Roofing Contractor Insurance in Longview, TX

Why roofing is hard to insure, and what makes a roofer insurable

Falls from height, open roofs when a storm rolls in, hot work on commercial membranes, and a steady stream of workmanship claims make roofing one of the most selective classes in Texas. Carriers that write it want to know what percentage of your work is residential versus commercial, whether you do any torch-down or hot-tar application, how many stories you work on, whether you use subcontracted crews, and how long you have been in business under the same name. A roofer who can document fall-protection training, written subcontractor agreements with certificates on file, and three years of clean loss runs has options; a storm-season startup with 1099 crews has very few.

General liability: the exclusions to read first

General liability insurance for roofers often arrives with endorsements that narrow it: an open-roof or weather exclusion for water damage while a roof is torn off, a height limit of two or three stories, a hot-work or torch exclusion, a roofing-operations-only limitation, a prior-work exclusion that leaves earlier jobs uncovered, and a subcontractor warranty that voids coverage if a sub's certificate is missing. Each one is a claim you would otherwise expect the policy to pay. Ask us to walk through them before you compare prices.

Commercial auto for trucks, trailers, and dump trailers

Review commercial auto insurance for pickups, flatbeds, dump trailers, and any vehicle that hauls tear-off. Share who drives, including crew leads who take trucks home. If a crew member drives a personal truck to a job, ask about hired and non-owned coverage.

Tools, equipment, and material on the roof

Compressors, nailers, ladders, and bundles of shingles staged on a job are an inland marine or installation question, not general liability. Theft from jobsites and from open truck beds is the common loss; compare theft conditions and deductibles.

Crews, subcontractors, and workers' compensation

Roofing is among the highest-rated classes for workers' compensation insurance because of fall injuries. Texas lets private employers opt out, but most builders and commercial customers will not let an uninsured roofing crew on site, and a non-subscriber loses its common-law defenses when a worker falls. If you rely on subcontracted crews, your policy will likely require their certificates, and you will be charged for any sub who cannot produce one at audit.

Texas rules every roofer's insurance file touches

No state license. Texas has no statewide roofing contractor license, so there is no TDLR-style insurance minimum. Some cities require contractor registration and proof of liability for a permit; Longview, Tyler, and surrounding cities each have their own process. Customers, builders, and property managers set the real requirements, usually $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate with additional insured and waiver endorsements.

The deductible law. Since House Bill 2102 took effect in 2019, a contractor who advertises or promises to pay, waive, absorb, rebate, or otherwise help a policyholder avoid paying an insurance deductible commits a Class B misdemeanor. Contracts of $1,000 or more expected to be paid from a property claim must carry a written notice of the customer's duty to pay the deductible, and the insurer may hold recoverable depreciation until it receives reasonable proof the deductible was paid. The bill analysis is on the Texas Legislature's site. Beyond the criminal exposure, carriers ask about deductible practices on applications, and a complaint can cost you coverage.

Public adjusting. A roofer may not act as a public adjuster or advertise that it will negotiate the customer's claim. Our roof claims page explains what homeowners are told about this, which is also what their insurers expect from you.

Certificates for builders, property managers, and permit offices

Existing clients can request a certificate of insurance. Include the holder's exact name and address, the job address, the recipient email, the deadline, and the contract's insurance section so we can confirm the additional insured and waiver wording before the certificate goes out.

A certificate is evidence of coverage in force on the date issued. It does not override a height, hot-work, or open-roof exclusion in the policy. See the Texas Department of Insurance certificate FAQs.

Start your roofing coverage review

Email your renewal date, contact information, years in business, the residential and commercial split, and any builder requirements to greg@gregagency.com, or select Business Insurance on our short quote request form. Roofing quotes take longer than most because they go to specialty carriers with supplemental applications; start 30 days before renewal. Requesting a quote does not bind coverage.

What affects a roofer's premium?

Insurers rate on receipts or payroll, residential versus commercial mix, new construction versus re-roof, stories worked, use of torch or hot tar, subcontractor percentage, years in business, loss history, limits, and deductibles. Metal, tile, and flat-roof commercial work are rated differently from asphalt shingle re-roofs. The insurer assigns the class for the work performed.

Roofing general liability is auditable, and subcontractor cost without certificates is typically added to your payroll at audit. A roofer who estimated $500,000 in receipts and closed a hail season at $1,200,000 should expect a substantial audit bill under the policy's rating terms. Tell us during the season, not after.

Two claim scenarios to discuss before buying

Rain through an open roof. A crew tears off a residential roof in the morning; a pop-up storm soaks the decking, attic insulation, and ceilings before the underlayment is down. Review whether the policy carries an open-roof or weather exclusion, what tarping or dry-in conditions it imposes, and how it treats the homeowner's interior damage versus your own labor and material.

Fall by a subcontracted installer. A worker on a subcontracted crew falls from a two-story eave and is seriously injured. The sub has no workers' compensation and the homeowner is sued along with you. Ask whether your general liability has an injury-to-subcontractor exclusion, whether your policy's subcontractor warranty was met, and what your own workers' compensation or non-subscriber position means for the claim.

These are hypothetical illustrations, not client claims or promises of payment. The facts and the issued policy determine whether coverage applies.

What to have ready for a roofing quote

• Legal business name, entity type, years in business, and any prior business names
• Estimated annual receipts and payroll, split residential, commercial, re-roof, and new construction
• Maximum stories worked and whether you perform any torch, hot-tar, or spray-foam work
• Percentage of work subcontracted and copies of your subcontractor agreement and their certificates
• Vehicles with VINs and drivers, including dump trailers
• Three to five years of loss runs and your current declarations pages

Use our contractor quote checklist and guide to contract insurance requirements to prepare.

Reviewed by Greg Williams, Texas-licensed independent insurance agent and owner of Greg Williams Insurance Agency, Longview, TX. Last reviewed October 2026.