gc doing electrical

[dab]

if an ec decides to buy general liability insurance in calif. he has limits to what is covered. this insurance is specific to electrical installations. would an insurance company pay a claim when there is not a ec of record for the particular job when the gc did not have the appropriate specialty license.

 

[e57]

In CA this is a often confusing set of limits/lenience applied to B licenses. And from what I understand they have changed recently to clarify it, but all I am is more confused.... See what you make of it? And what the insurance company makes of it vs. thier policy is anothing altogether... Depends on what it says, I guess???? Either way I think it could give ample ammo to an insurance company not to pay depending on how it is read, and who is reading it.

My point being that GC's think they can do everything or anything due to the few underlined words below. But the rest of it (B&C) suggests that they can not... And apparently was not intended for them to be doing specialty (C) trades.

Bold and Italics mine...

? 7057. General building contractor
Text
(a) Except as provided in this section, a general building contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with any structure built, being built, or to be built, for the support, shelter, and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property of any kind, requiring in its construction the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts, or to do or superintend the whole or any part thereof.
This does not include anyone who merely furnishes materials or supplies under Section 7045 without fabricating them into, or consuming them in the performance of the work of the general building contractor.

(b) A general building contractor may take a prime contract or a subcontract for a framing or carpentry project. However, a general building contractor shall not take a prime contract for any project involving trades other than framing or carpentry unless the prime contract requires at least two unrelated building trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification or subcontracts with an appropriately licensed contractor to perform the work. A general building contractor shall not take a subcontract involving trades other than framing or carpentry, unless the subcontract requires at least two unrelated trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification. The general building contractor may not count framing or carpentry in calculating the two unrelated trades necessary in order for the general building contractor to be able to take a prime contract or subcontract for a project involving other trades.

(c) No general building contractor shall contract for any project that includes the "C-16" Fire Protection classification as provided for in Section 7026.12 or the "C-57" Well Drilling classification as provided for in Section 13750.5 of the Water Code, unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification, or subcontracts with the appropriately licensed contractor.

IMO the Legislature should have made itself more clear when re-writing this...

ANNOTATIONS
Editor's Notes--
~1997 Amendment:
~
Note:
Stats 1997 ch 812 provides:
~
(b) The limitations applicable to general building contractors performing in the role of specified specialty building contractors for which other standards and criteria have been established, are necessary to serve as a means of protecting the public against contractors who have not demonstrated competence in specified specialty aspects of work for which a specialty license is required and as a means of facilitating the selection and provision of contracting services by and for the public that provides recognition to those persons or entities that have demonstrated experience, competence, and appropriate qualifications in those specialties specified in Section 7057 of the Business and Professions Code. In addition, experience has shown that consumers need and deserve to be protected against work being performed by contractors not licensed in specialty areas, and that the majority of consumer abuses occur and the focus of enforcement is needed most in these areas.
(c) The Legislature finds and declares that the administrative regulation adopted by the Contractors' State License Board as subdivision (b) of Section 834 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations had, for over four decades, served the public good by prohibiting general building contractors from undertaking certain projects in aspects of construction work in which specialty licenses had been established, until that regulation was ruled invalid as a result of the Home Depot and Hazard cases. It is the intent of the Legislature by enacting this act to statutorily establish the standard promulgated as subdivision (b) of Section 834 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, with changes incorporated in this enactment, on the basis that the experience of license enforcement has demonstrated that the majority of consumer abuses occur and the focus of enforcement is most needed in smaller jobs involving one or two specialty trades that typically comprise service or repair functions and home improvement jobs. The Legislature also reiterates its previously stated intent that the Contractors' State License Law should be administered to "promote and protect the interests of consumers as well as law-abiding competitive licensed contractors" (Section 34.5 as contained in Chapter 1013 of the Statutes of 1979).
~

 

[dab]

i think that my question might be interpreted as a legal issue which is against forum rules. i tried to delete my thread. thanks for your answer. dab