Roofing insurance in California

A California roofer needs general liability written specifically for roofing, workers’ compensation that contemplates work at height, commercial auto, and usually an excess/umbrella layer for contracts. Generic contractor policies frequently exclude roofing, so the classification on the policy matters.

Falls from height drive severe workers’ comp claims, hot-work and torch-down create fire exposure, and water intrusion produces large completed-operations losses — so many carriers won’t write roofers at all. The work moves to specialty and surplus lines markets, which is where we operate.

Yes. Roofing is high-hazard, employees must be covered, and SB 216 requires workers’ compensation as of January 1, 2026 for CSLB-licensed (C-39) contractors even with no employees. Comp is typically the largest and hardest line for a roofer to place.

Yes — that’s our specialty. Roofing accounts that standard carriers decline after a claim, a lapse, or a carrier exiting the class are usually placed in the surplus lines market. A complete submission with loss runs is what gets a difficult roofing account quoted.

Premium is driven by payroll, the height and steepness of typical work, residential versus commercial mix, use of subcontractors, and loss history. Roofing rates are high because the exposure is real, so accurate payroll and operations detail is what keeps a quote fair.