Commercial Umbrella Insurance for Commercial Roofing Contractors
Commercial umbrella insurance provides additional liability limits above your general liability, commercial auto, and employer's liability policies. Commercial roofing contractors face catastrophic exposure — a single fatality or multi-story property damage event can easily exceed a $1M or $2M primary policy. Most GCs and building owners require $5M to $10M in umbrella limits before awarding contracts.
What It Covers
Umbrella coverage kicks in when a claim exhausts the limits of your underlying GL, auto, or employer's liability policies. If a worker falls from a 6-story office building and the family sues for $3.5M, and your GL only has $1M per occurrence, the umbrella pays the remaining $2.5M. It follows the same coverage terms as the underlying policies and provides the higher limits that large commercial projects demand.
What It Does Not Cover
Umbrella policies do not cover claims excluded by the underlying policies — if your GL excludes pollution, the umbrella won't cover a pollution claim either. They do not apply to professional liability, cyber claims, or workers comp benefits (only employer's liability). Punitive damages may be excluded depending on jurisdiction.
Real Claim Examples
A catastrophic roof collapse during installation kills one worker and injures three others, generating $4.2M in claims that exceed the $1M employer's liability limit. A fire started by a torch-down crew spreads to adjacent tenant spaces in a strip mall, causing $2.8M in property damage beyond the $1M GL per-occurrence limit. A roofing truck runs a red light and causes a multi-vehicle accident with $1.6M in injury claims, exceeding the $1M auto liability limit.
How Much It Costs
Umbrella premiums for commercial roofers range from $5,000 to $15,000 per million of coverage depending on your revenue, underlying limits, and claims history. A $5M umbrella for a mid-size commercial roofing company typically costs $15,000 to $45,000 annually. Carriers price roofing umbrellas higher than most trades due to the severity exposure.
Why Work With Us for This Coverage
Umbrella capacity for roofing is limited — many carriers cap at $5M or decline the class entirely. We maintain relationships with excess markets that specialize in construction risks and can build towers up to $25M for the largest commercial roofing operations.
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