What insurance should a GA roofing contractor carry?
Short answer. A Georgia roofer working on your home should carry general liability insurance, which pays for damage the crew causes to your property, and workers' compensation for its workers. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the roofer's insurance agent, then check the dates, the limits, and that the company named matches your contract.
The two policies that protect you
- General liability. Pays for damage the contractor causes, such as a dropped bundle through a skylight, a tarp that fails during an overnight storm, or a scratched car in the driveway. A limit of $1 million per occurrence is common for residential roofers.
- Workers' compensation. Georgia requires employers with three or more employees, including regular part-time workers, to carry it. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your roof, the claim can end up aimed at you and your homeowners policy.
How to verify it
- Ask the roofer's insurance agent to email the certificate of insurance to you directly.
- Check that the policy dates cover your job and the business name matches your contract.
- Ask to be named as the certificate holder, which documents that coverage existed when you hired them.
- Confirm the local business license with your city or county. Georgia has no separate state roofing license, so local records and permits matter more.
Red flags
- A certificate that is expired, or that comes from the roofer's own printer instead of the agent.
- A sole owner with no workers' compensation while a full crew shows up.
- An out-of-state storm crew whose policies do not list Georgia.
- Pressure to sign before you can verify anything.
Insurance is one part of vetting a roofer after a storm. Our guide to storm chaser roofing scams covers the rest, and whether to call the insurer or the roofer first explains the order of steps on a claim.