When a storm rips something off the roof, the claim finds its way back to you.
Roofing puts you above other people's property and their heads, working with materials that are supposed to stay put through years of weather. When flashing lifts or sheeting fails after a storm, the first question is whose work let it happen. Cover built for a trade where the site risk is literal, and the completed-work risk shows up years later.
Where a roofer actually gets exposed
Roofing carries a heavier public liability exposure than most trades, because the work itself involves height, weather, and materials that can move if they weren't fixed properly. It also carries a real product liability exposure, because a roof is judged on how it performs for years, not just on the day it's finished.
Materials blown off in a storm
Roofing sheets you installed lift in a storm and land on a parked car and a neighbour's fence. The question becomes whether they were fixed to the standard the job required.
The leak found after the next big rain
A re-roof is finished and signed off. The first heavy rain months later finds a gap in the flashing, and water gets into the ceiling and walls before anyone notices.
Hot work near flammable roofing materials
Welding or hot work as part of a metal roof job ignites insulation or debris in the roof space, causing a fire that spreads faster than expected in an occupied building.
Who's going to ask you for it
Head contractors and insurers both check
Roofing sits high on the risk list for head contractors and their own insurers, which pushes the requirement onto you before work starts:
- Head contractors on new builds typically want $10M-$20M public liability before a roofer is engaged.
- Body corporates want a current certificate before roof work on shared or multi-storey buildings.
- Asbestos removal work, where applicable, often triggers additional licensing and cover requirements.
The exclusion roofers assume is covered
A leak found months after the job is a defect in the finished work, not an accident that happened while you were on site. That's a product liability claim, and it's easy to assume standard public liability already covers it. It's also worth checking whether asbestos removal, if you do it, is specifically included rather than assumed.
Common questions
A storm ripped off sheeting I installed years ago. Is that my problem?
It depends on whether the fixing method met the required standard at the time. If it did and the storm was genuinely extreme, that's usually the property owner's own insurance. If the fixing was inadequate, it can come back to you as a completed-operations claim.
Does my cover include asbestos removal?
Not automatically. If asbestos removal is part of your re-roofing work, tell us specifically so we can confirm it's included and check the licensing requirements that go with it.
What's the difference between a site accident and a completed-work claim for roofing?
A site accident happens while you're actually working, like something falling while you're up there. A completed-work claim shows up after the job's finished and signed off, like a leak found in the first storm. Both need to be covered, but they're different exposures.
Do I need higher cover for multi-storey or commercial roofs?
Usually, yes. The potential damage and injury from work at greater heights or over larger areas is higher, and body corporates and commercial clients often set higher minimum limits accordingly.
I subcontract most of my labour. Does that change what I need?
It can. If you're engaging subcontractors, check whether they hold their own cover or whether your policy needs to extend to their work, since you're still likely to be the first point of contact for a claim.