Roofing Insurance Cost: Ranges + Calculator
Roofing carries the steepest insurance pricing in the trades, and one number explains it: NCCI class 5551 — roofing workers' compensation runs to ~$25 per $100 of payroll in higher-cost states, driven by fall severity no other common trade matches. Around the WC core sit general liability with completed operations (the leak that shows up two winters later), inland marine for the kettle and compressors, and commercial auto. Many carriers won't write roofing at all, which itself shapes price.
As an industry-typical estimate, a small roofing crew commonly runs roughly $8,000–$25,000+/year across WC, GL and equipment — payroll-driven above all. No insurance bureau publishes roofer premiums as a menu, so every dollar here is an estimate; each fact is sourced to a named authority (NCCI, IRMI, III, OSHA). Use the calculator below, then get a real quote in 5 minutes. The roofing coverage guide covers the policy stack in depth — this page owns the numbers.
| Business activity |
|---|
| Asphalt roof shingle installation |
| Copper roofing installation |
| Corrugated metal roofing installation |
| Galvanized iron roofing installation |
| Low slope roofing installation |
| Painting, spraying, or coating, roof |
| Roll roofing installation |
| Roofing, built-up tar and gravel, installation |
| Roofing contractors |
| Roof membrane installation |
| Roof painting, spraying, or coating |
| Shake and shingle, roof, installation |
| Sheet metal roofing installation |
| Skylight installation |
| Solar reflecting coating, roof, application |
| Steep slope roofing installation |
| Treating roofs (by spraying, painting or coating) |
Estimate your commercial insurance cost
Plug in a few business details and we'll show an industry-typical annual range for General Liability + Workers Compensation + Commercial Auto, with the source for every number. Real quotes vary by carrier, claims history, and underwriting — get an actual quote here.
Industry-typical market ranges
Sourced from III, NCCI, ISO, NAIC, BLS, FMCSA, FDA, NRA — government and bureau publications, not from our quote form
Coverage a roofing contractor typically carries (industry-typical estimates):
- Workers' compensation (the defining line): class 5551 pricing reflects fall severity — payroll is the premium. NCCI Atlas, III workers comp.
- General liability with completed operations: the leak claim arrives seasons after the job closes. IRMI completed operations.
- Fall protection practice: OSHA's residential fall-protection rules are the underwriting interview's first question. OSHA fall protection.
- Inland marine + commercial auto: kettles, compressors, ladders and the trucks that move them. IRMI inland marine.
Payroll, roof pitch and height mix, and torch/hot work are primary rating factors.
Industry context — what published research says about Roofing Contractor coverage
- One class code prices the trade. NCCI 5551 carries the steepest common WC loss costs — up to ~$25/$100 of payroll in higher-cost states. NCCI Atlas.
- The leak is a completed-ops claim. It shows up two winters later and lands on the policy in force then. IRMI completed operations.
- Fall practice is the first underwriting question. Documented OSHA fall-protection compliance moves the quote. OSHA fall protection.
Recent rate-filing activity — 8 state filings across 1 commercial line
Commercial carriers can't charge whatever they want — each state's Department of Insurance must approve loss-cost filings before they take effect. These are primary-source, government-held records available on SERFF Filing Access. Cited below: the most-recent active filings affecting roofing contractor operations, each cited to the regulator or bureau filing it came from.
| Line | State | Overall change | Effective | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WC | NV | -32.8% voluntary loss cost decrease (legislatively-driven; SB 317) | Oct 1, 2026 | SERFF #NCCI-134895530 |
| WC | RI | Overall -2.5% voluntary (industrial); -12.9% federal classes | Aug 1, 2026 | SERFF #NCCI-134743616 |
| WC | AR | Overall -9.8% voluntary loss cost; -9.8% assigned risk market | Jul 1, 2026 | SERFF #NCCI-134876672 |
| WC | TX | Overall -3.8% adjustment to voluntary loss cost level | Jul 1, 2026 | SERFF #NCCI-134745334 |
| WC | OH | -1% private-employer rate cut (~$10M aggregate; -50% cumulative since 2019) | Jul 1, 2026 | — |
| WC | SC | -0.4% voluntary loss cost decrease | Apr 1, 2026 | SERFF #NCCI-134702984 |
| WC | NC | per $100 payroll (advisory loss cost) | Apr 1, 2026 | Filing #NCRI-134628278 |
| WC | NC | per $100 payroll (advisory loss cost) | Apr 1, 2026 | Filing #NCRI-134628278 |
Source: SERFF Filing Access (filingaccess.serff.com) — the official public-records interface for state Department of Insurance filings. Loss-cost changes shown are the overall bureau-wide change in each state; the actual impact on your quote depends on your class code, payroll, experience modifier, and carrier-specific loss-cost multiplier (LCM). Get a quote for your exact numbers.
Bureau-filed loss-cost activity by state — 45 states with filings
Each link below opens a roofing contractor-specific page showing only that state's most-recent bureau-filed loss-cost filings (NCCI workers' comp and/or ISO commercial-lines), cited to the regulator or bureau filing each came from. Filed-rate data ≠ carrier final rates.
What factors affect roofing contractor insurance cost?
Underwriters set premium based on a handful of factors that vary by vertical and by carrier. Understanding the drivers below helps you predict your real quote and target the right reductions.
- Payroll (the WC engine)At 5551 pricing, every payroll dollar is premium — payroll mix dominates the bill. NCCI Atlas.
- Pitch, height and hot workSteep-slope, multi-story and torch-down work price above walkable residential. OSHA fall protection.
- Experience modifierMulti-year claims history scales the whole WC premium up or down. IRMI experience rating.
- Carrier appetiteMany carriers decline roofing outright — a thinner market prices higher. III commercial GL.
How to lower your roofing contractor insurance cost
Carriers offer real discounts for the steps below — most operators can take 10–25% off premium by stacking 2–3 of these. Verify carrier-specific credits at renewal.
- ✓ Run a documented fall-protection programAnchors, harnesses and training records are the levers underwriters actually read. OSHA fall protection.
- ✓ Protect the experience modReturn-to-work programs and claim hygiene compound across years of payroll. IRMI experience rating.
- ✓ Document every tear-off and flashing detailClose-out photos are the completed-ops defense when the leak call comes. IRMI completed operations.
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Get My Quotes →Frequently asked questions about roofing contractor insurance cost
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Why is roofing insurance so much more expensive than other trades? +
Am I covered when a roof leaks a year after the job? +
Related guides
Sources cited
- NCCI Atlas — Class Codes — National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), 2024
- Workers Compensation Insurance — Insurance Information Institute (III), 2024
- Completed Operations Liability — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024
- Fall Protection — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 2024
- Commercial General Liability Insurance — Insurance Information Institute (III), 2024
- Inland Marine Insurance — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024
- Business Vehicle Insurance — Insurance Information Institute (III), 2024
- Experience Rating — International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), 2024