Table of contents
A roofers liability ranges from injuries caused to third parties during a roofing installation project, work-related accidents, to complaints of defective work, and issues because of negligence.
Commercial roofing insurance allows you to sort things out smoothly if exposures occur. Read this guide that will take you through the inclusions, the cost of premiums, and the best companies.
General liability and professional liability policies are the two types of roofing liability insurance that you must always have. By having these two, you can satisfy contract and licensing requirements.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit | $100,000 | $100,000 | $5,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? | Yes | No | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Equipment breakdown floater included? | No | Yes | Yes | Excluded | Excluded |
| Can you get a certificate of insurance online? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Roofing installation, repair, and maintenance is an intricate task. You use different materials and tools that can cause accidents when mishandled.
General liability insurance, also a common inclusion in roof cleaning insurance bundles, grants comprehensive protection against claims for bodily injuries or property damage that result from your roofing installation, repair, and maintenance activities. Use the table above and see which insurance company offers the best roofing general liability insurance.
These are some realistic situations where you can leverage general liability insurance to avoid financial losses:
An asphalt shingle slides and falls from the client’s rooftop. This hit a client’s family member and caused head trauma
The owner of a commercial building filed a property damage lawsuit after your roofing removal and replacement service resulted in leaks
A signage installer fell from a height while fixing the lighting of your roofing business
Yes. You can customize the general liability policy of your roofing contractor insurance package by adding these optional policies:
Customer property coverage
Business equipment coverage
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage
General liability insurance for roofing contractors has a $1 million-$2 million per occurrence limit. Insurance companies understand that general contractors might require you to get more. And so, you can increase your limits up to $5 million-$10 million by filing a request.
Yes. General liability insurance covers lawsuits filed as a result of defective workmanship that caused bodily injuries or property damage. If the claim is all about defective workmanship that caused financial losses or business interruption, then general liability insurance can’t help.
| CoverWallet | NEXT | Thimble (Best) | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Can be included |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 | $50/$10,000 |
Roofing installation, maintenance, and repair needs skill and attention. It’s your responsibility if the client faces financial losses because you delayed the completion of a roofing project, you made the wrong computations, or an employee is inexperienced.
A professional liability policy is always included in a roofing contractors liability insurance package to take care of such exposures. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best professional liability insurance for roofing contractors.
Professional liability insurance will cover remunerations, legal expenses, and court judgments if a client files a claim and accuses you of committing any of the following:
Faking licenses and project portfolios
Inflating the cost of roofing materials and cheating the client of their money
Failure to recognize and correct errors in a roofing project’s design
Negligent hiring of sub-contractors
You can use a professional liability policy as a subcontractor roofing insurance because 1099 workers can be named as additional insureds in its terms. By doing so, the coverage of your professional liability insurance applies even if negligence, misrepresentation, and other misconducts are committed by sub-contractors.
No. Your existing professional liability insurance only caters roofing activities. To solve the coverage gap, we suggest you get a stand-alone professional liability policy from solar contractor insurance bundles.
A roofers public liability insurance works the same way as a general liability policy. It grants coverage against claims for bodily injuries or property damage. Public liability insurance is a common coverage in the UK. In contrast, only a few US insurance companies sell this as most offer a general liability policy.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/$10,000 | Included |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Included |
A roofing business needs a warehouse to safeguard roofing materials and an office to conduct transactions. You can avoid drastic financial losses if something happens to the warehouse or office by including a commercial property policy in your roofing business insurance package. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best commercial property insurance for roofing businesses.
Commercial property insurance will reimburse financial losses and help you continue business operations if the following happens:
A fire breaks out in your office or warehouse
Your office or warehouse catches a fire after a nearby building burst into flames
A car crashes in your warehouse or office
A plane crashes in your warehouse or office
A sinkhole forms and engulfs the entire space where your warehouse or office is located
Thieves break into your office or warehouse
Vandals destroy your office or warehouse’s storefront
Commercial property insurance covers the office and warehouse of your roofing business, and this means that anything inside is insured too. And so, the policy will also reimburse the value of roofing materials, ladders, drills, hammers, computers, air compressors, circular saws, reciprocating saws, and other valuables.
No. Commercial property insurance only covers such properties if their damage, loss, or destruction happened within your warehouse or office’s premises.
| CoverWallet | Thimble | NEXT (Best) | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 |
| Commercial property coverage limit | $50,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Optional policies can be added? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Not all businesses involved in roofing activities can shoulder the cost of insurance premiums without batting an eye. And this is why some carriers offer a business owner’s policy in their roofing insurance package.
