What Insurance Should Roofers Have?

All tradespeople and professional companies providing a service should have insurance. This covers various elements to protect the business and customers while conducting jobs.

In the case of a roofer, it’s extremely important to get the right cover for the work carried out on domestic and commercial properties. This is due to the job being one of the most dangerous professions with statistics showing that ladders account for 40% of all falls from height.

For customers, roofer’s insurance protects them while companies work at the property and also covers any disputes relating to the work carried out. So, what insurance should roofers have to cover most eventualities? Below, we look at the different policies that should be considered.

What insurance do roofers need?

There are different types of insurance that cover varying aspects of roofing projects. Some are legally required for the job, but others are a recommended addition to provide further cover. These include:

Public liability insurance

This type of insurance helps to protect roofers in the event members of the public get injured due to their work. You might be surprised that it’s not legally required to conduct roofing projects. However, not having it in place could cost a company significant sums of money if anything happens on the job.

In many cases, public liability is recommended, and if you’re conducting public sector projects, it will be required to complete the work.

This insurance doesn’t just cover claims for compensation. For example, if something falls and damages public property and a claim for the money is made. It also provides cover for legal fees and management of the claim, providing additional peace of mind that everything is taken care of.

Employers’ liability insurance

All businesses that have employees or hire subcontractors to carry out roofing projects are legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. This covers employers in the event an employee has an accident while at work or suffers a condition from the type of work carried out.

Again, this insurance provides cover for legal fees and any compensation claimed. The legal requirement for cover is £5 million. But, there are other levels of cover depending on how many employees you have and the type of projects undertaken. This ensures sufficient cover to protect the roofing company and its employees.

Before employing their first staff member, it’s essential that roofing companies have this cover in place, as there are hefty fines if not. Every day without a suitable policy in place could result in a £2,500 fine daily.

What other types of insurance do roofers need?

There are a few other types of insurance that roofers may consider to protect any work carried out, such as:

Contracts work insurance

Roofing companies that undertake large projects may need to consider contracts work insurance. This provides cover if the work is affected by elements out of your control, such as fire, storms, flood, malicious damage and theft.

In these cases, it’s sometimes expected that the project will still go ahead, and as a company, they have to foot the bill. This could cause serious financial issues for businesses and affect future projects, so contracts work insurance covers the time, materials and fittings needed to rectify the situation.

Self-employed roofers insurance

If roofers are self-employed, there are a range of insurances designed to help protect their work and income. If they subcontract or have employees, the same insurance obligations apply to their business. Plus, it’s always a good idea to have sufficient public liability insurance.

However, there are a few other policies that will protect other areas of the company, such as:

  • Income protection insurance
  • Critical illness insurance
  • Business life insurance

The benefits of roofers insurance for customers

While a roofing business pays for insurance to protect them in a number of situations, there are a number of benefits this cover has for current and future customers.

Improves consumer confidence

With the cost of living increasing, consumers want to know they are protected if something should fall short during roofing work. So, having the necessary cover for the job provides a deeper level of confidence for customers.

In some cases, you might assume a company has the relevant insurance in place. But it’s a good idea to find those credentials on their website or quote, or ask about them specifically.

Protects your property

When roofers have sufficient public liability cover, if there’s an accident, it can be sorted out as soon as possible. Of course, cases are accidental, and while it’s inconvenient for you as a customer, you can feel more confident of a resolution if the necessary insurance is in place.

Why it’s important to hire an insured roofing company

Unfortunately, some roofing companies out there cut corners to make a quick buck. This can have a knock-on effect for customers as they get a shoddy job completed and sometimes lose money due to no-shows and cowboys.

To avoid these scenarios, choosing a fully insured professional roofing company is essential. If you want to check their credentials, reputable roofers are more than happy to show you a certificate of insurance and any accreditations they have to support their work standards. If you come up against a barrier here, then it’s best to look elsewhere to save yourself any hassles later on.

Professional and fully insured roofing services in Huddersfield

Selecting the right roofing company for repairs or new roof installations is a big decision. So, having all the information you need to hand and not just a list of quotes is helpful.

By choosing an experienced and fully insured roofer such as DPR Roofing in Huddersfield, you have confidence in a high-quality service from start to finish. Plus, with tons of recommendations and over 35 years of experience under our belt, you can rest assured of a job well done.

For more information about our roofing services, contact us on 01484 866 772.