The exclusions that leave roofers uncovered
Roofing liability policies are rarely standard. Many are built to a price by removing coverage for the work roofers do most. These are the exclusions and conditions we check on every roofing policy we review.
Send us your policy and we will tell you plainly what it does not cover.
A certificate is not coverage
A certificate of insurance shows that a policy exists and what its limits are. It does not list what the policy excludes. Roofers often learn about an exclusion only after a claim is denied, when the general contractor or property owner looks to them personally for the loss.
Exclusions and conditions are added by endorsement, and they differ from one carrier to the next. The ones below are the most common in the roofing class. Whether any of them is on your policy, and exactly how it reads, can only be answered by reading the policy itself.
Six to look for first
Open roof and rain damage
Excludes or limits water damage that happens while the roof is open. Some versions cover it only if you used a specified temporary covering and left no roof open when the crew went home.
Torch-down and heat application
Excludes fire and other damage from open-flame or hot-process work, or covers it only if written conditions are met: a fire watch after the work stops, extinguishers on the roof, and sometimes a log.
Residential, condo and tract work
Removes coverage for new residential construction, condominiums, townhomes or housing developments, sometimes above a set number of units. Re-roofing an existing home may or may not fall inside it.
Height and story limits
Excludes work above a stated number of stories or feet. One job on a taller building can fall outside the policy entirely, including the completed work afterward.
Subcontractor conditions
Requires every subcontractor to carry set limits, name you as additional insured and sign a hold-harmless agreement. If one item is missing, the claim may be denied or the deductible sharply increased.
Classification limitation
Limits coverage to the operations listed on the policy. If your policy is classified for residential roofing and the claim comes from siding, gutters, solar mounting or commercial work, it may not respond.
Less obvious, just as costly
| Exclusion or condition | What it usually does | Why roofers get caught |
|---|---|---|
| Injury to employees of contractors | Removes coverage when a subcontractor's worker is hurt and sues up the chain | Falls are the most serious roofing claims, and crews are often subcontracted |
| Prior work or prior completed operations | Excludes jobs finished before the policy began | Leaks appear years later, after you have changed carriers |
| Continuous or progressive damage | Excludes damage that started before the policy period | Slow leaks are hard to date |
| Fungi and mold | Excludes mold claims that follow water intrusion | Mold is a common part of a roof leak claim |
| Designated work or designated project | Excludes named job types or specific projects | Often added at renewal without much notice |
| Your own work | Liability policies do not pay to redo faulty workmanship itself | The policy may pay for the damage the leak caused, but not the re-roof |
Conditions work like exclusions. Many roofing policies do not exclude an exposure outright. They cover it only if you followed stated procedures. If you cannot show that you did, the result is the same as an exclusion. Keep the photos, logs and signed subcontract agreements that prove compliance.
How to check your own policy
Get the full policy
Ask for the complete policy with all forms and endorsements, not the quote or the certificate. The forms schedule lists every endorsement attached.
Read the endorsement titles
Look for the words exclusion, limitation, condition and warranty. Mark any that mention roofing, heat, water, residential, height or subcontractors.
Compare it to your work
Hold each one against the jobs you did last year and the ones you plan to bid. One excluded job type is enough to matter.
Ask before the next job
If something you do is excluded, it can often be bought back or placed with a carrier that covers it. That has to happen before the loss.
Roofing exclusion questions
Can exclusions be removed?
Often, yes. Some can be removed or softened for additional premium, and others require moving to a carrier with a broader form. It depends on your operations and loss history, which is why we market roofing accounts to several specialty carriers.
My general contractor accepted my certificate. Am I covered?
Not necessarily. The certificate shows limits and that a policy is in force. It does not show exclusions, and accepting it does not change what the policy covers. Many contracts require coverage that the policy behind the certificate does not provide.
Does my policy cover a leak after the job is done?
That is completed operations coverage. Check that it is included, how long it applies, and whether a prior work exclusion removes jobs finished under an earlier policy. Liability coverage generally pays for resulting damage, not for redoing the roof.
Will you review a policy you did not write?
Yes. Send us the policy and we will tell you what we find, whether or not you move it to us.
Find out what your policy leaves out
Send the form and we will ask for a copy of your policy. A roofing specialist reads it and tells you what is excluded, in plain terms.
- We read the endorsements, not just the limits
- No cost and no obligation
- Options from carriers with broader roofing forms
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.