Milwaukee Builders Insurance
designed for real job sites, not just paperwork.
From Third Ward loft conversions and Bay View duplex rehabs to new subdivisions in Oak Creek and Franklin, Insurance Technology Group helps Milwaukee builders, remodelers and contractors protect the project from the day you break ground until the keys change hands.
Snapshot: Milwaukee Builders Risk Example
A $1.5M wood-frame mixed-use project near Fiserv Forum with local subs and Milwaukee-area suppliers:
- Structure under construction plus on-site materials from yards like Bliffert and Drexel.
- Theft, vandalism, fire, lightning, wind and hail – including lake-effect storms off Lake Michigan.
- Optional soft costs if a covered loss delays your opening date.
Estimated annual builders risk premium for a project in this range might land between $4,800 – $6,700 with typical deductibles of $2,500 – $5,000, depending on details. Every project is different – we’ll run real numbers for yours.
Milwaukee is not a generic construction market.
Policies written out of a generic “statewide program” often miss how projects really look along the lakefront, on Milwaukee’s older streets, and in the fast-growing suburbs. We build around Milwaukee soil, weather and neighborhoods – not a spreadsheet in another state.
Whether you’re framing three new homes in Franklin, doing a duplex rehab in Bay View, or converting an old brick warehouse in the Menomonee Valley, the financial risk sits squarely on your shoulders until the project is complete and transferred. A properly structured Milwaukee builders insurance program can help protect:
- The structure itself – framing, roofing, rough-ins, finishes and upgrades.
- On-site materials – lumber, windows, doors and roofing stacked and staged around the lot.
- Materials in transit – from suppliers in Waukesha County or the near-south side to the job site.
- Temporary structures – scaffolding, fencing, hoarding, job trailers and protective coverings.
- Theft and vandalism – especially on vacant or partially fenced sites in the city.
- Weather losses – fire, lightning, wind, hail and sudden storms rolling off Lake Michigan.
We sit down and talk through where you’re building, which trades are on site, how you stage materials, and which Milwaukee suburbs you spend the most time in. Then we line that up with carriers that understand our side of Wisconsin.
What Milwaukee builders insurance can include.
There’s no one-size-fits-all policy for builders and construction in Milwaukee. We build around how you actually work – union or non-union, GC or sub, residential or light commercial – and layer coverage so you know what’s protected and where the gaps are.
Core builders risk protection
Builders risk is the backbone of your project protection. It insures the value of the structure while it’s being built or renovated, whether you’re doing a ground-up build in Oak Creek or a loft conversion in Walker’s Point.
- Structure under construction – what’s already been built, not just what’s on paper.
- On-site materials – lumber, mechanicals, windows and finishes staged on the lot.
- Materials in transit – moving supplies from Waukesha or Menomonee Valley suppliers to site.
- Temporary structures – scaffolding, forms, fencing and temporary coverings.
- Soft costs (optional) – design fees, interest and other costs if a covered loss causes delays.
Liability on and around the job site
Builders risk protects the project; liability helps protect you and your business if something goes wrong around it – especially in tight Milwaukee neighborhoods.
- Commercial general liability – bodily injury or property damage to others.
- Products & completed operations – issues that surface after the job is complete.
- Contractual liability – coverage built around the contracts you sign with owners and GCs.
- Additional insured endorsements – to meet GC, lender and municipality requirements.
Tools, equipment & trucks
Milwaukee builders move a lot of gear – from job to job, season to season. We help protect the tools and equipment that keep the project moving.
- Contractor’s equipment – skid steers, lifts, compressors and job trailers.
- Small tools – saws, nailers, Milwaukee Tool packs and specialty equipment.
- Installation floater – big-ticket items like HVAC units, custom windows and cabinets.
- Commercial auto – pickups and vans running between Bay View, Waukesha, Racine and back.
People and compliance
If you have employees or regular subs on site, we also look at:
- Workers’ compensation – required whenever you have employees on payroll in Wisconsin.
- Employer’s liability – additional protection beyond workers’ comp limits.
- OCIP/CCIP coordination – when you’re part of an owner or contractor wrap-up program.
- Certificate management – making sure paperwork matches GC and lender demands.
From infill builders to multi-phase developers.
If you swing a hammer, coordinate subs, or sign your name on a construction contract anywhere around Milwaukee, you’re carrying risk. We work with builders and contractors at every stage of growth.
Milwaukee-area builders & trades we help
- Small infill builders putting up one or two homes at a time in Bay View, Riverwest and Wauwatosa.
- Mid-size residential builders working subdivisions in Oak Creek, Franklin, Muskego and Pewaukee.
- Design-build firms handling everything from drawings to finishes on city and suburban projects.
- Light commercial GCs doing tenant buildouts in the Third Ward, Walker’s Point and East Side.
- Developers backing multi-phase projects in West Allis, Greenfield and Waukesha County.
Your projects might range from quick flips near American Family Field to long timelines on the west side of Waukesha. The common thread is simple: you’re investing money, time and reputation into something that doesn’t fully exist yet. We treat that as seriously as you do.
Milwaukee-specific risks we think about
- Freeze–thaw cycles that crack foundations and punish partially complete work.
- Snow and ice on roofs, scaffolding and temporary structures.
- Lake-effect storms that blow in faster than forecasts suggest.
- Tight urban lots where debris has nowhere to go but onto neighbors and sidewalks.
- Theft of tools and materials on sites that sit unattended nights and weekends.
A clean, four-step process for busy Milwaukee builders.
You don’t have time for a dozen phone calls and vague quotes. Our goal is to get you from “here’s the project” to “my coverage is in place” as cleanly as possible – with no surprises when banks, inspectors or GCs ask for proof.
We’ll gather the address, scope, estimated value, timeline, your role (owner, GC or sub) and any lender or GC requirements. If you have drawings or contracts, we’ll review those too.
We look at where in Milwaukee you’re building, how tight the lot is, how you’ll stage materials and what realistically could go wrong. Then we match that to carriers that are competitive in our market.
You’ll see one to three options with clear limits, deductibles and pricing – not just a premium number. We line everything up with your contracts and lender expectations.
Once you’re comfortable with the plan, we bind coverage, issue certificates and stay with you as the project evolves. Need limits increased or terms extended? Just call, text or email.
Milwaukee builders insurance FAQs.
A few of the questions we hear from builders, remodelers, trades and small developers around Milwaukee. If you don’t see your situation here, reach out – chances are we’ve seen something similar.
Ready to talk about a Milwaukee project?
Whether you’re framing three new homes in Waukesha County, taking on a historic rehab in Brewer’s Hill, or planning a mixed-use building near the river, we’ll help you put together builders risk and construction coverage that fits the way you really build.