Insurance for residential roofers
Re-roofing an occupied home means an open roof over someone's belongings, a crew working at height and a homeowner who will call you first if it ever leaks. We build programs for residential roofers with carriers that cover that work.
Tear-off, re-roof, repair and new residential work.
The four residential losses we see most
Rain on an open roof
A tear-off is under way, weather moves in, and water reaches ceilings, floors and furniture. This is the most common large residential roofing claim, and the one most often restricted by policy wording.
Leaks after the job
A flashing or valley detail fails a year or two later and damages the interior. This is a completed operations claim, and it can arrive long after you have changed insurers.
A crew member falls
Steep-slope residential work produces serious fall injuries. If the injured worker belongs to a subcontract crew, the claim can come back to you as the hiring contractor.
Property damage on site
Debris through a skylight, a dump trailer on a driveway, damaged gutters, siding or landscaping, or a neighbor's car. Small individually, expensive in number.
Wording that matters in residential work
Residential roofing is where low-priced policies remove the most coverage. Before you compare price, compare these:
| Policy wording | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Open roof or water damage | Whether damage during the job is covered, and what temporary covering and end-of-day procedures the policy requires |
| Residential limitations | Whether single-family re-roofing is covered, and whether new homes, townhomes, condos and developments are excluded |
| Subcontractor conditions | What each sub must carry and sign for your coverage to apply |
| Prior work | Whether jobs completed before the policy started are covered |
| Deductible | The amount, and whether it applies per claim or per claimant |
Our page on roofing exclusions explains each of these in more detail.
Employees or subcontract crews
With your own employees
- Hours are reported to L&I in the roofing class
- You control training and fall protection
- Liability premium is rated on your payroll
- Stop gap coverage protects the business from suits
With subcontract crews
- Each sub needs its own registration, L&I account and liability policy
- You need certificates and a signed agreement before work starts
- Uninsured subs are charged to you at audit
- Your policy may exclude injuries to a sub's workers
Habits that keep residential roofers insurable
Check the forecast, tear off what you can dry in
Stage tear-off so no more roof is open than the crew can cover that day.
Photograph before, during and after
Existing damage, the deck, underlayment, flashing details and the finished roof. Photos resolve most disputes.
Use a written contract
Scope, materials, change orders and the customer disclosure Washington requires on residential jobs.
Keep job files for years
Leak claims arrive late. Keep contracts, photos and subcontractor certificates for every job.
Residential roofing insurance questions
Does my policy cover rain damage during a re-roof?
It depends on the wording. Some policies cover it, some exclude it, and many cover it only if you followed stated procedures for temporary covering. This is the first thing we check on a residential roofer's policy.
I only do repairs. Do I need the same coverage?
Repair-only contractors are often less expensive to insure, but the exposures are the same in kind: water damage, falls and leaks after the work. Make sure the policy is classified for the work you do.
Does my insurance cover my workmanship warranty?
Generally no. Liability insurance may pay for damage a leak causes to the home, but it does not pay to redo your own work. A warranty is your promise, not the insurer's.
Can a new residential roofing company get insured?
Yes. New ventures have fewer markets and higher starting prices, and the owner's prior roofing experience matters a great deal. See our page for hard-to-place roofers.
Insurance that fits residential roofing
Tell us the basics and a roofing specialist will follow up with options from carriers that cover residential work.
- Carriers that write re-roofing and tear-off
- Open-roof wording explained before you buy
- Same-day certificates for homeowners and GCs
Coverage descriptions are general summaries for education. They are not legal, tax or coverage advice, a statement of coverage, an offer or a binder. Coverage, limits, pricing and eligibility are governed by the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies issued and are subject to underwriting. Policy wording varies by carrier, so read your own policy or ask us to review it with you.