A business owner’s policy bundles general liability and commercial property insurance. Its cost is 5%-10% cheaper than buying such policies as stand-alone coverages. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best business owner’s policy for roofing businesses.
Yes. You can include add-ons to a business owner’s policy to enjoy more protection. Common optional policies are business equipment coverage, hired/non-owned auto coverage, waiver of subrogation, and inland marine coverage.
| NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate limit | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | $5,000/$25,000 |
| Covers hired and borrowed equipment? | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | No |
| Miscellaneous equipment also covered? | $5,000/$10,000 | No | No |
| Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $0 |
Roofing installation equipment is integral to your business. And so, a large portion of your capital goes into curating the best equipment that allows for the speedy completion of a roofing project.
Tools and equipment insurance exclusively covers the saws, drills, ladders, air compressors,and other objects you use for installation, repairing, and maintaining a roof. Use the table above to see which insurance company offers the best tools and equipment insurance for roofing businesses.
Tools and equipment insurance takes care of repair or replacement expenses if your roof installation equipment is damaged or destroyed by:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Water damage
Electrical surge
Electrical shorts
No. Tools and equipment insurance doesn’t cover the roofing installation equipment of your subcontractors. However, coverage can apply to the implements you borrow, hire, or lease.
We suggest that you purchase tools and equipment insurance as an endorsement to your general liability policy, business owner’s policy, or commercial property policy. This way, you enjoy cheap premiums and easy policy management.
You can’t run a roofing business without employees. There must be at least clerks and roofing installation technicians to ensure smooth business operations.
Authorities will require you to cover all of your employees with worker’s compensation insurance. Failure to comply will result in suspension, heavy fines, or even imprisonment.
Roofing worker’s compensation insurance will take care of these expenses when an employee of your roofing business sustains a work-related injury or disease:
Emergency medical treatment
Hospitalization
Medication
Rehabilitation
Lost wages
Rehabilitation and allowance to dependents in case of death
Workers compensation insurance doesn’t grant compensation to your sub contractors who sustained a work-related injury or disease. They can be named as an additional insured at an additional cost for coverage to apply.
To make things more straightforward, we suggest you require subcontractors to get their own workers compensation insurance. You can also ask them to sign a waiver, if doing so is legal in your state.
You use a van or truck to transport employees, roofing materials, and equipment. And so, consider getting commercial auto insurance that does the following:
Cover the medical treatment of injured third parties in a vehicular accident
Cover the medical treatment of your employees if they get involved in an accident caused by an uninsured/underinsured driver
Pay the repair or replacement of parts if the commercial vehicle of your roofing business sustains damage
Avail general liability coverage as a short-term policy and you’ll have temporary roofing insurance. A short-term general liability insurance grants coverage for hours, days, weeks, or months depending on your needs. It can also be paused. But note that, you have to buy this as a stand-alone coverage, which can never be added as an inclusion in your roofing insurance package.
A roofing company insurance program is designed for big roofing businesses. Composing this are general liability, professional liability, commercial property, business owner’s policy, and workers compensation insurance with higher limits.
The answer is yes. For example, if your roofing business is involved with gutter cleaning, then your roofing insurance package might exclude this activity. And so, you need to invest in a gutter cleaner’s insurance program.
The average roofing contractor insurance cost is $292 per month or $3,504 per year for a $1 million general liability policy
The average roofing company insurance cost is $315 per month or $3,780 per year for a $1 million general liability policy.
The actual roofing insurance price you pay can be exactly the same or different to the figures we mentioned based on:
Claims history
Business history
Number of employees
Annual revenues
Location
Policy limits
In addition, the table below gives a further idea of the best companies roofing liability insurance cost based on their pricing for a $1 million general liability policy:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $83 | $996 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for roofing contractors |
| Thimble | $91 | $1,092 | Short-term roofing insurance |
| CoverWallet | $100 | $1,200 | Roofing contractor insurance online quotes comparison |
| Tivly | $112 | $1,344 | Comparing roofing contractor insurance quotes over the phone |
| Hiscox | $130 | $1,560 | Roofing insurance with worldwide coverage |
| State Farm | $289 | $3,468 | Small to large-sized roofing contractors |
We suggest you compare the roofing insurance cost estimates of different companies yourself to get the best deal. Start by clicking the “Get Quotes” button on this page.
