What Insurance Should A Roofer Have? A Simple Guide For Homeowners

When hiring a roofer, most homeowners focus on:

  • price
  • reviews
  • how quickly someone can attend

But one of the most important things to check is often overlooked:

Insurance.

If something goes wrong during roofing work and the contractor isn’t properly insured, it can quickly become stressful and expensive.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the main types of insurance homeowners should know about.


1. Public Liability Insurance

This is the big one.

Public liability insurance helps cover accidental damage or injury caused during roofing work.

For example:

  • damage to your property
  • tiles falling onto a neighbour’s car
  • accidental injury during the job

A legitimate roofer should normally have public liability insurance in place.

If someone avoids the question completely or becomes defensive when asked, that can be a warning sign.


2. Employer’s Liability Insurance

If a roofing company has employees or labourers working for them, they may also need employer’s liability insurance.

This helps cover injuries involving workers on site.


3. Ask For Proof — Not Just Verbal Reassurance

A lot of homeowners simply hear:

“Yeah, we’re insured.”

But it’s completely reasonable to ask for confirmation.

A reliable roofer should normally have no issue providing evidence of insurance if requested.


4. Insurance Doesn’t Automatically Mean Quality

This is important.

Having insurance does NOT automatically mean:

  • the workmanship is good
  • the roofer is reliable
  • communication will be smooth

It’s just one part of the picture.

Homeowners should also look at:

  • previous work
  • customer reviews
  • communication
  • professionalism
  • clarity of quotes

5. Be Careful Of “Too Cheap” Quotes

Extremely cheap roofing quotes can sometimes be a red flag.

In some cases, homeowners later discover:

  • corners were cut
  • materials were poor quality
  • no insurance was actually in place
  • the roofer disappeared after payment

Choosing a roofer shouldn’t feel like a gamble.


How National Roofing Group Helps

National Roofing Group helps connect homeowners with local roofers after carrying out initial checks.

Before making introductions, we may review things such as:

  • public liability insurance
  • customer reviews
  • previous work
  • communication and reliability