Business insurance in Warren County
Warren County runs from Glens Falls and Queensbury up through Lake George and the Adirondack towns: shops and offices, motels and rentals, outfitters and guides, contractors, and the mills and quarries that have been here for generations. Here's what a business in the county usually needs, the county rules that touch insurance, and the town pages with the local detail.
A Warren County small business needs workers' compensation from the first employee, seasonal staff included, DBL and Paid Family Leave once someone has worked 30 days in a calendar year, general liability for its landlord and clients, and commercial auto for work vehicles. The county's own plan describes an economy of mostly small businesses, with outdoor recreation growing and insurance cost among the problems its operators name. Work in a county road's right-of-way needs a permit backed by a protective liability policy for the County, and short-term rental rules differ town by town. My office is in Clifton Park; I meet owners at their business, at the office or by phone or video.
What's different about insuring a business in Warren County
- Small businesses, and seasonal ones. The County's draft 2040 plan describes an economy made up mostly of small businesses, with no single industry dominating. One hire changes a lot: workers' comp starts with the first employee, summer staff included. Restaurants and bars add liquor liability under the Dram Shop Act.
- Outdoor recreation. The same plan calls outdoor recreation a growth industry and lists high insurance costs among the problems its operators face. Rentals, guiding and instruction need to be named on the policy; boats rented to others are excluded from general liability.
- Mills, timber and quarries. The plan describes timber and paper, and crushed stone, sand and gravel mined in the county. Heavy equipment moved between sites belongs on inland marine, trucks on commercial auto or trucking cover.
- County road permits. Work in a county right-of-way needs a Department of Public Works permit, and unless waived, a protective liability policy covering the People of the County of Warren. See contractor insurance; the Scaffold Law applies on every roof and facade.
- County building permits. Outside Queensbury and Glens Falls, the County's Fire Prevention and Building Code Enforcement department issues building and demolition permits and certificates of occupancy and does fire safety inspections. Building or renovating? Settle builder's risk and property cover before work starts.
- Business names. A sole proprietor or partnership trading under an assumed name files with the County Clerk in Lake George. New LLC? See business insurance for a new LLC.
Short-term rentals, town by town
From the County's table of municipal rules. Check with the town before you list; rules change.
| Town or city | Short-term rental rule |
|---|---|
| Bolton, Chester, Hague, Lake Luzerne, Warrensburg | Town permit |
| Lake George (town and village) | Residential Rental Permit |
| Queensbury | Register with Warren County |
| Glens Falls | City permit under §220-40 of the zoning code |
| Horicon, Johnsburg, Stony Creek, Thurman | No short-term rental law when the table was made; Thurman was drafting one |
A homeowners policy often limits or excludes paying guests. See landlord and short-term rental insurance.
What Warren County businesses carry
Required by New York: workers' compensation from the first employee and DBL and Paid Family Leave once someone has worked for you 30 days in a calendar year. Required by landlords and clients: general liability naming them as additional insured, or a business owners policy. Worth adding: flood insurance if FEMA's map puts your address in a flood zone, since commercial property excludes flood; cyber for card payments and online bookings; and a commercial umbrella.
Towns
For local detail, see business insurance in Glens Falls, Queensbury, Lake George, Warrensburg, Bolton Landing, Lake Luzerne and Chestertown and Chester. I also work with businesses in Hague, Horicon, Johnsburg, Stony Creek and Thurman, the same way.
How I quote a Warren County business
A short conversation about what you do, when you're open and what your lease or permit requires; quotes from several carriers with what each leaves out, side by side; and once you choose and the policies are in force, I get you the certificates, usually the same day. My office is in Clifton Park; I meet owners at their business, at the office or by phone or video. The business gap check takes three minutes. Next door: business insurance in Washington County.
Turning 65, or helping a parent with Medicare? Medicare help in Warren County; there's no fee for Medicare plan help.