There are several things that you can do to reduce your rates and get cheap roofing insurance, including:
● Comparing quotes from different companies.
● Obtaining advanced OSHA safety certifications.
● Going several years without major claims.
●Paying your annual rate upfront (instead of monthly premiums).
● Paying a higher deductible (the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurer steps in and covers the rest).
Workers compensation insurance can be a very expensive coverage for roofing businesses. And so, we’ve made a table showing the roofing workers comp rates of the recommended companies:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $87.50 | $1,050 |
| Thimble | $88.92 | $1,067.04 |
| CoverWallet | $90 | $1,080 |
| Tivly | $100 | $1,200 |
| Hiscox | $104.50 | $1,254 |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Every insurance company will claim to realistically know the exposures of your roofing business. We’ve made this review that gives you an idea of which company is truly committed to protecting you. Proceed below to know the best roofing insurance companies’ pros, cons, and cost of a $1 million general liability insurance.
Best overall
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Fastest general liability insurance for roofing contractors
Great customer service and reputation
Excellent rates
Outstanding value for money
Get a 10% discount if you buy two or more policies
Couldn’t find any
NEXT covers roofing contractors and roofing companies through its roofing insurance program. Policies included in it are:
General liability insurance
Professional liability insurance
Commercial property insurance
Tools and equipment insurance
Commercial auto insurance
Workers compensation insurance
The limits of your insurance policies will depend whether you buy the coverage for your roofing business as a basic, deluxe, or premiere plan.
Once you’re insured, NEXT will give you access to its online insurance management platform where you can name additional insureds and send certificates of insurance to anyone as a text message, social media post, or email.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for roofing contractors
Average cost: $83 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Compare roofing contractor insurance quotes online
Cancel your coverage anytime
Buy a coverage online or over the phone
Easy online policy management
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet’s roofing contractor insurance comes from different insurance companies. That said, this company enables you to get different quotes for your business. A typical roofing insurance package will consist of:
$1 million-$2 million general liability insurance
$1 million professional liability insurance
$50,000 commercial property insurance
Workers compensation insurance
Commercial auto insurance
Best for: Roofing contractor insurance online quotes comparison
Average cost: $91 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Responsive customer service
Compare roofing contractor insurance quotes over the phone
A partner of many reputable insurance companies
BBB accredited
You need to call to get a quote
Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET) covers you through its contractors insurance. There’s no pre-made insurance package. This company will curate the insurance bundle according to your actual needs. That said, call and talk with a Tivly representative to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing roofing contractor insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $100 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Sells a short-term general liability policy for roofing businesses
Numerous add-ons to general liability and business owner’s policy
Professional liability coverage is offered as an optional policy to general liability insurance
Quick to issue an estimate of your premiums
You can’t reach customer service by calling
Thimble’s roofing insurance package offers the following:
$1 million-$2 million general liability insurance
Business owner’s policy with $1 million-$2 million general liability coverage and $25,000-$500,000 commercial property coverage
By the way, this company’s stand-alone general liability policy is available as a short-term coverage that lasts for hours, days, weeks, or months. You can pause this anytime. Policy limits are $1 million-$2 million.
Best for: Short-term roofing insurance
Average cost: $112 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Worldwide coverage
Automatic policy renewal
Fast to handle claims
Dedicated team of claims experts
Excludes high-rise roofing in its underwriting appetite
Hiscox offers general liability, professional liability, and business owner’s policy for roofing businesses. You can also purchase commercial auto and workers compensation insurance but this will come from a partner. Note that you might not be eligible if you’re involved in high-rise roofing activities.
Best for: Roofing insurance with worldwide coverage
Average cost: $130 per month
Our rating: 9/10
● Excellent reputation for quality service.
● Provide both workers’ comp and general liability coverage.
● Offices located nationwide.
● Great customer service.
● Occasional reports of denied claims.
State Farm is one of the most popular insurance providers used by construction and roofing contractors. They’ve been in business since 1922 and have built a trustworthy reputation. One of the best reasons to go with State Farm is that they provide both general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. This means that you may be able to bundle your policies together and save. State Farm has a stellar reputation for quality customer service, and they have offices around the country, which makes them easy to get in touch with when you need them most.
Best for: Small to large-sized roofing contractors
Average cost: $289 per month
Our rating: 9/10
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
9.4 / 10
Fastest ever online insurance quote and purchase! Also, great rates and professional customer reps that helps with whatever you need, if you need. Nice company!
