Roofing Contractor Insurance in Minnesota
The hardest trade to insure. We do it anyway.
The William Tuttle Agency arranges insurance for roofing contractors across Minnesota — general liability with completed operations, workers' compensation rated for height work, coverage for trucks and dump trailers, tools and equipment, and the license and bond paperwork Minnesota residential roofers generally need. Call (507) 451-1168 or request a roofing insurance quote.
Hail season, insurance-restoration work, steep-slope residential, flat commercial, and a crew that spends its day thirty feet up.
Roofing is one of the hardest trades to insure, for two honest reasons: falls and water. Workers' compensation is expensive because the injuries are serious, and liability claims are large because a bad roof lets water into everything below it. The policy is built around general liability with completed operations, workers' compensation rated for the class, commercial auto for trucks and dump trailers, inland marine for equipment, and the residential contractor license and any bond Minnesota requires. It is placeable — it just takes an agency with more than one market.
Minnesota licenses residential roofers through the Department of Labor and Industry, and the hail-driven restoration business brings its own rules about contracts, deposits and working with homeowners' insurance claims. The William Tuttle Agency writes roofing contractors from one office at 121 W Broadway St in Owatonna. We know what the underwriters will ask, because we ask it first.
Why is roofing insurance so expensive?
Two reasons, both fair. Workers' compensation for roofing classifications reflects falls from height, which are the most serious injuries in construction. And liability claims against roofers are rarely small: a flashing detail that fails or a torch-down job that starts a fire can damage a whole building and its contents. Carriers price accordingly. What you control is your safety program, your subcontractor certificates, and a clean claims history — all of which move the premium over time.
Do Minnesota roofers need a license?
Residential roofers in Minnesota generally need a residential building contractor or residential roofer license from the Department of Labor and Industry, which comes with continuing education and, for many licensees, contributions to the state's contractor recovery fund. Requirements change, so confirm the current rules with DLI. Certificates of insurance and, where required, bonds are part of the same paperwork; see surety bonds.
What about hail and storm restoration work?
It is the heart of the roofing business in southern Minnesota, and it changes the risk. Restoration contractors deal with homeowners' insurance claims, deposits, contingency agreements and door-to-door sales after a storm, all of which are regulated in Minnesota. Tell us how much of your work is storm-driven, whether you use subcontracted crews, and how you handle deposits — underwriters ask, and clean answers help. Our guide to hail damage roof claims explains the homeowner side.
Are subcontracted crews covered under my policy?
Only if the policy is written for it and the subs carry their own coverage. Most roofing liability policies require you to collect certificates of insurance from every subcontractor, and uninsured subs are often charged to your policy at audit as if they were employees. Collect certificates before the crew steps on the roof, every time.
What does the truck and dump trailer need?
Trucks titled to the business belong on commercial auto; dump trailers are typically listed on the auto policy for liability while towed and on the inland marine schedule for physical damage. Crew members driving their own vehicles to a job are the reason hired and non-owned auto liability exists. Minnesota's no-fault rules apply to work vehicles as well.
Does the policy cover hot work and torch-down roofing?
Not automatically. Torch-applied modified bitumen and other hot work carry a fire exposure that many carriers exclude or surcharge. If you do any flat or low-slope commercial work with a torch, say so at the quote and ask what the policy says about hot work, fire watch requirements and completed operations on those jobs.
What a roofing policy usually has to cover.
