Construction Defect / Completed Operations CA

It varies by claim type and applicable law, but can be years after completion — this is exactly why continuous coverage and long-term record retention matter more for this exposure than for an active-job claim.

Generally, an occurrence-based GL policy looks to the policy that was in force during the work itself — which is why maintaining continuous coverage over time, not just currently, matters for this exposure.

Some additional insured endorsements limit how long after project completion a claim can be made under that specific endorsement — confirm whether yours has one and what the window is.

It depends on the specific facts and which contractor's work is implicated — this is where original project documentation and clear scope-of-work records become important in resolving the claim.

Yes — retain them well beyond typical closeout, since defect claims can surface years later and the original documentation often determines how the claim resolves.

It can, if the GC is properly named as an additional insured on the completed operations endorsement specifically — confirm this was actually obtained, not just requested.

Maintain continuous general liability coverage without gaps, confirm completed operations terms explicitly with your broker, and keep thorough project documentation well past project completion.

Only if completed operations coverage is actually included and not excluded or sublimited — general contractor insurance coverage that looks complete during the project can still leave a real gap for claims that surface years after completion.

Not automatically — commercial contractor insurance can be written with completed operations included, sublimited, or excluded depending on the carrier and policy, so it's worth confirming directly rather than assuming it's standard.