The short answer
Most roofing contractors need general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto insurance, plus a license bond in states that license roofers. General contractors and property owners usually add more: an umbrella, additional insured endorsements, a waiver of subrogation, and proof of completed operations coverage.
Requirements come from three places, and you have to satisfy all three:
- Your state sets the floor to get licensed or registered.
- Your contract sets the limits and endorsements a GC or owner demands.
- Your certificate of insurance (COI) has to prove both, or you do not get on the roof.
State requirements for roofing contractors
Every state handles roofers differently. Some license roofing as its own trade, some fold it into general contracting, and a few have no state license at all. Here is how five major roofing markets compare:
| State | Who regulates | Insurance and bond requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Registrar of Contractors (ROC) | License bond sized by classification and annual volume. Residential contractors also pay into the Residential Recovery Fund or post a separate bond. Workers’ comp required once you have employees. |
| California | Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | C-39 roofers must carry workers’ comp even with no employees. License bond required. |
| Washington | Labor & Industries (L&I) | General liability of at least $250,000 combined single limit, with L&I listed as certificate holder. Continuous surety bond required. Workers’ comp runs through the state fund. |
| Florida | DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board | Proof of liability and property damage insurance to hold a license. Workers’ comp required for construction businesses with even one employee, unless an exemption is filed. |
| Texas | No statewide roofing license | No state insurance mandate for licensing, but cities, GCs, and owners require coverage. Workers’ comp is optional for most private employers. |
State minimums are a floor, not a target. A $250,000 policy can keep a Washington registration active and still be far below what a commercial GC requires. Check your state agency and your city before you bid.
What general contractors and owners require in roofing contracts
The insurance section of a subcontract decides whether you start on Monday. Most commercial GCs and property managers ask roofers for the same core items:
| Requirement | What it means | Common form |
|---|---|---|
| General liability limits | Usually $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate; larger projects ask for more | CGL policy |
| Additional insured, ongoing operations | Extends your GL to protect the GC and owner while you work | ISO CG 20 10 |
| Additional insured, completed operations | Keeps that protection in place after the job closes, often for years | ISO CG 20 37 |
| Primary and noncontributory | Your policy pays first, without tapping the GC’s insurance | Endorsement wording |
| Waiver of subrogation | Your insurer agrees not to sue the GC or owner to recover a claim | ISO CG 24 04 (GL); separate WC endorsement |
| Per-project aggregate | Gives each job its own aggregate limit | ISO CG 25 03 |
| Umbrella or excess | Adds limits above GL, auto, and employer’s liability | Follow-form umbrella |
| Workers’ comp and employer’s liability | Statutory WC plus employer’s liability limits, often $1M | WC policy |
| Commercial auto | Covers trucks, trailers, and crew vehicles | Business auto policy |
| Notice of cancellation | You or your carrier must notify the GC if coverage ends | Endorsement or contract term |
Read the contract before you sign it, not after. If the requirements are not on your policy today, most can be added by endorsement, but that takes time. Send the insurance exhibit to your agent the day you receive it.
Certificates of insurance: what a compliant roofing COI shows
A certificate of insurance, usually an ACORD 25, is a one-page summary of your coverage. It proves coverage exists, but it does not change your policy. If an endorsement is not actually on the policy, writing it on the COI does not create it.
A COI that passes a GC’s review shows:
- Your exact legal business name, matching your license and contract.
- Current policy dates for every required line, with no lapse during the project.
- Limits that meet the contract, including umbrella limits when you rely on them.
- The certificate holder listed exactly as the contract specifies.
- Additional insured, waiver of subrogation, and primary and noncontributory checked or described, with endorsement form numbers when the GC asks for them.
- The project name or address in the description box when required.
The most common reasons roofing COIs get rejected:
- Additional insured is missing or covers ongoing operations only.
- The named insured does not match the contracting entity.
- A policy expires before the project ends.
- Limits fall short and no umbrella is shown.
- The policy excludes roofing work above a certain height or a method the job requires.
Many GCs now run COIs through compliance software that flags these issues automatically. A rejected certificate can hold up a start date and delay payment, so get it right the first time.
When you hire subs: what to require from them
If you bring in tear-off crews, gutter installers, or sheet metal subs, their insurance becomes your problem. Many roofing GL policies make subcontractor requirements a condition of coverage, and an uninsured sub’s injured worker can become your workers’ comp claim.
Before any sub sets foot on the job, collect:
- A signed subcontract with an indemnity clause and insurance requirements
- A current COI showing GL, workers’ comp, and auto
- Additional insured status for your company, ongoing and completed operations
- Waiver of subrogation in your favor
- Limits equal to or higher than what your own contract requires
- A valid state license or registration for the work they perform
Track expiration dates all year, not just at the start. A sub whose policy lapses mid-project leaves you exposed for every day they keep working.
In Washington, check your registration type first. L&I limits specialty contractors to their registered specialty, and specialty registrants cannot hire subcontractors.
Compliance mistakes that lose roofers jobs
- Buying to the state minimum. It keeps the license active but rarely meets a commercial contract.
- Assuming your COI equals your policy. If the GC asks for the endorsement pages and they are not there, the certificate is worthless.
- Skipping completed operations. Roofing claims often surface after the job closes. GCs know this and look for CG 20 37 or its equivalent.
- Working outside your policy’s scope. Height limits, hot work exclusions, and residential exclusions can leave a job with no coverage at all.
- Letting a policy lapse between renewals. Even one day uncovered can trigger license suspension in states like Washington and Arizona when the carrier or surety notifies the agency.
- Using the wrong business name. An LLC that signs the contract while a DBA holds the policy creates a mismatch every compliance reviewer catches.
- Waiting until award to call your agent. Endorsements, umbrella limits, and per-project aggregates can take days to add.
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a roofing contractor need? Most roofers need general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto insurance. Many also carry an umbrella policy, tools and equipment coverage, and a license bond. Contracts often require additional insured and waiver of subrogation endorsements.
Is general liability insurance required for roofers? It depends on the state. Washington requires at least $250,000 in liability coverage to register, and Florida requires liability coverage to hold a license. Even where the state does not require it, nearly every GC and commercial owner does.
Do roofers need workers’ comp with no employees? In California, yes. C-39 roofing contractors must carry workers’ comp even with zero employees. Most other states require it once you hire, and Florida requires it for construction businesses with even one employee.
What limits do general contractors require from roofers? The most common requirement is $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate for general liability. Larger projects often add an umbrella and require $1 million in employer’s liability.
What is additional insured completed operations? It is an endorsement, often ISO CG 20 37, that extends your liability coverage to the GC or owner after your work is finished. Roofing contracts ask for it because leaks and defects can appear long after the job closes.
What is a waiver of subrogation? It is an agreement that your insurer will not pursue the GC or owner to recover money it pays on a claim. It is added by endorsement to your GL and workers’ comp policies.
Can I add a GC as additional insured myself on the certificate? No. The additional insured endorsement has to be on your policy. Your agent issues the COI showing it, and many GCs ask for a copy of the endorsement itself.
Get your roofing insurance requirements handled by ACI
Affordable Contractors Insurance works with roofers every day, from residential reroofers to commercial low-slope crews and hard-to-place E&S risks. Send us your contract’s insurance exhibit and we will match your policy, endorsements, and COI to it before your start date. Our teams in Scottsdale, AZ, Carlsbad, CA, and Gig Harbor, WA know the state rules covered here.