In my office lies a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Maybe it’s the upcoming election and all the accompanying hype but I find myself contemplating our good fortune of living in a country that allows us rights of equality and freedom. Don’t worry, this article isn’t about politics.

For many years contractors in this country worked “on a handshake” agreement with other contractors they were familiar with. Written construction contracts were simple, if they existed at all, with most agreements being verbal.

Just because you buy liability coverage doesn’t guarantee it’s going to do what you want it to do. Regardless of what insurance carrier you choose, there are critical components that typically exist in most construction contracts.