Industry Guide
Commercial Insurance for Roofers
Roofing contractors face some of the highest workers' compensation rates and most restrictive GL underwriting guidelines of any trade — and for good reason. Falls from heights, catastrophic water damage from failed completed work, and a heavy reliance on seasonal and subcontracted labor create a risk profile that demands careful, accurate submissions. Agents who understand roofing insurance can become indispensable partners to a contractor segment that is chronically underserved by generalist producers.
Coverage roofers typically need
Commercial General LiabilityRoofing GL is among the most scrutinized in the construction industry. Covers bodily injury and property damage during operations — including damage to a client's property from dropped materials, tarping failures during a storm, or a worker falling through a skylight. Completed operations coverage is critical because roof leaks and water intrusion often manifest months after installation.
Workers' CompensationFalls are the leading cause of death in construction, and roofing has the highest rate of fatal falls of any trade. Workers' comp is mandatory in virtually every state and represents the single largest insurance cost for most roofing businesses. Class codes vary based on roof type — residential shingle (5551), commercial flat (5545), and tile/slate (5553) each carry different rates.
Commercial AutoRoofing contractors operate trucks and trailers to haul materials, ladders, and crew. Commercial auto covers owned fleet vehicles for liability and physical damage. Hired and non-owned auto should be added if subcontractors or employees use personal vehicles on the job.
Commercial UmbrellaGeneral contractors and commercial property owners frequently require roofing subcontractors to carry umbrella limits of $2M to $5M. Given the severity of potential fall-related injuries and large-scale water damage claims, umbrella coverage is a practical necessity — not just a contract requirement.
Inland Marine / Tools and EquipmentNail guns, compressors, screw guns, generators, and rooftop material carts are high-value tools that travel to job sites daily. Inland marine floaters protect these assets against theft from a vehicle or on-site loss — coverage that standard property policies do not extend off-premises.
Commercial PropertyCovers the roofing company's physical location — whether a shop, yard, or warehouse where materials and equipment are stored. Also covers office contents and material inventory against fire, theft, and weather.
Builders RiskWhen a roofing contractor is involved in larger commercial re-roofing projects or new construction, builders risk coverage protects materials and work-in-progress on the job site against fire, theft, vandalism, and weather events during the project period.
Surety BondsMany commercial clients and government contracts require roofing contractors to be bonded. A contractor license bond guarantees the contractor will comply with licensing requirements. A performance bond guarantees project completion. While not insurance, bonds are often collected alongside an insurance submission.
Risks unique to roofing contractors
Falls are the defining workers' compensation exposure for roofing businesses, and the numbers are stark. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) consistently identifies roofing as one of the three most dangerous construction occupations in the United States. A worker who falls from a two-story roof can sustain injuries that produce WC claims exceeding $500,000 — and catastrophic falls from commercial buildings can result in multi-million dollar losses. This is why roofing WC class codes carry some of the highest base rates in any classification system, and why experience modification matters enormously when marketing a roofing account.
Completed operations exposure is the other major underwriting concern. A roof that is improperly flashed, has membrane seams that fail, or lacks adequate slope for water drainage can cause extensive interior water damage that may not become visible for months. When the claim finally surfaces — often during the next heavy rain — the connection to the roofing contractor's work may be disputed, but the contractor is typically the first party sued. Carriers want to understand the contractor's quality control practices, whether they employ licensed foremen, and whether warranties are issued in writing.
Storm chasing and catastrophe response work presents unique underwriting challenges. Roofing contractors who follow hailstorms and hurricanes across state lines — working in markets they are not licensed in, using unfamiliar subcontractors, and handling insurance claim supplement disputes — represent substantially higher risk than residential roofers who work in a defined local market. Many standard carriers will not insure storm chasers, and those who do apply significant surcharges or restrictions.
Subcontractor dependency is endemic in the roofing industry. Labor shortages, seasonal demand peaks, and the economics of commercial roofing all push contractors toward using day laborers and subcontract crews — many of whom carry no insurance. If an uninsured subcontractor worker is injured on a roofing project, the primary contractor may face direct WC liability under statutory employer laws in many states. Carriers view this as a major underwriting concern and will ask detailed questions about subcontractor practices.
Material theft and vandalism at job sites is an ongoing problem for roofing contractors, particularly on commercial projects where large quantities of membrane, insulation board, fasteners, and TPO material may be staged on a roof overnight. Without inland marine coverage, these losses are typically uncovered — and material costs have increased substantially in recent years, making the dollar exposure larger than ever.
