Who This Is For

Structural steel fabricators and erectors, bridge welding contractors, heavy construction welding operations, and specialty structural welding businesses working on major infrastructure, transportation, and commercial construction projects. These operations typically work under demanding government or private-sector contract requirements.

Risk Profile

Structural steel and bridge work represents some of the highest-consequence welding exposure in the industry. Structural failure claims — whether from a weld defect discovered years after project completion, a collapse during construction, or a component failure in service — can generate multi-million-dollar losses. Work at elevation on bridges and steel structures creates fall and dropped-object exposure. Operations in or near active transportation corridors introduce traffic and public safety liability. Completed operations liability on infrastructure projects can extend for decades under statute of repose. And DOT and government project insurance requirements are among the most exacting in the contracting world.

Common Insurance Requirements

State and federal DOT projects, bridge authorities, and heavy construction general contractors impose the most demanding insurance requirements in the welding industry. Standard requirements include $2M/$4M GL with completed operations maintained for three to ten years post-completion, and umbrella limits ranging from $5M to $25M depending on contract value and project type. Workers compensation with certified payroll documentation is required for prevailing wage work. Additional insured, primary and non-contributory, and waiver of subrogation endorsements are standard. Some contracts require project-specific policies or participation in an OCIP.

Recommended Coverage

Why the AWS Insurance Program

Structural steel and bridge welding requires insurance markets that can meet government-scale coverage requirements and remain comfortable with high-consequence, long-tail completed operations exposure. These are not risks that standard commercial package insurers readily accept — and underpowered coverage means lost bids and uncovered losses. The AWS Insurance Program connects structural welding operations with specialty markets experienced in heavy construction, infrastructure, and government contracting. Program specialists understand how to structure completed operations endorsements, umbrella stacking, and additional insured requirements to satisfy even the most demanding DOT and project-owner contracts.