Business insurance for Roofers

Who are InSync?

Insync Insurance* are an insurance broker we work in partnership with who are there to help those customers who might need protection that AXA doesn’t currently offer. They specialise in businesses like yours and work with a range of different insurers to get you the cover you require. So, you can rest assured your business is in good hands.

Why do roofers need business insurance?

Being a roofer is a tough and dangerous job, so naturally it’s in your best interest to have the right covers in place should the worst happen. 

For roofers, the main risk is working at heights. In the 2022/2023 period, construction was the industry with the highest mortality rate, with falls from height being the most common cause of fatal injury1.

You might be working on buildings that are a little bit older, meaning your working with trickier materials or at strange angles – what would happen if you were to lose your footing?

Using heat is another big risk for roofers. What would happen if an employee of yours is working on a flat roof, using heat to seal the edges, and causes a fire or gets a bad burn?

Or what if you were fitting new slate tiles on a wet day and lose your grip, smashing the windows of a car below? Or say you’ve just spent a pretty penny kitting out your van with the latest tools of the trade, only to find your van was the subject of a break in?

In these scenarios and many more, business insurance would have your back to make sure that you’re getting the help you need when you need it.

What covers might a roofer need?

Here are the different types of cover that roofers might want to consider.

Public liability insurance – As someone who works on private and public buildings for a living, you’ll be around people often. If a member of the public suffers and accidental injury or has their property damaged as a result of the work you’re doing, this cover will help you handle the cost of legal claims made against you or your company by a member of the public. 

Employers’ liability insurance – Under the Employers’ Liability Act 1969, you are legally required to have Employers’ Liability Insurance if you have anyone working for you. This applies whether your employees are part or full time, work experience, volunteers, trainees etc. This cover protects you from claims made by any employees who have fallen ill or gotten accidentally injured as a result of working for you.

Tools insurance – Tools are extremely important to your trade, so it’s vital you protect them. If you have a tool stolen or accidentally damaged beyond repair, then having cover in place to help repair or replace them can stop you being out of pocket.

Contract works insurance – You never know what’s going to happen when you’re working on a property. If the new structure you're working on is destroyed or damaged before the job is completed, without contract works cover you could lose the work and materials you’ve already paid for.

Van insurance – Roofers often have a work van that they use for getting from point A to point B. If anything should go wrong with your van that you use for work, you need to have cover in place to ensure things get dealt with swiftly and smoothly. With Van insurance you’d be covered for things such as crashes, collisions, or theft.

What are some common claims faced by roofers?

Here are some of the most common claims faced by roofers.

Accident or injury of an employee

One of the main types of claims that effect roofers are those resulting from accidents at work. If you were to fall from a roof you’re working on, the fallout could be massive. If an employee was to happen to suffer a serious injury, you could in recovery and off the job for weeks or even months.

Not only will this be a huge problem on a personal note, but the loss of income could be detrimental to your business.

Having employers’ liability insurance will help make sure that if something like this happens you won’t have to handle the costs on your own.

Accidental injury to third parties or damage to their property

Working at heights has risks for other people, too. Such as the risk of falling tools or resources that could cause injury to the public. What would happen a few tiles flip from your fingers up on the roof, and land on a car below?

There’s also the possibility that you might accidentally cause further damage to the roof you’re working on, particularly if you’re working on an older roof, for example.

With public liability insurance, you can rest assured that you’ll be protected against any third party claims that might come off the back of any accidents.

Damage or theft of tools and equipment

Your tools are extremely important to the work you do – without them you can’t get the job done. So, if your tools were to get accidentally damaged on the job you might be looking at a hefty repair, or replacement bill.

For example, how could you compete your job if you your hammer stapler jams, and you can’t affix ay of the new tiles? Or what if your van is broken into while you’re up on the roof completing some repairs?

Tools insurance and van insurance can both protect you in cases like this, making sure that you’re able to replace or repair the tools you need so that business can carry on as normal.

How much does roofers’ insurance cost?

How much your policy costs will depend on:

• • The size of your business
  • How many (if any) employees you have
  • Claims history
  • What covers you need
  • The level of cover you choose
  • Any additional covers you add to the policy (e.g., tools, legal expenses, business equipment etc)

To find out what cover might cost you, it’s best to get a quote. That way you can provide information specific to your business and see exactly what you will to pay based on your circumstances.

*Insync Insurance is a trading name of Insync Insurance Solutions Ltd which is authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number: 766691). Registered in England and Wales 0880662. Registered Office 7th Floor Mark Lane, London EC3R 7NE. AXA Insurance UK plc acts as introducer to Insync Insurance Solutions Ltd.

1Data taken from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Accurate as of 08/04/24.