Glass & Glazing Contractor Insurance in Washington State

Glass and glazing contractors work with materials that are simultaneously heavy, fragile, and potentially lethal. A standard insulated glass unit for a commercial curtain wall can weigh 200 to 500 pounds, and large architectural panels for high-rise buildings in Seattle and Bellevue can exceed 1,000 pounds. These panels must be lifted, maneuvered, and set into place at height — often on the exterior of buildings using swing stages, boom lifts, or spider cranes. A dropped glass panel falling from even a few stories can kill a pedestrian below, destroy vehicles, and shatter into fragments that injure people across a wide debris field. The combination of extreme weight, fragility, and elevated work positions creates a liability exposure that insurance underwriters take very seriously.

Working at height is the daily reality that shapes glass and glazing insurance costs. Your crews operate on scaffolding, swing stages, and aerial lifts to install storefront systems, curtain walls, skylights, and replacement windows on multi-story buildings. Washington's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) enforces strict fall protection requirements, and glazing operations are among the most scrutinized activities on commercial job sites because the work inherently involves leaning out over open edges while handling heavy, awkward loads. Falls from height remain the leading cause of death in construction, and glaziers face this risk on virtually every commercial project. Wind is a constant complicating factor in Washington — a gust that catches a large glass panel being set into a curtain wall frame can throw the panel and the worker holding it off balance in an instant.

Property damage exposure for glass contractors extends well beyond the glass itself. During installation, a panel that slips from a suction cup lifter can crash through a building's finished interior, destroying furniture, flooring, and equipment below. On the exterior, dropped glass, tools, or hardware can damage roofing systems, landscaping, vehicles, and adjacent building facades. Even successful installations can generate claims — a curtain wall system that leaks water due to improper sealant application or flashing details can cause moisture intrusion that damages interior finishes, promotes mold growth, and degrades structural components over time. Washington's wet climate makes waterproofing and weather-sealing performance especially critical, as improperly sealed glazing systems face relentless rain exposure for eight months of the year.

Material costs add a financial dimension to risk that is unique to the glazing trade. Architectural glass is expensive — a single large-format insulated, low-e, laminated panel can cost $2,000 to $10,000 or more. If a panel is damaged during transport, handling, or installation, the replacement cost is substantial, and lead times for custom architectural glass can be weeks or months, causing project delays that generate contractual liability. Your inland marine coverage for glass in transit and on-site is critical, and the total value of materials on any given project can easily reach six figures. Breakage during handling is not a question of "if" but "how often," and managing this exposure through proper rigging, handling procedures, and adequate insurance is a core business competency for any successful glazing operation.