Workers' comp for Washington roofers, explained
Roofing is one of the most expensive classes L&I rates, and the rules for hours, subcontractors and owners are where most of the avoidable cost sits. This is how the system works and what you can do about your rate.
We read your L&I rate notice with you and check the coverage L&I does not provide.
L&I, not a private insurer
Washington is one of a few states where most employers buy workers' compensation from a state fund. You do not shop it among carriers. You open an account with L&I, report hours each quarter, and pay a rate for each hour worked in each risk class.
The roofing class
Roofing is reported in L&I classification 0507, roofwork construction and repair. It applies to installing or repairing roofing on new and existing buildings.
Per hour, not per payroll dollar
Premium is hours multiplied by the class rate. A raise does not change your premium. Overtime hours, rework and slow jobs do.
Workers pay a share
Part of the premium is withheld from employees' pay. The employer pays the larger share.
Your own record adjusts it
L&I applies an experience factor based on your past claims. See how the experience factor works.
Four places roofers overpay
Hours in the wrong class
Work that supports the roofing job, such as ground cleanup of roofing debris or setting up scaffolding, is reported in the roofing class. Office and outside sales staff can be reported in lower-rated classes when they meet L&I's conditions. Good time records are what make the split defensible.
Subcontractors without coverage
If a subcontractor does not pay premiums on its own workers, L&I can hold you responsible for them. Verify each sub's registration and L&I account before the job and keep the record.
Open claims
A claim that stays open with wage-replacement payments raises your experience factor for years. Light-duty work that brings an injured roofer back sooner is the most effective cost control you have.
Misclassified workers
Paying a worker on a 1099 does not by itself make them an independent contractor. L&I applies its own tests and can assess back premiums, interest and penalties.
What L&I covers and what it does not
L&I state fund covers
- Medical care for work injuries and illnesses
- Wage replacement while a worker cannot work
- Permanent disability and survivor benefits
- Vocational help returning to work
You need separate coverage for
- Employers liability, added as stop gap on your liability policy
- Employees working in other states
- Owners who have not elected L&I coverage
- Injuries to the public and damage to property, which is general liability
Are you covered yourself?
Sole proprietors, partners and many corporate officers and LLC members are not automatically covered by L&I. Coverage for owners is generally optional and has to be elected. Many roofing owners who work on the roof every day have no workers' comp on themselves and do not know it.
If you are not covered, a fall leaves you relying on health insurance, which does not replace income. Ask us to check your account status, and consider disability coverage if you choose not to elect L&I coverage.
What brings a roofer's cost down
A written fall protection plan
Falls drive roofing claim costs. A written plan for each job, with training records, prevents the claims that matter most. See our roofing safety guide.
Report every injury at once
Early reporting and early medical care shorten claims. Late-reported claims cost more and are harder to manage.
Light duty, in writing
Offer transitional work as soon as the doctor allows. Washington's Stay at Work program reimburses employers for part of the wages paid.
Consider a Retro group
Trade association retrospective rating groups can return part of your premium when the group's claims run better than expected.
Roofing workers' comp questions
Can I buy workers' comp from a private insurer in Washington?
Not for your Washington employees, unless you qualify to self-insure, which is limited to large employers. Private workers' comp policies are used for employees who work in other states.
Are rates going up?
L&I sets rates each year. See our article on the Washington workers' comp rates for 2027 for the current proposal and what it means for your account.
What is stop gap coverage?
It is employers liability coverage, which protects the business if an injured employee or a third party sues over a workplace injury. L&I does not include it, so Washington employers usually add it by endorsement to their general liability policy.
My sub has its own L&I account. Am I protected?
It helps, but check that the account is active and in good standing when the job starts, and that the sub is a registered contractor. Keep proof in the job file.
Have your L&I account reviewed
Send the form and we will ask for your latest rate notice. We check classes, experience factor, owner coverage and stop gap.
- A plain-language read of your rate notice
- Stop gap and out-of-state coverage checked
- Safety and return-to-work help at no cost
This page is a general summary for education and is not legal advice. Washington registration, bond, insurance and workers' compensation requirements change. Confirm current requirements with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries before you rely on them. Coverage is governed by the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies issued and is subject to underwriting.