ACORD forms for roofing submissions
ACORD 125 — Commercial Insurance ApplicationThe primary submission document for every roofing account. Captures business structure, ownership, years in business, prior carrier history, and loss runs. Roofing accounts often require 5-year loss runs due to elevated claims frequency.
ACORD 126 — Commercial General Liability SectionRequired for all GL submissions. The operations description must clearly state the types of roofing performed (residential shingle, commercial flat, tile, metal, TPO/EPDM), the percentage of new construction vs. re-roofing, and subcontractor practices. This is the form underwriters scrutinize most closely on roofing accounts.
ACORD 127 — Business Auto SectionRequired for commercial auto submissions. Captures vehicle schedule including trucks, trailers, and specialty vehicles. Roofing contractors with large material trailers or equipment transporters need to ensure all scheduled units are accurately listed.
ACORD 130 — Workers Compensation ApplicationRequired for WC coverage. Roofing class codes (5551, 5545, 5553) carry some of the highest WC rates of any trade. Accurate payroll allocation by class code, officer election forms, and experience modification documentation are all required for a complete submission.
ACORD 140 — Property SectionRequired when quoting property coverage for the contractor's yard or shop, or when scheduling inland marine for tools and equipment. Include material inventory values, especially for contractors who stock shingles, insulation board, and membrane materials on-site.
Key underwriting questions for roofing accounts
→What is the annual gross revenue broken down by residential vs. commercial roofing?
→What types of roofing are performed — shingle, flat/TPO/EPDM, metal, tile, slate, modified bitumen?
→What percentage of work is new construction versus re-roofing or repair?
→Does the business perform any work on buildings above 3 stories?
→Any work involving roof-mounted solar panel installation or removal?
→What percentage of work is subcontracted to other roofers or laborers?
→Are certificates of insurance collected from all subcontractors before they work on-site?
→Number of full-time and part-time employees, including seasonal workers?
→What is total payroll broken down by roofing class code?
→Is the owner included or excluded from workers compensation coverage?
→How many vehicles are in the fleet, including trailers?
→Does the business operate in multiple states, or exclusively in one state?
→What fall protection program is in place? OSHA 10/30 compliance?
→Does the business hold a current state roofing contractor license?
→Any prior cancellations, non-renewals, or declinations of commercial insurance?
→Has the business had any workers comp or GL claims in the last 5 years?
→What is the experience modification rate (EMR) from the current WC carrier?
→What is the total replacement cost value of tools and equipment?
→Does the business carry any manufacturer-backed warranties on completed work?
→Any known incidents, complaints, or circumstances from completed projects that could produce a future claim?
Common submission mistakes for roofing accounts
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Misclassifying roofing work by type
Residential shingle roofing (5551), commercial flat roofing (5545), and tile/slate work (5553) all carry different WC rates. Consolidating payroll under a single code — particularly a cheaper one — leads to significant audit adjustments and can trigger carrier disputes about which class code applies to a loss.
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Not disclosing height of buildings or stories
Most standard GL carriers have restrictions or outright exclusions for roofing work above a certain building height (commonly 3 or 4 stories). Failing to disclose that the contractor works on multi-story commercial buildings can void coverage on the specific claims where it is most needed.
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Ignoring subcontractor certificate collection
Roofing contractors who use day labor or uncertified subs without collecting certificates expose themselves to having subcontracted payroll added to their WC and GL premium basis at audit. More importantly, if an uncertified laborer is injured, the primary contractor may face direct WC liability.
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Omitting completed operations limits or history
Roof leaks, water intrusion, and improper flashing failures frequently appear 12–36 months after project completion. If the roofing contractor has had prior completed operations claims and does not disclose them, the carrier can void coverage or apply a sublimit that leaves the contractor underinsured.
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Understating annual revenue
Roofing is a highly seasonal business and annual revenues can vary significantly year to year. Agents who estimate conservatively to reduce GL premium risk substantial audit surcharges, particularly in years when storm damage drives above-average roofing revenue.
How AgencyAssist helps with roofing submissions
Roofing submissions require precise information across multiple coverage lines — and the data roofing contractors need to provide is often complex and unfamiliar to them. AgencyAssist sends roofing business owners a clear intake questionnaire that collects revenue by work type, payroll by class code, subcontractor practices, vehicle schedules, and prior loss history. The completed ACORD 125, 126, 127, 130, and 140 are generated automatically, giving you a clean, complete package to send to specialty roofing carriers without multiple rounds of follow-up calls.
Complete roofing submissions in one workflow
One intake link. All required ACORD forms generated automatically.