- Filing Assumed Business Names (DBA), in-person procedure (Warren County Clerk) — under General Business Law §130 and CPLR 8021; check the DBA indexes first; file in the county where business is conducted; name and residence address, business name and address, all partners; valid photo ID; signatures notarized by Clerk staff; to discontinue or amend, come to the Clerk's Office; 1340 State Route 9, Lake George; procedure dated 2020; read October 27, 2026
- DBA forms and procedures (Warren County Clerk) — DBA forms, in-person and by-mail procedures; County Clerk at 1340 State Route 9, Lake George; checked October 27, 2026
- County Clerk (Warren County) — filing officer for other filings including DBAs; Warren County Municipal Center; checked October 27, 2026
- General Business Law §130, filing of certificates by persons conducting business under an assumed name or as partners (NY Senate) — certificate filed with the county clerk of each county where the business is conducted; read October 27, 2026
- Fire Prevention and Building Code Enforcement (Warren County) — enforces the NYS Uniform Code in Warren County except the Town of Queensbury and the City of Glens Falls; building, solid-fuel and demolition permits; certificates of occupancy and operating permits; fire safety inspections; read October 27, 2026
- Department of Public Works (Warren County) — permits for work in county right-of-way, hauling, posted roads; checked October 27, 2026
- Permit to Work in County Right-of-Way (Warren County DPW, Highway Law Article 6, §136) — certified check or bond payable to the County Treasurer; permittee responsible for bodily injury and property damage and agrees to indemnify the County; unless waived, a policy of protective liability insurance issued to and covering the People of the County of Warren and the Superintendent of Public Works, at the limits on the form, not to be changed or cancelled without written notice; DPW at 4028 Main Street, Warrensburg; read October 27, 2026
- Economy: Issues, Opportunities and Trends, draft chapter of Warren County 2040 (Warren County, May 2024) — most businesses small; manufacturing the largest industry in a well-diversified economy; outdoor recreation a growth industry, with high insurance costs for business operators among its issues; Northern Forest timber and paper; crushed stone, sand and gravel mined in the county; Tourism Department promotes the Lake George Area; Warren County EDC, Warren-Washington IDA (Airport Industrial Park in Warren County), Warren County LDC; draft; read October 27, 2026
- Short-term rental regulations by municipality (Warren County) — Bolton permit (2021); Chester permit (2023); Glens Falls developing; Hague permit (2024); Horicon no; Johnsburg a brief tourist-accommodation section but no STR law; Lake George (town and village) permit (2018); Lake Luzerne permit (2023); Queensbury must register with Warren County (2022); Stony Creek no; Thurman no, moratorium expired, developing; Warrensburg permit (2019); read October 27, 2026
- Short Term Rental Registration letter, 7/9/2025 (City of Glens Falls Building and Codes) — registration under §220-40, Short-Term Rental Permits, of the Glens Falls Zoning Code; read October 27, 2026
- Disability and Paid Family Leave coverage requirements (NY WCB) — required after employing one or more people for 30 days
- General Obligations Law §11-101, the Dram Shop Act (NY Senate)
- NY Labor Law §240 (Scaffold Law)
- Flood map service center (FEMA) — look up any Warren County address
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask before they call.
Still have a question? Call (518) 902-8822 or book a call.
I'm a sole proprietor using a business name. Where do I file it in Warren County?
Under General Business Law §130, an individual or partnership doing business under an assumed name files a certificate with the county clerk in each county where the business is conducted. In Warren County that is the County Clerk at the Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9 in Lake George. The Clerk's procedure asks you to check the DBA index first, bring photo ID and the names and addresses of every partner, and sign in front of Clerk staff, who notarize it. Put the name exactly as you trade under it on your policies, so certificates and claims match. If you formed an LLC instead, my LLC guide covers what changes.
I need to work in a county road's right-of-way. What insurance does the County want?
The Department of Public Works issues a permit to work in a county right-of-way under §136 of the Highway Law. Unless the Superintendent waives it, you supply a protective liability policy issued to and covering the People of the County of Warren and the Superintendent for your work under the permit, at the limits printed on the form, and it can't be changed or cancelled without notice to the Superintendent. That is a separate policy for the job, not just a certificate from your own general liability, and you also agree to indemnify the County and post a bond or certified check. Send me the permit and I'll arrange it.
Do I need a permit to rent my place out by the week?
It depends on the town. The County's table of short-term rental rules shows permits in Bolton, Chester, Hague, Lake George, Lake Luzerne and Warrensburg, registration with Warren County in Queensbury, and no short-term rental law at the time in Horicon, Johnsburg, Stony Creek and Thurman; Glens Falls has since adopted a permit. A homeowners policy often limits or excludes paying guests, so the rental needs a policy written for it; the landlord insurance page explains the options.
I run an outdoor recreation business. What should I know about insurance?
The County's draft plan lists high insurance costs among the problems outdoor recreation operators face. Guiding, rentals and instruction are exposures many standard business policies exclude or limit, so the work has to be described in full on the application. I quote across several carriers and show you, side by side, what each one covers and leaves out, including the boats, bikes or gear you rent and any waivers your customers sign.
Do you meet people in Warren County?
Yes. My office is in Clifton Park; I meet owners at their business, at the office or by phone or video. Once policies are in force, I get you the certificates, and audits and claims come through me.
Get a quote for your business
Tell me what you do, where, and roughly what payroll looks like. Quotes come from the private carriers I represent, usually within days.
Where I work
I'm based in Clifton Park and work in person across six counties, the four on the map plus Warren and Washington, or by phone.
Close to the Clifton Park office: Clifton Knolls, Country Knolls, Rexford, Vischer Ferry, Jonesville, Groom's Corners and Halfmoon across Route 9 — I'll come to you at home.
Auto, home and business insurance by town
Medicare has its own county and town pages.