Roofing contractors work in dangerous conditions daily. You need insurance that covers falls, equipment problems and weather damage. Here's what to get and how much.
What Insurance Do You Need For a Roofing Business?
Roofing businesses require workers' comp, general liability, commercial auto insurance and contractor license bonds for complete financial protection.
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Updated: November 14, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Workers' compensation is the most critical coverage for roofing contractors due to high fall risks and catastrophic injury potential. (Read More)
Roofing businesses must carry workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto insurance and contractor license bonds. (Read More)
Recommended optional coverage includes builder's risk, tools and equipment insurance and professional liability.
Maintain compliance by requesting COIs, filing bonds with licensing boards, adding clients as additional insureds and sending updated certificates when policies renew. (Read More)
What Insurance Types Are Needed For a Roofing Business?
Required by law in most states once you hire employees. Covers medical expenses and lost wages when crew members get injured from falls, heat exhaustion, nail gun accidents or back strains. | Minimum coverage amounts are set by each state based on payroll and your experience modification rate. | A roofer fell 22 feet from a steep pitch, suffering three fractured vertebrae, a broken wrist and a concussion. Workers' compensation covered $127,000 in medical bills, $38,000 in lost wages and ongoing rehabilitation costs. | |
Covers third-party claims for bodily injury and property damage from roofing operations like falling shingles, ladder damage or debris injuries. | Most roofing contractors need $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate. Larger commercial operations require higher limits. | Falling shingles during tear-off shattered a skylight and damaged solar panels, then overnight rain flooded the home office. General liability covered $31,500 in property damage plus $8,000 in legal defense costs. | |
Required by law in 49 states for business-owned vehicles. Covers vehicle repairs, liability for injuries you cause and equipment damage during transit. | A $1 million combined single limit with comprehensive and collision coverage protects most roofing companies. | A roofing truck rear-ended an SUV, causing a chain reaction with $42,000 in medical bills, $28,000 in vehicle damage and $6,500 in destroyed materials. Commercial auto covered the entire $96,700 with a $1,000 deductible. | |
Builder's Risk Insurance | Covers materials and work in progress when weather damages partially completed roofs or materials get stolen from job sites. Commercial property owners often require this coverage. | Policy amounts should match project values, ranging from $50,000 for residential work to $500,000 for commercial projects. | A thunderstorm hit after tear-off and underlayment installation, causing rain to pour into the home for six hours. Builder's risk covered $54,000 in water damage to flooring, drywall, cabinetry and furniture plus $4,800 for emergency tarping. |
Inland marine coverage protects nail guns, compressors, generators and safety gear on job sites, in your truck or during transport from theft or damage. | Most roofing businesses need $25,000 to $50,000 in coverage, depending on equipment inventory value. | Thieves stole $9,100 in equipment from a work truck overnight, preventing the crew from starting the next job. Equipment insurance reimbursed the full amount within 48 hours and covered $2,500 in business interruption losses. | |
Protects roofing contractors when clients claim inadequate workmanship, improper material selection or building code violations caused financial losses. | A minimum of $1 million per claim and $2 million aggregate satisfies most contract requirements for residential and light commercial work. | A homeowner claimed their new roof leaked within eight months due to incorrect flashing installation around the chimney. Professional liability covered $29,600 in repairs and alternative housing costs plus $11,000 for legal defense. | |
Roofing Business Insurance Requirements
Roofing contractors must meet specific insurance requirements mandated by state law and commercial contracts. Requirements vary by state, project type and client, so verify your specific obligations with your state licensing board and review each contract carefully before starting work.
