How to Verify a Roofer's Insurance, Step by Step
A certificate of insurance is easy to show and easy to fake, lapse, or misread. This guide walks through what the document should contain, which clauses matter specifically for roofing, and how to confirm coverage directly with the insurer before work starts.
What a certificate of insurance actually is
A certificate of insurance, often called a COI, is a one-page summary issued by an insurance producer that lists a contractor's active policies: types of coverage, policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and coverage limits. It is evidence that policies existed on the date it was issued. It is not the policy itself, it does not amend coverage, and the fine print on the certificate says exactly that.
That limitation shapes how you should use it. A COI is the starting point for verification, not the finish. Policies get cancelled for non-payment, businesses let coverage lapse between jobs, and an impressive-looking certificate can be a year old. Everything in this guide is general education for checking any roofer you hire in Texas, where state law does not require roofers to carry a licence, making your own insurance check one of the strongest protections you have.
General liability: the policy that protects your property
Commercial general liability coverage responds when a contractor's work damages your property or injures someone who is not on their crew: a ladder through a window, a fire started by equipment, a leak caused by an unfinished section when rain arrives. Look for the policy number, the insurer's name, and per-occurrence and aggregate limits. For residential roofing, limits of at least one million dollars per occurrence are commonly carried by established firms, though the right figure depends on the project's scale.
Check the dates as carefully as the dollars. Coverage must span the entire job, not just the day the certificate was printed. Note the expiration date in your calendar if work is scheduled near it, and ask for a fresh certificate if the project slips. Also confirm the named insured on the certificate matches the legal name on your contract, because coverage follows the named business, not a similar-sounding trade name.
Workers compensation: the gap that can reach you
Workers compensation covers a contractor's own employees if they are hurt on your roof. Texas is unusual: private employers are generally not required by the state to carry it, which means some roofers operate without it legally. That legality does not remove your exposure. An injured uninsured worker, or their insurer, may look to the homeowner's assets or policy, and the dispute alone is an experience worth avoiding.
Ask directly whether the company carries workers compensation for everyone who will be on your roof, including any subcontracted crews, and look for that policy listed on the certificate with its own number and dates. If a company uses subcontractors, ask whether those crews carry their own coverage or fall under the main policy. Get the answer in the contract, not just in conversation, so expectations are documented before anyone climbs a ladder.
- Texas allows some employers to skip workers comp — ask anyway
- Confirm coverage extends to subcontracted crews, not just employees
- Match the named insured to the name on your contract exactly
Open-roof and height exclusions to ask about
Some liability policies written for general handymen or remodelers exclude the exact work roofers do. Open-roof exclusions remove coverage for interior water damage that occurs while a roof is opened up and weather gets in, which is precisely the loss a homeowner fears most during a tear-off. Other policies limit work above a certain height or exclude roofing operations altogether, meaning the certificate looks valid while the actual job falls outside it.
You cannot always see exclusions on the one-page certificate, so ask the question plainly: does this policy cover roofing operations, including damage that occurs while the roof is open? Then confirm with the agent listed on the certificate. A straightforward contractor will welcome the call. Evasiveness, pressure to skip the check, or a certificate the agent cannot confirm are all reasons to pause and get another quote.
Call the insurer or agent and confirm it yourself
The certificate lists the producing agency and usually a phone number. Call it. Confirm the policy is active today, that the named business matches, and that the coverage dates cover your scheduled work. Ask to be listed as a certificate holder so an updated certificate is issued in your name for your project dates, and where the insurer offers it, ask about notice of cancellation, which alerts listed holders if the policy is cancelled mid-term.
Keep the confirmed certificate with your contract and warranty paperwork. If a storm hits Corpus Christi and out-of-area crews arrive offering fast work, this ten-minute routine matters even more: temporary operations are where lapsed coverage, borrowed certificates, and mismatched business names appear most often. The busier the moment, the more valuable a calm verification habit becomes.
Warning signs that should slow any signing
Watch for certificates with expired dates, names that do not match the contract, limits that seem extremely low for the work, or a producer you cannot reach. Be wary of a contractor who offers a certificate only after you push repeatedly, who asks for full payment up front, or who wants the contract signed by a different company than the one insured. Each is a small signal; together they describe real risk.
None of this requires suspicion of everyone. Good contractors treat verification as normal business and often provide certificates without being asked. Sparkling City Roofing is a referral service and this guide makes no claim about any specific company's coverage: run these same checks on any contractor you consider, including anyone we connect you with, and keep the confirmed paperwork on file. Inspections and written, itemized quotes through our service are free, so you can complete your checks before committing to anything.
Common questions
Good questions
Can a contractor add me as an additional insured, and should I ask?
Many commercial policies allow the contractor to add a homeowner as an additional insured for a specific project, which gives you direct rights under their liability policy for that job. It sometimes carries a small fee and takes a day or two. For a full replacement it is a reasonable request to raise before signing, and the updated certificate will show the endorsement.
The certificate is current but the job starts in two months — is that a problem?
Only if coverage expires in between. Compare the expiration date against your full project window, including likely weather delays during hurricane season. If the policy renews before your start date, simply ask for the renewed certificate before work begins and confirm it with the agent the same way as the original.
What if a roofer says they are self-insured or bonded instead?
Treat those as separate claims to verify, not substitutes you accept on words alone. A bond is not liability coverage and usually protects against a narrow set of failures, while self-insurance claims should come with documentation of the arrangement. Ask what specifically covers property damage and crew injuries on your job, and confirm it in writing.
Does my own homeowners policy protect me if an uninsured roofer is hurt?
Not reliably, and not in a way you should count on. Your policy may respond to some claims, but you could still face deductibles, premium consequences, and disputes about responsibility. Ask your own carrier how they treat contractor injuries before work starts, and use that answer as one more reason to hire only crews whose coverage you have confirmed.
