Roofing Insurance Glossary

General liability insurance is the foundational coverage for roofing contractors, protecting against third-party bodily injury and property damage claims on and off the jobsite.

Workers compensation insurance covers medical costs and lost wages for injured roofing employees. Learn how class codes, EMR, and payroll affect your premium.

Commercial auto insurance covers roofing contractor vehicles, trailers, and equipment in transit. Learn about liability limits, hired auto, and fleet management.

Umbrella insurance adds liability coverage above your CGL, auto, and employers liability. Learn why roofers need it and how much commercial projects require.

Excess liability insurance adds follow-form limits above a specific policy. Learn how it differs from umbrella coverage and when roofers need layered programs.

Inland marine insurance covers roofing tools, equipment, and materials in transit or at jobsites. Learn about equipment floaters, scheduling, and theft prevention.

Builders risk insurance covers structures under construction against fire, wind, and theft. Learn when roofing contractors need it and who typically carries it.

Completed operations coverage protects roofing contractors against claims from finished work. Learn why GCs require it and how it differs from ongoing operations.

Products liability coverage protects roofers against claims from installed materials and fabricated components. Learn when it applies and how it works with your CGL.

Professional liability insurance covers roofing contractors who provide design-build, consulting, or inspection services against errors and omissions claims.

Additional insured status lets GCs and property owners access your liability coverage for claims arising from your roofing work. Learn about CG 20 10 and CG 20 37.

A waiver of subrogation prevents your insurer from recovering claim costs from a GC or owner. Learn why roofing contracts require it and how to add it to your policy.

Primary and noncontributory makes your CGL pay first without seeking contribution from the GC's policy. Learn why every commercial roofing contract requires it.

A per-project aggregate gives each roofing job its own liability limit instead of sharing one aggregate across all projects. Learn why GCs require it.

Blanket additional insured endorsements auto-extend coverage to any party required by contract. Learn how they simplify compliance for roofing contractors.

An action over endorsement covers third-party-over claims when an injured roofer sues the GC who then sues you back. Learn why it matters for roofing contractors.

Broad form property damage expands CGL coverage for damage to property in your care or to your completed work. Learn why roofers need it during tear-offs.

Contractual liability coverage insures the indemnification obligations roofers assume through construction contracts. Learn what is and is not covered.

Occurrence form policies cover roofing claims based on when the incident happened, not when filed. Learn why roofers prefer occurrence over claims-made coverage.

Claims-made policies only cover claims reported during the active policy period. Learn how they differ from occurrence forms and when roofing contractors encounter them.

A reservation of rights letter means your insurer may defend your claim but reserves the right to deny coverage. Learn what roofers should do when they receive one.

The duty to defend requires your insurer to pay for legal defense when a covered claim is filed. Learn how it protects roofing contractors and when it applies.

Indemnification clauses in roofing contracts require you to hold GCs harmless. Learn about limited, intermediate, and broad form indemnity and how your CGL responds.

Subrogation lets your insurer recover claim payments from responsible third parties. Learn how it works for roofing contractors and how waivers affect your rights.

A certificate of insurance proves your roofing coverage to GCs and property owners. Learn about ACORD 25 forms, what COIs show, and how to get them issued fast.

ACORD 25 is the standard certificate of liability insurance form. Learn what each section means and how roofing contractors should review them before submission.

ACORD 28 provides evidence of commercial property or builders risk insurance. Learn when roofing contractors need it and how it differs from the ACORD 25.

The named insured is the policyholder listed on your insurance declarations page. Learn why using the correct legal entity name matters for roofing contractors.

A certificate holder receives your COI as proof of insurance but gets no coverage rights. Learn how it differs from additional insured status for roofing contractors.

Insurance requirements in roofing contracts specify coverage types, limits, and endorsements you must carry. Learn how to review specs and price them into your bid.

Hold harmless agreements in roofing contracts shift liability from GCs to subcontractors. Learn about limited, intermediate, and broad form clauses and coverage gaps.

The experience modification rate adjusts your workers comp premium based on claims history. Learn how EMR is calculated and why GCs require an EMR below 1.0.

Premium audits verify your actual payroll and revenue against estimates used to set your premium. Learn how roofing contractors can prepare and avoid audit surprises.

Minimum premium is the lowest amount a carrier will charge regardless of your exposures. Learn how minimums affect new and small roofing contractors.

Deposit premium is your initial insurance payment based on estimated exposures. Learn how it works for roofing contractors and how to avoid audit surprises.

Earned premium is the portion of your insurance premium the carrier has earned by providing coverage. Learn how it affects mid-term cancellations and audits.

Loss ratio measures claims paid against premium collected. Learn how your loss ratio affects your roofing insurance renewal, pricing, and carrier availability.

The combined ratio shows whether carriers profit from roofing underwriting. Learn how it affects market cycles, rate changes, and coverage availability for roofers.

A self-insured retention requires you to pay losses from your own funds before coverage begins. Learn how SIRs differ from deductibles for roofing contractors.

NCCI class codes determine your workers comp rates based on job type. Learn about roofing codes 5551 and 5552 and how proper classification reduces premiums.

Payroll reporting determines your workers comp and GL premiums. Learn how to report by class code, exclude overtime, and avoid costly audit adjustments for roofers.

Subcontractor default insurance protects GCs when subs fail to perform. Learn how SDI prequalification affects roofing subcontractors and how to meet GC standards.

Wrap-up insurance consolidates all project coverage under one policy. Learn how OCIP and CCIP programs work for roofing subcontractors and how to avoid double premiums.

Owner-controlled insurance programs provide project-wide coverage for all contractors. Learn how OCIPs affect roofing subcontractor bids, premiums, and compliance.

Misclassifying roofers as independent contractors creates massive insurance and legal liability. Learn the IRS tests and how to structure compliant relationships.