Roofing contractors who specialize in metal installations pay different insurance rates than those focused on asphalt shingles. The differences are not always obvious, and they do not always favor the material you would expect. Metal roofing involves different risk profiles across general liability, workers compensation, and inland marine. Understanding these differences helps you price jobs accurately, select the right coverage, and avoid surprises at audit time.
Class Code Differences
At the class code level, NCCI does not differentiate between metal roofing and shingle roofing for workers compensation purposes. Both fall under class code 5551 (roofing - all kinds) in most states. This means your workers comp rate per $100 of payroll is the same whether your crew is installing standing seam metal panels or three-tab shingles.
There are exceptions. Some states have sub-classifications or allow experience-based credits that can reflect the specific type of roofing work. California, for example, uses different classification codes for certain types of roofing operations. In states that follow NCCI codes strictly, the rate is the same regardless of material type.
On the general liability side, classification codes can vary more significantly. ISO GL class codes look at the type of roofing work, and some carriers distinguish between steep-slope residential work and commercial flat or low-slope work. Metal roofing tends to span both categories: standing seam residential work is steep-slope, while metal panel systems on commercial buildings are often classified differently. Make sure your GL policy accurately reflects the type of work you do, because a misclassification can lead to either overpayment or coverage gaps.
The practical impact of classification on your premium depends more on your total payroll and revenue than on the specific material you install. But if you do both metal and shingle work, understanding how your carrier classifies each type can help you allocate payroll correctly at audit time and avoid unnecessary premium.
GL Exposure: Completed Operations Claims
This is where the material type starts to create meaningful insurance differences. Completed operations claims, which arise from work after it is finished and you have left the job site, have different profiles for metal versus shingle installations.
Asphalt shingle claims tend to involve:
- Leaks at flashing points, valleys, and penetrations
- Wind damage from improperly fastened shingles
- Premature deterioration from ventilation deficiencies
- Algae or moss growth related to installation on improperly prepared decking
Metal roofing claims tend to involve:
- Panel expansion and contraction causing fastener backout and leaks
- Galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metal contact
- Oil canning (visual distortion) leading to cosmetic damage claims
- Condensation issues from improper underlayment or vapor barrier installation
- Noise complaints, particularly on residential installations, though these rarely result in covered claims
The frequency of completed operations claims is generally lower for metal roofing because a properly installed metal roof has a longer service life and fewer failure modes than a shingle roof. However, the severity of metal roofing claims can be higher because the material cost is greater and repairs often require specialized labor. Replacing a single damaged metal panel on a standing seam roof can cost $2,000 to $5,000 including mobilization, while replacing a section of shingles might cost $500 to $1,500.
Some carriers recognize this lower frequency and offer better completed operations rates for metal roofing specialists. Others do not distinguish at all. If you specialize in metal and your carrier does not account for your lower claim frequency, it is worth shopping the market with a broker who can present your specialization to carriers that give credit for it.
Workers Comp Risk Profile
While the workers comp class code is the same, the actual risk profile of metal roofing work differs from shingle work in several ways that affect claim frequency and severity.
Material handling injuries are more common with metal roofing. Metal panels are long, heavy, and have sharp edges. A 16-foot standing seam panel can weigh 50 to 80 pounds and becomes a sail in any wind. Cuts from panel edges are one of the most frequent injury types for metal roofers. Shingle bundles are heavy (60 to 80 pounds each) and cause back injuries, but they do not present the laceration risk that metal does.
Fall hazards are present in both types of work but manifest differently. Metal roofing surfaces can be extremely slippery when wet or when covered in morning dew. The smooth surface of a metal panel provides less traction than the granular surface of an asphalt shingle. Fall injuries from metal roofing work tend to involve lower fall heights (because the worker slides off a 6/12 pitch roof rather than stepping through decking on a flat commercial roof) but higher frequency.
Tool-related injuries differ as well. Metal roofing requires specialized tools including metal shears, seamers, benders, and sometimes welding equipment for soldering copper or lead-coated copper. These tools create injury types that are uncommon in shingle work, including burns, eye injuries from metal filings, and hearing damage from extended use of metal cutting tools.
From a workers comp premium standpoint, a metal roofing company with a strong safety program that addresses these specific hazards, such as cut-resistant gloves, mandatory fall protection on any metal surface regardless of pitch, and hearing protection around cutting operations, can differentiate itself through a lower EMR over time. The key is demonstrating to the rating bureau that your actual loss experience is better than the class average, which requires maintaining clean years and managing claims aggressively when they do occur.
Material Value and Inland Marine
Metal roofing materials are significantly more expensive than asphalt shingles, which has a direct impact on your inland marine and builders risk needs.
A typical residential shingle job might involve $3,000 to $6,000 in materials. A comparable metal roofing job can run $12,000 to $30,000 or more in material costs depending on the metal type (painted steel, galvalume, zinc, copper). When these materials are sitting on a job site, in transit, or stored at your warehouse, they represent a much larger theft and damage exposure.
Your inland marine policy, sometimes called a contractors equipment and installation floater, needs to reflect the higher material values associated with metal roofing. Key coverage considerations include:
- Materials in transit. Metal panels being delivered from the manufacturer or distributor to the job site need coverage during transport. Long panels strapped to a trailer are vulnerable to road damage and wind.
- Materials at job site. Metal panels stored on-site before installation are attractive theft targets because they have significant scrap value. Make sure your policy covers materials at any job site, not just named locations.
- Installation floater coverage. Once materials are installed but before the project is complete and accepted by the owner, you need coverage for the installed value. A hailstorm that damages freshly installed copper roofing panels before project completion is a much larger loss than the same storm damaging installed shingles.
- Coil and sheet stock at your shop. If you operate a fabrication shop where you roll-form panels from coil stock, the raw material inventory can represent $50,000 to $200,000 or more at any given time. This needs to be scheduled on your inland marine policy with accurate values.
The premium for inland marine coverage on metal roofing operations is higher than for shingle operations simply because the insured values are higher. Rates per $100 of value are generally comparable, but the total premium reflects the greater exposure. Budget 1% to 3% of your total material values for inland marine coverage annually.
Understanding these cost differences across all lines of coverage allows you to price metal roofing jobs accurately. Too many contractors use the same overhead and markup percentages for metal work as they do for shingle work without accounting for the higher insurance costs. If your insurance is 8% of revenue on shingle jobs but 11% of revenue on metal jobs due to higher inland marine premiums and greater material exposure, your bidding should reflect that difference. Talk to a roofing insurance specialist who can break down your per-job insurance cost by material type.