Workers' Compensation Insurance | Required by law in most states once you hire your first employee. Penalties for non-compliance include fines up to $10,000 per employee, criminal charges, business license suspension and personal liability for all injury costs. Roofing ranks among the most dangerous construction trades, making this coverage non-negotiable. | Minimum coverage amounts are set by each state. Premiums are calculated based on payroll and your experience modification rate, typically ranging from 9% to 15% of total payroll for roofing operations. |
General Liability Insurance | Commercial property owners, general contractors and construction managers require proof of coverage before allowing roofing work. Municipalities often mandate general liability for business licensing and building permits. This requirement exists because property damage and third-party injury claims are common in roofing work. | The industry standard is $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Commercial clients and general contractors typically require $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate for larger projects. |
Commercial Auto Insurance | Required by law in 49 states for business-owned vehicles. Personal auto policies explicitly exclude commercial use, leaving you personally liable for all accident costs without proper coverage. State departments of motor vehicles enforce these requirements through registration and inspection processes. | State minimums vary from 25/50/10 to 50/100/50 split limits for liability. Most commercial contracts require $1 million combined single limit to adequately protect against accident claims and satisfy contractual obligations. |
Contractor License Bonds | Required in many states to obtain or maintain a roofing contractor license. States like California, Florida, Illinois and Minnesota mandate bonds before issuing licenses. These bonds protect consumers from contractor fraud, abandoned work and building code violations. | Bond amounts range from $5,000 to $25,000 for most states. California requires $25,000, Florida requires $10,000 to $20,000 depending on license type, Illinois requires $10,000 to $25,000 based on scope of work. |
Builder's Risk Insurance | Commercial property owners and general contractors require builder's risk for projects exceeding $50,000. This protects all parties when weather damages work in progress or theft occurs on job sites. Required before starting work on most commercial roofing projects. | Coverage must match total project value. Residential projects typically require $50,000 to $100,000 coverage. Commercial projects require $100,000 to $1 million or more based on building replacement cost. |
How To Ensure Roofing Business Insurance Requirements Are Met
Maintaining insurance compliance protects your roofing business from contract disputes, licensing problems and legal penalties. Follow these steps to prove coverage and keep your policies current.
- 1Request Certificates of Insurance (COI) from your insurer
Contact your insurance provider immediately after purchasing policies to request Certificates of Insurance. Most insurers deliver COIs within minutes via email or online portal. Roofing contractors need separate certificates for workers' compensation, general liability and commercial auto since property managers verify each coverage type independently before approving commercial re-roofing projects.
- 2File contractor bonds with your state licensing board
Submit your contractor license bond to your state's licensing authority within 90 days of the bond's effective date. California requires a $25,000 bond filed through the CSLB portal, while Florida requires $10,000 to $20,000 based on your Division I or Division II license. Your roofing license gets suspended if your bond lapses, preventing you from legally bidding on or completing work until you file a new bond and pay reinstatement fees.
- 3Add clients as additional insureds when required
Review each commercial roofing contract before starting tear-off work to identify additional insured requirements. Contact your insurance agent to add property managers or construction managers to your general liability policy, which costs $25 to $75 per entity and processes within 24 to 48 hours. Request the updated COI with exact wording like "XYZ Property Management as Additional Insured per written contract" because project managers won't grant roof access without proper documentation.
- 4Submit proof of insurance to required parties
Email your COIs to commercial property owners at least 72 hours before scheduled roof tear-off dates. Submit certificates to your state licensing board when renewing your roofing license annually, to landlords before signing warehouse leases and to building departments when pulling permits for projects over $10,000. Roofing subcontractors working under general contractors must upload COIs to project management systems like Procore or Buildertrend before the superintendent approves site access.
- 5Set up renewal reminders and update all parties
Create calendar alerts 60 days before your workers' compensation, general liability and bond policies expire. A lapsed workers' comp policy during a fall injury claim leaves you personally liable for medical bills and lost wages. Send updated COIs to every property manager, general contractor and construction company you've worked with in the past 12 months whenever policies renew. Schedule policy reviews in February or March, before spring storm season increases your project volume and makes coverage gaps more likely to halt re-roofing jobs.
Get Business Insurance You Need For Your Roofing Business
Use our tool below to get matched with roofing business insurers. Compare quotes from multiple providers and verify they understand roofing risks like falls, weather damage and equipment theft. Research coverage limits, claims handling and contractor-specific experience before choosing your insurer.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.