Coverage for muralists and mural artists
General liability for painting murals on walls that belong to someone else. Indoors or outdoors, commissioned or public art, the work happens on other people’s property and usually well off the ground. Get the certificate a building owner, property manager or city arts program asks for before the first coat goes on.
Work on someone else's wall
Generally intended to respond to third-party bodily injury and property damage arising from your work, such as overspray onto a neighbouring car or a paint spill in a lobby.
Indoor and outdoor work
Exterior walls bring weather, scaffolding and the public walking below. Interior work brings finished floors, furniture and fixtures. The quote form asks which you do, because they are rated differently.
Height and access
Most mural work happens off ladders, scissor lifts or scaffolding. We ask how high you work, because anything above about 30 feet changes which carriers will look at the risk.
Certificates for building owners
A property owner, facility or arts commission will usually want a certificate naming them as additional insured before you start.
Tell us about your mural work
Where you paint, how high you work and whether you hold a licence all change who will quote it. The form asks each one.
Also doing general interior or exterior painting? See painter insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Do muralists need a painting contractor licence?
It depends on the state and the city, and sometimes on the size of the job. Some places treat a commissioned mural as artwork, others treat any paint applied to a structure as contracting. The quote form asks whether you hold one, and if not, whether one is required for what you do.
Does it matter whether the mural is indoors or outdoors?
Yes. Outdoor work adds public exposure below the wall, weather and usually more height. Many muralists do both, and the form has an option for that.
What if I work higher than 30 feet?
Tell us the maximum height you work at. Above roughly 30 feet the access equipment and the consequences of a fall both change, and fewer carriers write it, so it is better to ask up front than to find out at binding.
Am I covered for damage to the wall itself?
Damage to the thing you are working on is treated differently from damage to surrounding property, and the specifics come down to the policy form. Ask about it before you bind.
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