General liability
General liability (GL) pays for bodily injury and property damage to other people caused by your operations. For roofers the common claims are water damage to the interior after a tear-off is left open, fire from torch-down or hot-mop work, materials falling from the roof, and damage discovered after the job is finished.
- Typical limits
- $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate
- Rated on
- Usually gross receipts (annual revenue), plus type of roofing and residential vs. commercial mix. See price examples
- Who asks for it
- General contractors, property managers, HOAs, commercial owners and many homeowners
- Required by CSLB
- Only for LLC licenses ($1M–$5M)
Completed operations is the part of GL that responds after the job is done. Roof leaks often show up months later, so make sure your policy includes completed operations and that it isn't limited or excluded for roofing.
GL exclusions to check on a roofing policy
Two quotes at similar prices can cover very different things. Read for these before you compare price:
- Open roof exclusion or warranty. Removes coverage for rain damage while a roof is torn off, or only covers it if you follow strict rules: limits on how much roof can be open at once, tarping by end of day, and no tear-off when rain is forecast. Water intrusion is the most common roofing GL claim, so read this one first.
- Hot work / torch exclusion. Removes coverage for torch-down, hot tar or open flame. If you do any of that work, this exclusion matters most.
- Height or story limits. Some policies only cover work up to two or three stories.
- Residential, tract or new construction exclusions. Common in California. Some exclude all new residential; others exclude tract homes or condos.
- Prior work exclusion. Excludes jobs completed before the policy started. A problem if you're switching carriers.
- Subcontractor requirements. Many policies require your subs to carry their own GL with you as additional insured, or the claim isn't covered.
- Action-over exclusion. Excludes claims where your own injured worker sues the GC and the GC passes it to you.
- Classification limitation. Covers only the operations listed on the policy. Make sure every type of roofing you do is listed.
Blanket waiver of subrogation
After your carrier pays a claim, it normally has the right to recover the money from whoever caused the loss. That's subrogation. A waiver of subrogation gives up that right against a specific party, usually the general contractor or property owner you work for. Most commercial contracts require it.
- Specific waiver
- Names one party. Needs a new endorsement each time a contract requires it.
- Blanket waiver
- Applies automatically to anyone you've agreed in a written contract to waive. Better for roofers who work for many GCs.
- Where it's needed
- GL (form CG 24 04 or equivalent), commercial auto, and workers' comp (California form WC 04 03 06)
- Cost
- GL waivers are often free or a flat fee. Workers' comp waivers usually add a percentage of premium, and a blanket waiver costs more than a specific one.
Signing a contract with a waiver you don't have can leave you personally responsible for the GC's loss. Send us the contract before you sign.
What contracts usually require
Before you sign a subcontract, compare its insurance exhibit to your policies. Common requirements:
| Requirement | What it means | Form to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Additional insured, ongoing operations | The GC is covered while your work is in progress | CG 20 10 or equivalent |
| Additional insured, completed operations | The GC stays covered after the job is finished | CG 20 37 or equivalent |
| Primary and non-contributory | Your policy pays before the GC's own policy | Endorsement wording |
| Waiver of subrogation | Your carrier can't recover from the GC after paying a claim | GL, auto and WC endorsements |
| Per-project aggregate | Your aggregate limit applies separately to each job | CG 25 03 or equivalent |
Send us the insurance exhibit with your quote request and we'll check it against each policy before you bind.
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