Specialized Trades · Calculator, Comparison & Guide

Roofing Contractors Insurance: Calculator, Comparison Table & Guide

Roofing is the hardest trade to place. Model GL, WC, and auto with realistic roofing rates.

Prong 1 · Interactive Calculator

Roofing Contractor Budget Estimator

Roofing is the hardest trade to place. Model GL, WC, and auto with realistic roofing rates.

Results
LineEstimate
Effective GL rate on receipts —
General liability —
Workers' comp (5551 ≈ $18.50/$100)Texas 5551 rates run $14–$26 depending on carrier and mod. —
Sub-cost audit exposure —
Commercial auto —
Estimated annual package —
Insurance cost per $12K average job —

Illustrative math only. Rate ranges are planning bands, not quotes. Your policy wording, carrier appetite, loss history, and state decide the real number. This tool stores nothing and sends nothing.

Get the real number — Start Smart Intake

Prong 2 · Comparison Table

Roofing Market Comparison

Which market fits your roofing book.

CriterionAdmitted SpecialtyE&S Roofing ProgramRoofing-Only MGA
Residential storm-chase workDeclinedAccepted w/ surchargeAccepted
Hot work / torchDeclinedSublimitedUnderwritten
Height limitation3 storiesNegotiableNegotiable
Open roof / water intrusion exclusionCommonCommonBuy-back available
Minimum premium$7,500$10,000$5,000
Completed ops10-yr statPolicy term onlyPolicy term only
Best fitCommercial, low-slope, 5+ yrs cleanNew or storm-heavy booksSmall residential crews
Included
covered in base form
Excluded
not available
Optional
available by endorsement
Limited
sublimited or conditional

Prong 3 · Deep-Dive Guide

Roofing Contractor Insurance in Texas: The Straight Story

Why roofers pay 3–5× what a carpenter pays, which exclusions to fight, and how to keep the policy you finally get.

Why roofing is class-of-one

Falls, water intrusion, and fire from hot work drive severity. Carriers price for a $1M claim every few hundred roofs.

  • Workers' comp 5551 is among the highest-rated codes in Texas
  • GL rates run 2.5%–4% of receipts vs. 1% for most trades
  • Storm-chase surges after hail events trigger carrier moratoriums

Exclusions to negotiate

The base form often arrives with endorsements that remove the exact loss you're buying the policy for.

  • Open roof / water damage exclusion — request the buy-back
  • Hot work exclusion — disclose torch-down; don't let it surface at claim
  • Subcontractor exclusion — require matching limits from every crew
  • Roofing-over / recover exclusion on commercial low-slope

Keeping the policy

Carriers non-renew roofers for paperwork, not losses.

  • Audit-ready payroll and sub records
  • Fall protection program in writing
  • Written hot-work permit procedure
  • Certificate tracking for every crew lead

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 1099 crews without insurance?

Not safely. Uninsured 1099 crews are treated as your employees for GL and often for WC audit purposes. Require certificates or pay for them at audit.

Does homeowner's insurance cover my crew if someone falls?

No. The homeowner's liability coverage will deny or subrogate against you. Only your WC or occupational accident policy responds.

What limits do commercial property managers require?

$1M/$2M GL plus $1M–$5M umbrella, WC with waiver, and often a per-project aggregate endorsement.

Related: roofing contractor insurance Texas · roofer general liability · roofing workers comp

Turn the estimate into a quote

The Smart Intake takes about two minutes. A licensed advisor reviews your roofing contractors exposure against 30+ Texas and Florida markets. Nothing from the calculator above is stored or sent.

Start Smart Intake

Or call (281) 671-0069

All numeric rates are 2026 Texas/Florida planning bands compiled by the agency for illustration; they are not filed rates and must be reviewed by a licensed agent before publication. Coverage descriptions are summaries only and are subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the actual policy. Submitting a request does not bind coverage.