Excess Liability Insurance for Residential Roofing Contractors
Excess liability insurance provides additional limits above your primary liability policies, similar to an umbrella but following the same terms and conditions as the underlying coverage rather than broadening them. For residential roofers working on high-value homes or carrying large contracts, excess liability ensures a catastrophic claim does not exceed your total available coverage.
What It Covers
Excess liability pays claims that exceed the limits of your underlying general liability, auto liability, or employers liability policies. It follows the same coverage terms as the primary policy beneath it. If your $1M general liability is exhausted by a catastrophic claim, the excess policy pays the remaining judgment up to its own limit. Coverage limits typically range from $1M to $25M depending on your risk exposure and contract requirements.
What It Does Not Cover
Excess liability does not broaden coverage beyond what your primary policies provide. If a claim type is excluded on your underlying GL policy, the excess policy will not cover it either. It does not cover workers compensation benefits, professional liability, pollution, or intentional acts. Unlike umbrella policies, excess liability does not drop down to cover gaps between underlying policies.
Real Claim Examples
A roofer causes a fire that destroys a $3.5M custom home, and the resulting claim exceeds the $2M general liability aggregate. A multi-vehicle accident involving a roofing truck results in $2.1M in injuries across three vehicles, exceeding the $1M auto liability limit. A fall from a roof results in paralysis and a $4M employers liability claim against the contractor.
How Much It Costs
Excess liability for residential roofers costs between $3,000 and $10,000 per year for a $1M layer above primary limits. Contractors working on homes valued over $1M or carrying contracts requiring $5M in total limits should budget $8,000 to $20,000 annually. Pricing depends on underlying limits, claims history, and annual revenue.
Why Work With Us for This Coverage
Excess liability markets for roofing contractors are extremely limited. General agencies often cannot find capacity above $2M for roofers. We access specialty surplus lines carriers and layered programs that provide the higher limits general contractors and homebuilders increasingly require from their roofing subs.
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