COI requirements by state / Kentucky
State guideKentucky contractor insurance requirements
What Kentucky law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.
Workers' comp required at
1 employee
License insurance minimum
No statewide minimum
Anti-indemnity statute voids
Own negligence, even in part
Workers' comp in Kentucky
Kentucky employers with one or more workers, counting family, temporary and part-time workers, must carry workers' comp. Out-of-state employers need Kentucky coverage for work done in the state, even briefly.
The agency in charge is the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims. It can tell you whether a specific business needs coverage, and most states let you look up an employer's policy online.
Contractor licensing and insurance
We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Kentucky has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.
Indemnity and additional insured clauses
Kentucky's anti-indemnity statute (Ky. Rev. Stat. § 371.180) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.
What to check on a contractor COI for a Kentucky project
- Workers' comp. Nearly every contractor with employees needs it in Kentucky. A contractor with a crew and no workers' comp on its COI is a gap. For an out-of-state contractor, confirm Kentucky is listed on the workers' comp policy.
- General liability. Kentucky doesn't set a statewide floor for a general contractor license, so your project requirements set the bar. Compare each limit on the COI with what the contract asks for.
- Additional insured. The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
- Dates. Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.
Forsured checks every contractor COI against your project requirements, then keeps checking for the life of the project. Send us one project's requirements and a contractor COI or two for a free COI risk check.
Common questions
Do contractors need workers' comp in Kentucky?
Kentucky employers with one or more workers, counting family, temporary and part-time workers, must carry workers' comp. Out-of-state employers need Kentucky coverage for work done in the state, even briefly.
Does Kentucky require contractors to carry general liability insurance?
We found no statewide general liability minimum tied to a general contractor license. Kentucky has no statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties can set their own licensing and insurance rules, so check where the project is.
Can a Kentucky construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?
Kentucky's anti-indemnity statute (Ky. Rev. Stat. § 371.180) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.
Sources
- Kentucky workers' comp requirements, OnPay, Jan 2026
- Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
- State Workers' Compensation Officials, U.S. Department of Labor
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every contract is different, so confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney before you rely on it. Last reviewed Oct 28, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Write to hello@forsured.ai and we'll fix it.