Public Liability Insurance for Roofers

Public liability insurance for roofers pays compensation and legal costs if your work injures someone or damages property that belongs to someone else, subject to the policy wording. Roofing is work at height, often with heat and open roofs, so expect detailed questions when you apply, and if you employ anyone, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement as well.

What can go wrong on a roofing job?

Roofers work above people, cars and other buildings, and with the roof open to the weather. The realistic risks include:

• A slate, tile, tool or piece of debris falling onto a passer by, a parked car or a conservatory.
• Rain getting in when a roof is stripped and the temporary covering fails overnight.
• A fire started by a gas torch while laying torch on felt on a flat roof.
• Damage to gutters, aerials, solar panels or a neighbour’s roof while you work.
• Someone walking under or into scaffolding and being hurt.
• Disturbing asbestos cement sheets or other asbestos on older buildings.

The safety record shows why insurers treat roofing with care. HSE says roof work accounts for a quarter of all deaths in the construction industry, and that falls through fragile materials such as rooflights and asbestos cement roofing sheets account for more of these deaths than any other single cause. HSE also says buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000 may contain asbestos, and that around 5,000 people die every year from asbestos related diseases.

Example. Gareth runs a roofing firm with one employee. They strip half the tiles from a terraced house on a Friday and sheet the roof with tarpaulins for the weekend. A storm overnight on Saturday tears one tarpaulin loose, and rain soaks the bedroom ceilings, carpets and the family’s furniture. The family’s home insurer pays for the repairs and then claims the money back from Gareth, arguing the roof was not properly protected. Without public liability cover he would face that claim himself. With cover, his insurer would deal with it, subject to the policy terms, any conditions about weatherproofing, and his excess.

Which covers fit a roofer’s work?

Roofers usually combine several covers. The right mix depends on whether you employ people, use heat, own scaffolding or take on larger contracts.

Cover	What it deals with	Who it fits
Public liability	Injury to other people and damage to their property caused by your work	Every roofer working on homes, businesses or sites
Employers’ liability	Compensation if an employee is injured or becomes ill because of the work they do for you	Compulsory once you employ staff, with cover of at least £5 million
Contract works	Damage to the roof you are working on and materials on site before handover	Reroofing, new roofs and contracts that ask you to insure the works
Plant and scaffolding	Damage to or theft of scaffolding, hoists and other equipment you own or hire	Roofers who own or hire access equipment
Tools and equipment	Theft of or damage to hand and power tools	Anyone who relies on their own kit
Professional indemnity	Claims that your design or advice was wrong and caused a financial loss	Roofers who specify roof systems or advise for a fee

See our guides to public liability insurance, contractors all risks insurance and employers’ liability requirements for more on each cover. GOV.UK says you do not need employers’ liability insurance if the only person you employ is a family member, such as a husband, wife, son or brother.

What will clients and main contractors ask for?

Homeowners may ask to see your public liability certificate, especially where scaffolding goes up next to a neighbour’s property. Letting agents, housing associations, councils, schools and commercial clients may ask for public liability, employers’ liability and sometimes contract works cover before you start, and may set a minimum limit in their contract. Main contractors may ask subcontracting roofers for the same, plus method statements and risk assessments for the work at height.

Read the insurance clause in any contract before you sign. If a client asks for a higher limit than you hold, ask us to check the policy can be changed before the job starts. Our page on how much public liability insurance you need explains how limits are chosen.

How do work at height rules affect your insurance?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 aim to prevent death and injury from a fall from height, and insurers will want to know how you comply. HSE says all roofs, once fixed, should be treated as fragile until a competent person has confirmed they are not, and that contractors and employers must manage the danger by avoiding work on or near fragile surfaces. HSE says falls through fragile surfaces account for 22% of all fall from height fatal injuries in the construction industry.

HSE also says winds above 23mph (Force 5) will affect a person’s balance, that roof work should be avoided in poor weather, and that a construction scaffold should be inspected before it is first used and then every 7 days. Keep your risk assessments, scaffold inspection records and photographs of each job, because they are what an insurer will rely on to defend a claim.

GOV.UK guidance on building work in the home also says replacing the roof covering on a pitched or flat roof is notifiable building work, and that installers registered with schemes such as CompetentRoofer or NAPIT can self certify it. Tell your insurer which schemes you belong to.

Does heat work or torch on felt affect your cover?

Yes, it can. Many roofers use gas torches for felt and some flat roof systems. Some policies set conditions for heat work, such as keeping an extinguisher to hand, clearing combustible material and checking the area for a set time after finishing, and a claim may be affected if those conditions are not followed. What applies depends on the policy wording. Tell the insurer whether you use heat and how often, and keep a simple record of the checks you make.

What drives the price of cover for a roofer?

• The type of work: repairs, reroofing, flat roofing with heat, industrial cladding, or fitting solar panels.
• The maximum height you work at and the kinds of buildings you work on.
• Whether you use heat, and what share of your work involves it.
• The limit of indemnity you choose for each claim.
• Your turnover, wage roll and use of subcontractors.
• Your claims history and how long you have been trading.
• The excess you agree to pay.

What should you have ready when you ask for a quote?

• Your business name, trading status and years trading.
• A description of your work, including the share of flat roofing, heat work and commercial jobs.
• Estimated turnover, wages and subcontractor payments for the next 12 months.
• The maximum height you work at and whether you erect your own scaffolding.
• The limits your clients or contracts ask for.
• Any claims or incidents in the last five years, including those that did not lead to a payment.

Answer every question fully. Section 3 of the Insurance Act 2015 requires a business to make a fair presentation of the risk before the policy starts, including every material circumstance it knows or ought to know. Our guide to fair presentation explains this. Solar Protect is an FCA authorised insurance broker: ask us for a quote and we will look for cover that fits your work, or call 01795 841 310, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Frequently asked questions

Does public liability cover water getting in through a roof I am working on?

It depends on the policy wording. Some policies cover damage to the client’s home and contents caused by rain getting in, but set conditions on how the roof must be protected while open. Read those conditions and follow them on every job.

Do I need employers’ liability insurance for a labourer?

Yes, if they are your employee, unless an exemption applies, such as employing only a family member. GOV.UK says you can be fined £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured, and could be fined £1,000 if you do not display your certificate.

Can I fit solar panels under a roofing policy?

Only if the insurer knows and agrees. Solar panel work combines roof work with electrical work, so describe both. Our page for electricians covers the electrical side.

Is a builder’s policy enough if I do some roofing?

Only if the policy wording includes roof work at the heights you work at. Our page for builders explains how general building cover is put together.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Employers liability insurance
• HSE: Workers
• legislation.gov.uk: 3
• HSE: Hsg33
• HSE: Fragile
• HSE: Faq height
• GOV.UK: Building work replacements and repairs to your home
• HSE: Indg401

Reviewed by Christine Anderson, Broker, Solar Protect. Last reviewed 10 November 2026. Solar Protect is the trading name of Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This page is general information, not personal advice.