Roofing Insurance
Roofing Contractor Insurance in Texas
Roofing is the highest-risk trade in Texas construction. Falls from heights, Texas heat, and heavy materials make it expensive and hard to place — a minority of carriers will even write roofing. Insurance for a Texas roofing contractor has to be written on a roofing class code, with completed-operations coverage for the leak and defect claims that surface after the roof is closed out, and workers' comp that responds to the highest fall-injury rate in the industry. This page explains what roofers need, the exclusions that sink claims, and what GCs require.
The Exposures That Define Roofing Work
Roofing combines the three worst construction exposures: heights, heat, and heavy materials. Falls from the roof are the most severe injury, Texas heat produces heat-illness claims throughout the long season, and completed-operations defect claims — leaks, membrane failures, flashing defects — surface months or years after the roof is finished. Texas storm and wind exposure also drives property claims. A generic contractor policy that excludes roofing by class code will not pay any of these claims.
General Liability for Roofers
Roofing GL is a specialty line. Standard limits start at $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate; commercial roofs often require $2M per occurrence. Carriers classify roofing by roof type — residential shingle, commercial flat, metal, tile — and by height and pitch, with steep-slope and torch-down work carrying surcharges or exclusions. Completed operations coverage is essential because leak and defect claims routinely surface in the second or third year after handover. Verify the policy does not exclude roofing operations, torch-down hot work, or the roof types you actually install.
Exclusions That Sink Roofing Claims
- Roofing operations exclusion — a generic contractor policy that excludes roofing will not pay any roofing claim
- Torch-down / hot-work exclusion — some carriers exclude torch-applied roofing entirely
- Height and pitch limitations — policies often cap coverage at a specific pitch or building height
- Subcontracted work exclusion — 1099 roofing crews may be excluded unless added as additional insureds
Workers' Comp for Roofing Crews
Roofing has the highest fall-injury rate of any construction trade, and Texas heat compounds the danger. Texas does not require workers' comp for private employers, but every commercial GC and production homebuilder requires a roofing sub to show a workers' comp certificate before mobilization, and a roofer without it is effectively limited to small cash residential jobs. One serious fall claim without coverage can generate a lawsuit with no damages cap and attach to the owner personally. Documented fall-protection and heat-illness programs reduce both injuries and the experience modifier.
TDI Windstorm and Coastal Work
In the first tier of Texas coastal counties, roofing work on insured property must often meet Texas Department of Insurance windstorm-resistance standards, with inspections by a TDI-appointed inspector. Roofers working the Gulf Coast must understand TWIA requirements and the inspection process, or the roof will not be certifiable and the property owner cannot obtain windstorm insurance. Coastal work may also require a carrier that writes coastal exposure.
What GCs Require from a Roofing Sub
- General Liability at $1M/$2M minimum (commercial: $2M/$2M)
- Additional Insured via CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 (completed operations for leak and defect claims)
- Waiver of subrogation and primary/non-contributory wording
- Roofing class code with no roofing, torch-down, or height/pitch exclusion that applies to the job
- Workers' comp with employer liability and waiver of subrogation
- Certificate delivered before the lift is loaded
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is roofing insurance so expensive and hard to get?
Roofing carries the highest fall-injury rate and some of the largest completed-operations claims in construction, so fewer carriers write it and rates are higher than other trades. Premium is driven by roof type, height, pitch, residential-vs-commercial mix, and Texas storm exposure. A policy written on the correct roofing class code, with sub COIs removing uninsured-crew exposure, is the most effective way to control cost.
Why does a roofer need CG 20 37 and not just CG 20 10?
A roof leak discovered after you leave the site is a completed-operations claim. CG 20 10 covers your ongoing operations only; CG 20 37 extends additional-insured status to completed operations. Many Texas GCs now require both because roof-defect claims surface months after completion, and a COI showing only a generic "Additional Insured" is increasingly rejected.
Does a sole-proprietor roofer need workers' comp?
Texas does not require it, but commercial GCs and production homebuilders almost always require a workers' comp certificate before a roofing sub mobilizes. A sole proprietor can often exclude themselves, but an excluded owner who falls off a roof has no wage-loss or medical coverage for their own fall — a self-inflicted event that can end the business.
What does a Texas roofer need for coastal windstorm work?
In the first tier of coastal counties, roofing work must often meet Texas Department of Insurance windstorm-resistance standards and be inspected by a TDI-appointed inspector. Roofers working the Gulf Coast need a carrier that writes coastal exposure and an understanding of TWIA requirements, or the roof cannot be certified for windstorm insurance.
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