The Best Roofer Insurance for Professionals

Your goal as a roofing company is to consistently deliver the best possible service. Having a solid, skilled team and the right tools in your arsenal give you a competitive advantage. But even with all of that and great risk management, accidents happen.

Even the most experienced teams aren’t immune to the occasional calamity. It’s important to remember that we’re only human—anyone can have a bad day or be off their game. Thinking about the worst-case scenarios isn’t fun, but it’s a necessary evil all business owners must face. As a roofing business, it’s critical to have good insurance coverage backing your business, employees, and clients.

Why it’s important to have good insurance.

Think about a time you or someone you know has experienced an automobile collision—even when there are minor injuries, dealing with insurance companies is stressful. There are deductibles to pay, coverage terms to revisit, and a degree of the trauma from the situation.

For businesses, mishaps resulting in injury or damage to property can feel frightening, even when you’re pretty sure your policy will protect you. When these events occur, the relationship with your roofing insurance company suddenly becomes incredibly relevant. The problem is, this is a dynamic many don’t fully understand until the worst happens.

Finding the ideal insurance for roofers can make the difference between a stressful situation and a disastrous one. You’ll need to hit upon the correct coverage for your needs at the right price, as well as ensuring your provider will communicate well when necessary. It’s more than just the best price tag. You’re better off paying a little more for a good relationship than finding out your insurer won’t back you in a time of need!

Insurance basics: what is covered and what isn’t.

There is a common misconception that most homeowner policies cover damages from accidents during contract work, be it harm to the home or an injury. This is a line often spun by bad contractors who aren’t properly registered, bonded, or insured. It’s your responsibility as a business to have a policy that covers anything that might happen.

Most policies from reputable providers cover three basic kinds of commercial general liability incidents. These include most property damages on a job site, personal injury to either a worker or some other party (customer, passerby, etc.), and compensation due to faulty installations. The insurer will pay out for valid claims you don’t contest, usually after an investigation is conducted and sufficient evidence produced. In cases where allegations are made, but you feel you’re not responsible, the insurer will cover the legal fees required to defend you in court.

Understanding the industry terms for different plans offered by a provider is key to knowing how irregular or complex mishaps are handled. For example, basic general liability insurance policies might not cover an incident where you cause landscaping damage from carelessly disposing of old roofing materials. If your business operates outside the scope of roofing—perhaps offering new home construction too—you need to make you’re covered for all of it. A company vehicle (or entire commercial fleet) needs to be included in the coverage too, either as part of your policy or through a secondary insurance agency.

Select the best insurer to back your roofing business

Plenty of good companies offer great plans for roofing insurance. Before selecting a provider, take time to consider some factors outside coverage terms. For example, is there a local insurer in your area that comes highly recommended? If so, this is often one of the best places to start your search. An individual who knows the area well, such as architectural details in specific neighbors, can offer a better experience for your business. They might also be able to put together a policy that’s designed to protect your business specifically. Plus, a local person is inherently more accessible!

Good providers both back you up and help put out metaphorical fires in times of need. If you can’t find a great local option, consider some of the following insurance providers.

Progressive

You’re probably familiar with Progressive as their unique spokeswoman, Flo, is arguably a pop culture icon. Their modernized services are designed to cover just about everything that can be insured—this includes general liability as well as commercial auto. Their online dashboard makes it easy to view policy terms, make payments, or start claims. Their customer service team can be easily reached by phone 24/7.

State Farm

State Farm lacks a recognizable mascot, but they’ve been providing coverage since 1922. They can create plans around your business’s specific needs, and augment plans with additional coverages as needed. State Farm also offers several bonding services, eliminating the need to purchase bonds through another agency.

The Hartford

Like State Farm, The Hartford has been in business for years, offering insurance services since 1810. The company is highly transparent about customer satisfaction as well as what each portion of their service does and doesn’t cover. Aside from general liability and other business-oriented coverages, they offer a risk assessment program that can teach business owners how to avoid problems that could result in a claim. They also incentivize the implementation of safety equipment and recognize adherence to OSHA regulations with discounts.

Liberty Mutual

Though they’re a national brand, Liberty Mutual has well-staffed office locations dispersed throughout the US. In addition to general liability, they offer comprehensive plans that protect business elements outside the scope of standard policies. For example, the umbrella plan is helpful to cover expanding businesses as it helps cover losses that might occur in the early stages of rapid growth. If you’re expecting to vastly expand your operation, this can help protect investments and expand coverage based on the requirements of new territories.

Farmers Insurance

Not to be confused with State Farm, this provider also boasts substantial experience, having been in business since 1928. They offer packages for general liability and other types of coverage, just like the other businesses we’ve mentioned. Farmers also stress the angle of cyber liability, which comes into play if a data breach were to harm you or your customers. Cyber liability is important to consider as no industry is immune to digital scams.

Finding the best insurance provider to cover your business protects your investments, reputation, and people. Even though we hate to think of the worst-case scenarios, it’s important to prepare for the worst. When looking at providers, make sure you speak with a rep who can assure you’re covered from all angles at a great price.

Grow your (insured) roofing business with Roofr!

Roofr can help you grow your business by matching you with qualified job leads, freeing you up to focus on finding the right insurance.

Roofr can help you grow your business by giving you all the business management tools you need in one single software. Explore our CRM, Instant Estimator, digital Proposals, and satellite measurements today. Or, book a demo with our team to see them in action!