It's a Thursday. Your Crew Is 3 Squares From Done. A Gust Catches a Sheet of OSB — It Goes Over the Edge.

Two factors drive roofing insurance costs above every other trade. First, workers' comp: Class 5551 carries rates of $15–$40 per $100 of payroll — compared to $3–$8 for most other trades — because fall injuries are frequent, severe, and expensive. Second, GL severity: falling objects, completed operations (leaks causing interior damage), and torch-down fire incidents create high-dollar claims that push carrier loss ratios up. The honest answer is that roofing is dangerous work and the market prices it that way. Any quote that seems dramatically cheaper than the $8,000–$35,000 range for a typical small crew should be scrutinized — there are likely coverage gaps.

Yes — and not just because GCs require it. A fall injury that results in a serious spine injury can produce a verdict of $500,000–$2,000,000. A $1M GL policy runs out quickly. The umbrella covers the excess. A $1M roofing umbrella typically costs $1,500–$4,000/year. If you're working on any commercial property, property management jobs, or GC-directed residential projects, umbrella will be required before you can access the job. It's also one of the few coverages where the premium-to-protection ratio is genuinely exceptional.

The experience modification factor (Mod) is a multiplier applied to your workers' comp premium based on your claims history compared to the average for your industry. A Mod of 1.0 is average. A Mod of 0.85 means your premium is 15% lower than average — you've had fewer or smaller claims. A Mod of 1.25 means you're paying 25% more — claims have been above average. For roofing contractors with high base WC rates, the Mod creates dramatic dollar swings. A Mod improvement from 1.25 to 1.0 on a $30,000 WC policy saves $7,500/year. We help you understand what's driving your Mod and what you can do to improve it.

Not always. Some carriers exclude hot work (torch application) or place a sub-limit on fire liability from torch operations. Others require a hot work permit system and exclude claims where no permit was in use. If you do torch-down modified bitumen work, we specifically verify that your GL carrier covers this work type before binding — and that there are no hidden endorsements restricting it. This is exactly the type of carrier-specific review that online platforms can't do for you.

Subcontractor management is critical in roofing. If your sub causes a fall injury and doesn't have their own WC, those wages get added to your WC audit at Class 5551 rates — some of the most expensive possible. If they cause property damage without GL, the claim can flow to your policy. We help you build a certificate of insurance collection process that's simple to maintain. Every sub should provide a cert showing $1M GL and active WC before they start work on any job you're managing.

This falls under completed operations coverage — the part of your GL that covers claims arising after the job is finished. If the leak damages the homeowner's interior — drywall, flooring, furniture, insulation — that property damage claim can be covered. What completed operations does NOT cover: redoing your own roofing work. The homeowner gets compensated for the damage caused by the leak, but you're responsible for fixing the roof itself. The coverage pays for the resulting damage, not the workmanship rework.

For residential roofing in NJ you need: (1) a NJ Roofing Contractor License from the Division of Consumer Affairs — requires work experience documentation and exam; (2) HIC registration, separately from the roofer's license — requires $500K GL, workers' comp, and a compliance bond; and (3) workers' comp coverage under Class 5551, mandatory with one employee. For commercial work, $1M+ GL is the market standard. Individual municipalities may have additional permit and licensing requirements. We keep up with these requirements and make sure your coverage satisfies them before we bind.