General Liability Insurance for Commercial Roofing Contractors
General liability insurance is the foundation of every commercial roofing contractor's insurance program. It covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims that arise from your operations, whether on the job site or at your office. Without it, a single slip-and-fall or property damage claim could bankrupt your company.
What It Covers
GL covers bodily injury to non-employees, property damage to third-party assets, personal and advertising injury, and medical payments regardless of fault. If a pedestrian is struck by debris falling from a commercial reroof, GL responds. If your crew damages an HVAC unit while tearing off an old membrane, GL pays for the replacement. It also covers legal defense costs even if the claim is frivolous.
What It Does Not Cover
General liability does not cover injuries to your own employees — that requires workers compensation. It excludes damage to your own work (completed operations is a separate coverage part), intentional acts, and pollution-related claims. Professional errors like incorrect roof specifications also fall outside standard GL.
Real Claim Examples
A tear-off crew drops a section of built-up roofing onto a parked delivery truck in the loading dock below, causing $18,000 in damage. A building tenant trips over unmarked roof access cables your team left in a hallway and breaks her wrist, resulting in a $45,000 medical claim. Wind lifts an unsecured tarp from your staging area and wraps around a neighboring building's exhaust system, requiring $12,000 in repairs.
How Much It Costs
Commercial roofing contractors typically pay between $8,000 and $25,000 annually for a $1M/$2M GL policy. Rates depend heavily on your annual revenue, claims history, and the types of roofing systems you install. Hot-work contractors and those working above three stories generally pay more than single-ply installers.
Why Work With Us for This Coverage
Roofing is one of the hardest trades to place for GL because carriers see the height exposure and claims frequency. We work with specialty markets that understand the difference between a TPO installer and a hot-tar applicator, which means better classifications, fewer audit surprises, and competitive premiums.
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