Workers’ Comp for Roofing Contractors

Workers’ Comp Insurance for Roofing Contractors

Q: How much does workers' comp cost for a roofing company?

It depends on your state, payroll, class code, typically 5551, and experience mod. Roofing is widely known as one of the highest-rated construction trades given the real fall risk involved.

Q: What NCCI class code do roofers fall under?

Most roofing work is classified under NCCI code 5551, Roofing, All Kinds, though some states use 5552 for steep or other roofing variants.

CompShield is an independent workers’ comp agency, not tied to a single carrier, and we specialize in nothing but workers’ comp. Roofing is consistently one of the highest-rated classifications in construction, and it’s also one of the industries most exposed to uninsured-subcontractor risk. We get your classification and your certificate tracking right, not a generic construction quote.

Roofers had a fatality rate roughly 15 times the all-occupations average in recent BLS data, and 84% of those deaths were from falls. That severity is exactly why roofing carries some of the highest workers’ comp rates of any construction trade.

The Real Risk

Falls Drive Both Fatalities and Premium

BLS data recorded 113 roofer fatalities in 2023, with 95, 84%, caused by falls, slips, and trips. The roofing contractors industry overall saw 134 workplace deaths that year, an 8% increase from 2022. OSHA’s fall protection standard requires protection at 6 feet or more for roofing work, low-slope roofs need guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems, and steep roofs require guardrails with toeboards, nets, or fall arrest, a warning line alone isn’t sufficient there.

This severity is exactly why roofing is widely regarded as carrying among the highest workers’ comp rates of any construction classification.

Roofers face a fatality rate roughly 15 times the all-occupations average, and 84% of roofer deaths in 2023 were fall-related.

Sources: BLS, Fatal Falls in Construction, 2023, OSHA 1926.501, Fall Protection

Classification

Uninsured Subs Are a Known Compliance Hot Spot

Roofing work is commonly classified under NCCI Class Code 5551, “Roofing, All Kinds,” with some states using 5552 for steep or other roofing variants. Real rates vary by state and carrier, we won’t quote a specific number until we’ve reviewed your actual operation.

Roofing is a well-documented compliance hot spot for subcontractor coverage specifically. Most states place statutory liability up the chain, if an uninsured sub gets hurt, the general or prime contractor typically becomes financially responsible, and carriers routinely require a valid certificate of insurance from every sub before excluding their payroll from your audit.

Sources: NCCI Class Code 5551 reference

Pricing

How Much Does Workers’ Comp Cost for a Roofing Contractor?

Payroll ÷ 100 × Class Code Rate × Experience Mod = Premium

Payroll. Your total insurable payroll, correctly reported under code 5551 or your state’s variant.
Class code rate. Roofing is widely known as one of the highest-rated construction classifications, given the real fall-related severity.
Uninsured subs. A sub without a valid certificate of insurance gets treated as your own payroll at audit, and you may carry direct liability if they’re hurt on your job.

We won’t publish a fake average, real numbers come from your specific payroll and state.

Get Your Real Number

Common Questions

Workers’ Comp for Roofing Contractors, Answered

It depends on your state, payroll, class code (typically 5551), and experience mod. Roofing is widely known as one of the highest-rated construction trades given the real fall risk involved.

Roofers face a fatality rate roughly 15 times the all-occupations average, and the vast majority of those deaths are fall-related. Rates reflect that real, elevated severity.

Most roofing work is classified under NCCI code 5551, “Roofing, All Kinds,” though some states use 5552 for steep or other roofing variants.

Roofing is a well-documented compliance hot spot here. Even if you use only subs, most states place liability on you if an uninsured sub is hurt, and their pay typically gets reclassified as your own payroll at audit.

Their payments typically get added to your own audited payroll, and depending on your state, you may carry direct liability for their injury. Requiring a current certificate of insurance before work starts protects both sides.

Yes, falls are the leading cause of roofing injuries and fatalities, and are generally covered as on-the-job injuries regardless of fault.

This depends on your state. Some let a sole owner with no employees opt out; others still require coverage given the elevated risk in roofing specifically. It’s worth confirming your specific state’s rule.

Your mod compares your claims history to similar roofing contractors. Given how high-severity roofing claims tend to be, a single serious incident can move your mod more sharply than in a lower-risk trade.

Yes. New businesses are typically quoted on estimated payroll for the first policy term, then trued up at audit once real payroll numbers are in.

Where We Cover This Trade

Roofing Coverage, State by State

We’re licensed in 28 states. Here’s where we’re actively writing workers’ comp for roofing contractors right now.

Texas
Florida
Pennsylvania
Georgia
Indiana
See All 28 Licensed States →

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