Template: insurance requirements matrix, one row per customer type
In one paragraph
A single grid that answers the broker's first question and the general contractor's first demand: for each kind of customer you plan to serve, what coverage do they require, at what limits, with which endorsements, and what does the law require regardless. Fill the blank grid once, hand it to the broker, and price the whole stack in one quote. The worked example is a sole owner serving homeowners, two property managers and one general contractor.
The rule
The law's floor for a sole-owner or corporate C-10 is the $25,000 contractor's bond (B&P 7071.6) and a workers' compensation certificate or exemption (B&P 7125); only an LLC must carry liability insurance, at least $1,000,000 (B&P 7071.19); every work vehicle must carry at least 30/60/15 auto liability for policies from January 1, 2025 (Veh. Code 16056(a)(2)). Everything above the floor is set by the customer's contract.
Why it matters
Contractors buy insurance in the wrong order: a policy first, then a customer who needs something the policy does not have. Filling the matrix first means the broker prices what the customers will actually demand, and the first certificate request is a phone call instead of a lost job.