2.8 / 10
Embroker sells a product that it doesn't honor. We purchased a combination D&O and EPLI policy. However, when it came to renewal, it told us that we only had D&O coverage even through our ACCORD certificate clearly mentions we have both. Basically they refused to honor the EPLI coverage and will leave you hanging with the bag. At time of renewal, they more than doubled our quote to get similar coverage. Basically BAIT & SWITCH. Unacceptable tactics. Easy to buy and pay but you may not be... Read More
2.8 / 10
Great platform. Terrible policy. There is no teeth behind it. No coverage. It's a fake policy that they sell. Sold us an EPLI policy that later we came to find out had no EPLI coverage. Amazing that they can get away with outright fraud. Check the positive reviews. They are all 'Anonymous' posted by Emroker staff. Stay away and find a real policy that will actually provide you coverage. We've been bitten by them and hope to find restitution via a lawsuit.
Paul Burns Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
It has been 70 days since I made a claim on the roof of my building. No one from the company will return calls. We are in hurricane season and located in Louisiana. My building is tarped to secure it.
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children,... Read More
Harshadray Patel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Extremely bad service, when you call , will make you wait on the phone for ever (over an Hour) and still no one to answer , so you end up hanging up. To cancel the policy, bounce you from one department to the other. They are supposed to refund from the date other insurance started and after sending the proof of other insurance policy, still they did not refund based on that actual date instead they use the date i managed to get hold of them. They charged me $7000.00 for a year's insurance on... Read More
Aaron Wensel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Guard Insurance is terrible. They were so bad I cancelled them because them couldn't figure out why I would never get a paper copy of the bill . Verified my address with them and still intermittent billing. I cancelled them in March through my local broker. Today 6/27 I get a letter in the mail from a collections company saying I owe 87.97. This was the first myself or my broker heard of owing this money. Here is some advice for this failure of a company send me a god damn bill and I will pay.... Read More
Michael Swink Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
My employer had to have workers compensation by law. He obtained a policy through this Berkshire Hathaway GUARD and they failed me. I fell from a ladder and fractured my spine in 7 different places, my clavicle in 4 places, and the base of my skull. Going to my Dr visits I was prescribed medication for pain and the insurance company placed a pre-authorization hold on me picking up the medication from Walgreens. The hold lasted 5 days! My weekly benefits have never been on time, right now... Read More
10 / 10
Liberty Mutual is one of the more simple companies to deal with. I had to file a claim for my business owner policy after I caught one of my employees stealing a large amount of products from my business. Liberty mutual paid the claim fast and with no efforts. I wish the legal process was as easy…
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
9.4 / 10
Very pleased with Hiscox - their small business insurance rates are very good and they specialize in small business which gives me a peace of mind as a small business owner. So far so good!
10 / 10
Their customer service is absolutely fantastic. Very patient, knowledgable and provided excellent explanation of the purchased policy. I would highly recommend this insurance company to anyone that's looking to protect their business from unexpected expense. Thank you Hiscox for doing a great job for my business!
0.6 / 10
STAY AWAY! I wouldn't recommend hiscox small business liability insurance to anyone. Better not waste both your money and your time. Hiscox customer service is extremely unpleasant, not organized and not professional. It is the worst company we have dealt with in almost 25 years in business!
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Extremely fast and simple. Wasted a lot of time and money until I found these guys! I feel like my business is in good hands now.
10 / 10
Hiscox's the best! My business is insured with them for over 12 years and am not planning to switch!
10 / 10
Excellent experience with Hiscox BOP for my coffee shop. They provided all it needed.
10 / 10
My HI barbershop is well covered with their great BOP product for 5 years already! not planning to switch!
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
10 / 10
Great experience
6 / 10
Didn't relate to the concept much, but it makes sense if you need insurance to go
0 / 10
It doesn't really feel sustainable to me and doesn't offer business interruption, product liability and commercial property insurance. They have no local agents and despite their technology first approach you cannot file claims online. Additionally, product manufacturers are not covered by Thimble and they don't provide enterprise solutions.
10 / 10
As a contractor that works 3 times a week for a few hours, Thimble gets really handy for me and saves me money. I have no use for these massive business insurance coverages offered by traditional insurance companies.
10 / 10
Excellent concept which is useful to many small businesses!
10 / 10
Been waiting for this type of solution for a long time!
10 / 10
Love their business insurance solutions for freelancers! Great app!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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