There are a lot of high-risk jobs out there, all of which require a high level of training, and a higher level of liability insurance to ensure that all workers are kept safe, and protected in case of an injury or other problem. There’s a lot that you need to know about roofer’s insurance, so let’s break it down and so that we can understand its importance in the workplace.
What is roofing insurance for?
Just like any other kind of insurance that you’re going to be looking for in your personal and business lives, roofing insurance is for those times when you are working as a professional in this field and you need to properly insure yourself. So, let’s take a look at exactly what that means for the roofer who is interested in learning more about it, and what it brings to the trade.
Roofers are constantly working at height – it’s the nature of the trade. When you’re working in situations like these, there is a lot of risk involved, especially because you (or your staff) could fall at any moment and be seriously injured. Falling from a height like that, even from a two-storey home, will likely result in serious injuries.
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Customers are always telling us how much they saved by switchingThis is why it’s so important to have adequate cover from an insurance company that specialises in the industry, like us.
What does roofing insurance protect?
The biggest question that you’re likely to have is what, exactly, roofer’s insurance protects against. The most important component of roofer’s insurance is public liability insurance – this is intended to protect you from the potential damage or injury to the public or their property.
Simply put, roofer’s public liability insurance protects against harm or damage. It’ll protect and pay out to those who are harmed in a roofing accident and suffer an injury, or disability, as a result of it. It protects the roofing company, the roofer, the public and the property. It covers many of the same things as many other trade business insurance policies, but it’s all about protecting those involved from the higher level of risk that roofers face.
What happens if I do not have adequate roofers insurance?
There have been cases in the past with UK roofer insurance, where those who have purchased the insurance contracts have not declared their roofing work. Since roofing insurance is so expensive, some professionals in the field will try to put it under general building or other kinds of insurance, looking to save some money on the premiums, as well as the overall package itself for the workers. The thing is, whilst you may save money in the short term, you will not have adequate insurance protection.
Roofer insurance requirements are as specific as they are because they cover a lot of potential pitfalls that roofers may face in their day-to-day tasks. If you are a roofer and put through your insurance as anything other than a roofer, you run the risk of the insurance company not following through on the policy if something were to happen and you file a claim. Public liability insurance for a roofer is an incredibly important cover, and it needs to be classified properly, even if that requires you paying higher premiums than you would like.
What happens if you’re the roofer & injure others?
This is a popular question, especially in conjunction with the one above. Injury to others when you work as a roofer is almost always severe, so if you do not have adequate roofers insurance and someone gets injured, you’re going to be left to foot the bill out of your own pocket.
With public liability insurance for a roofer, your insurer protects you and takes care of any costs associated with injury, should the injured party choose to make a claim for compensation. If you’re trying to cut corners, you’ll have to pay for the injuries and associated costs yourself, and you will have your insurance revoked in most cases.
Financial Strength
Insurance provided by a Standard & Poor's 'A+ Stable' rated insurerIn cases where you are properly using your insurance and selecting the correct trade category, your roofer’s insurance policy will pay for public damages and public injury, taking care of the claim. You’ll only need to pay your insurance excess (if applicable). The premiums may be high, there’s no question on that, but they are well worth it for someone in this trade.
Be specific in what you look for
In this kind of insurance, you need to know what you’re looking for. There are different kinds of insurance requirements for roofers, depending on whether you’re employing staff, and whether you want to include protection for injury to yourself. For example, if you employ staff, you’ll want to make sure your roofer’s insurance policy includes employer’s liability insurance, as this is a legal requirement for anyone who is employing staff. If you want to cover yourself from injury or sickness, you’ll want to take out a separate personal accident & sickness insurance policy – this will pay out either a weekly or lump sum benefit to cover your wages for any time you are ill or injured, providing you have been off work for more than seven days before claiming. There’s also tools & equipment insurance, which is a must to protect your tools from damage or theft, as well as contract works or contractor’s all risks insurance, which covers unforeseen damage on a construction site.
Don’t let anyone fool you, roofer’s insurance requirements are slightly more specific than other trades, but the increased premium does protect you from all the situations you may face as a roofer. This makes it a worthwhile pay off to ensure you have complete peace of mind to get on with what you do best.
There is a lot to know in the field of roofers insurance, but if you follow our guide, you should be able to pick the right covers to suit your individual business. The trick is to know your information and your options, and, if in doubt, call us up and we’ll be able to arrange the right cover to suit your specific needs.
1 Comment
I must tell you, the cost of getting the premium package may seem high, but it’s worth it.. It has saved me lots of expenses which would have probably run me bankrupt in the two previous accidents that happened whilst working on site. It’s just an insurance every roofer should try to get.