ROOFING
UMBRELLA
LIABILITY
Large commercial roofing jobs require large limits. When a single claim can exceed your primary GL limits, umbrella coverage is what keeps your business alive. Do not take a $20M commercial contract with $2M in coverage.
HOW UMBRELLA WORKS FOR ROOFERS
An umbrella policy sits above your primary liability coverages — your GL, commercial auto, and employers liability. Think of it as a second financial layer that activates once your primary policy limits are exhausted.
Example: You are doing a $4M commercial reroofing project. A section of newly installed roofing system fails during heavy rains and water intrudes into the building, damaging expensive medical equipment in a medical office suite. Total damages: $2.8M. Your GL has $2M in limits. Without umbrella, you owe $800,000 out of pocket. With $5M in umbrella coverage, the umbrella pays the $800,000 overage.
For commercial roofing contractors, umbrella coverage is often not optional — it is required by the contract. GCs, REITs, property managers, hospitals, schools, and government entities routinely require $5M or more in total liability limits as a condition of being awarded work.
UNDERLYING REQUIREMENTS
To get umbrella coverage, you typically need minimum underlying limits:
WHAT UMBRELLA COVERS
UMBRELLA PRICING FOR ROOFERS
Umbrella pricing depends on your underlying exposures, revenue, loss history, and the types of projects you take. For a roofing contractor with $2M in GL and $1M auto:
Estimates only. Actual pricing depends on your specific risk profile.
UMBRELLA FAQ
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UMBRELLA AND EXCESS LIABILITY?
Commercial umbrella policies typically drop down to cover gaps in underlying policies and provide broader coverage than excess liability. Excess liability simply sits above your primary limits without broadening coverage. For most roofing contractors, a commercial umbrella is the better product.
HOW MUCH UMBRELLA COVERAGE DO I NEED?
Commercial roofing jobs often require $5M+ total limits. For large institutional or municipal projects, $10M is common. We assess your contract requirements and job types to recommend appropriate limits.
DOES UMBRELLA COVER MY WORKERS COMP?
No. Umbrella does not sit over workers comp. It provides excess limits over general liability, commercial auto, and employers liability (Part B of WC). Workers comp benefits are governed by state statute and are not subject to umbrella coverage.
CAN I GET UMBRELLA IF MY GL IS WITH A DIFFERENT CARRIER?
Yes, though it is more complex. Umbrella carriers prefer to sit over known underlying policies. We work to package your primary and umbrella coverage for simplicity and to avoid coverage gaps at the interface between primary and excess layers.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CLAIM EXCEEDS MY GL LIMITS?
Without umbrella, you pay out of pocket once your GL aggregate is exhausted. In a serious bodily injury claim on a large commercial roofing job, $1M or $2M in GL coverage can disappear quickly between medical costs, lost wages, and attorney fees. Umbrella covers the rest up to its limit.
IS UMBRELLA REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL ROOFING WORK?
Many commercial GCs, property management companies, REITs, and municipal entities require $5M+ in total liability limits as a contract condition. An umbrella policy is typically the most cost-effective way to reach those limits.
GET THE LIMITS YOUR JOBS DEMAND
Win bigger commercial contracts by having the coverage to back them up. Get your umbrella quote now.