The checklist we work through with a roofing contractor, one line at a time.
| Coverage | What it responds to | Roofing note |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Injury to others and damage to property that is not yours | Every GC, lender and homeowner asks to see it |
| Completed operations | Water intrusion that surfaces after the job | The claim that defines the trade |
| Workers' compensation | Employee injuries — falls are the serious ones | Generally required in Minnesota once you have employees; rated for height work |
| Subcontractor certificates | Coverage for crews you do not employ directly | Uninsured subs are often charged to your audit |
| Commercial auto | Trucks used for the work | Personal auto is generally not written for this |
| Dump & equipment trailers | Physical damage and liability while towed | Liability follows the auto policy; damage sits on inland marine |
| Inland marine (tools & equipment) | Compressors, nailers, lifts, ladders and hand tools | Theft from an open job site is the common claim |
| Hot work / torch-down | Fire exposure from torch-applied roofing | Commonly excluded or surcharged — disclose it |
| Residential roofer license | MN DLI licensing and recovery fund | Generally required for residential work |
| Umbrella / excess liability | Limits above the underlying policies | Commercial and multifamily contracts often require it |
What if nobody wants to write a roofer?
It is the most common thing we hear from roofing contractors: one phone call, one decline, and no idea where to go next. Many agents represent a single company. We lead with Farmers Insurance and hold appointments with 20+ additional carriers, including commercial markets such as BTIS, AmTrust, RLI and Tapco — so an operation that does not fit the first market often has somewhere to go. It may simply not be the first market we call. You still deal with one licensed local person in Owatonna who answers the phone. See the carriers we represent.
How much does roofer insurance cost in Minnesota?
There is no list price for roofer insurance in Minnesota, and anyone who quotes one without asking questions is guessing. The premium is built from payroll — roofing workers' comp is the largest line, the share of storm-restoration work, subcontracted crews and their certificates, hot-work and low-slope commercial jobs, trucks and dump trailers and claims history. A one-person operation and a ten-person crew doing the same work are priced nothing alike, and the same business is often quoted very differently by different carriers — which is the reason to compare more than one. The honest number is a quote: ten minutes with a licensed agent, and you will have it.
Do you need roofer insurance in Minnesota?
Residential roofers in Minnesota generally need a license from the Department of Labor and Industry, which involves the contractor recovery fund and, for many, certificates of insurance. Workers' compensation is generally required once you have employees, and general contractors will not put you on a job without a certificate.
How do I get a certificate of insurance for my business?
Call or text (507) 451-1168 with the name and address of whoever needs it. Certificates of insurance are part of the service, and when a contract asks for additional-insured status, a waiver of subrogation or specific limits, we read the requirement and tell you plainly whether the policy meets it before you sign. Send the insurance section of any contract over to us; that is what we are for.
Roofing insurance, answered plainly.
Why is roofing insurance so expensive?
Falls from height make workers' compensation costly, and water damage makes liability claims large. Carriers price for both. A documented safety program, subcontractor certificates and a clean claims history move the premium over time.
Do I need a license to roof houses in Minnesota?
Residential roofers generally need a residential building contractor or roofer license from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Confirm current requirements with DLI.
Are my subcontractors covered under my policy?
Generally only if the policy is written for it and the subs carry their own insurance. Collect a certificate of insurance from every subcontractor before they start; uninsured subs are often charged to your policy at audit.
Is torch-down roofing covered?
Not automatically. Hot work is commonly excluded or surcharged on roofing liability policies. Disclose it at the quote and ask exactly what the policy says.
How much does roofer insurance cost?
It depends on payroll — roofing workers' comp is the largest line, the share of storm-restoration work, subcontracted crews and their certificates and your claims history — there is no list price. Different carriers quote the same business very differently, so compare. A quote takes about ten minutes.
Is roofer insurance required in Minnesota?
Residential roofers in Minnesota generally need a license from the Department of Labor and Industry, which involves the contractor recovery fund and, for many, certificates of insurance. Workers' compensation is generally required once you have employees, and general contractors will not put you on a job without a certificate.
How do I get a roofing insurance quote?
Call or text (507) 451-1168, stop by 121 W Broadway St in Owatonna, or request a quote online. A licensed agent will ask about your license, the mix of residential, commercial and storm work, subcontractors, vehicles, equipment and payroll, quote Farmers Insurance first, and check brokerage markets where they fit.