Professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions (E&O) coverage, protects roofing contractors against claims alleging negligent professional services, design errors, or faulty specifications. While traditional roofing work is considered a trade rather than a profession, the line blurs when a roofing contractor provides design-build services, specifies roofing systems, conducts roof inspections, or offers consulting on waterproofing solutions.
Your commercial general liability policy excludes claims arising from professional services. If you specify a TPO membrane system for a commercial building and it fails because the wrong thickness was specified for the wind uplift zone, your CGL will not cover the resulting claim because the error was in your professional recommendation, not in the physical installation. Professional liability would respond to that type of claim.
Not every roofing contractor needs professional liability, but those who do often do not realize it until a claim is denied under their CGL. You likely need E&O coverage if you perform roof consulting or inspections for a fee, provide design-build services where you select and specify systems, prepare shop drawings or submittals that serve as design documents, or offer warranty inspection services for manufacturers. Some manufacturer certification programs require professional liability as a condition of authorization. Review your scope of services with your broker to determine whether your operations cross the line from trade work into professional services.