• Course of construction coverage structured for the project, with realistic values and timelines
• Liability limits aligned to your largest project and your long tail exposure
• Completed operations coverage that reflects the years after possession
• Documented subcontractor compliance workflow with strict requirements and audit capability
• Consideration for design involvement where scope creates professional exposure
• Clear claims process and documentation standards, built before a loss occurs
Contract risk control in Ontario
Builders can accept risk without realizing it through indemnities, additional insured wording, and insurance requirements that are not operationally enforceable.
A disciplined approach includes:
• Standard contract language review tied to your insurance wording
• Subcontractor certificates collected, validated, and tracked
• Site documentation standards that support claim defence
FAQ
**Why do completed operations claims matter so much?** Because severity can be high and timing can be unpredictable. A single loss can trigger multiple parties and extended litigation.
**Is builder risk enough on its own?** No. Builder risk is one part of the picture. Liability, completed operations, and subcontractor risk transfer are often where the biggest exposures sit.
**What changes when projects get larger?** Contract requirements tighten, limits increase, and the cost of one gap becomes much larger.
Talk to Boardwalk
If your project sizes have increased, or your subcontractor mix has changed, your insurance should be rebuilt around long tail liability and Ontario contract reality. Boardwalk helps large builders structure coverage that supports growth and stands up when claims arrive years later.