Toledo Roofers: Article About What To Know About Roofers' Insurance

Any informed customer should check that roofing contractors and indeed any kind of service providers meet a few basic criteria before signing any contracts. At the bare minimum, a reputable roofing company will be insured, licensed and bonded. While the terms may be familiar to more seasoned homeowners and consumers, it's worth understanding exactly what the terms mean. In particular, it's often advisable to ask a few follow up questions to nail down exactly what kind of insurance a given roofer holds. Putting a little extra time into research early on can save huge amounts of time, energy and money down the line.

Most reliable Toledo roofers clearly indicate that they are insured as well as bonded and licensed. Bonding refers to the financial backing of a bank or other financial institution, should the company fail to provide the promised services and thereby cost the client. Licensing refers to the contractor's fulfillment of certain educational and operational requirements set by the state or federal government. Finally, insurance refers to the company's general liability insurance. This coverage applies to any damage that the contracting company or its employees cause to the client's property.

For example, should the roofing crew accidentally knock over a precious garden statue while removing old roofing material, the contractor would cover the cost of the garden statue. In essence, general liability insurance covers any damages to the client's property.

While it's always advisable to work with contractors who carry general liability insurance, that isn't the only form of coverage that they should carry. It's also a good idea to confirm that any prospective contractor carries workers' compensation insurance. This form of insurance is generally required by law. However, some unscrupulous contractors may attempt to avoid paying for it. Whereas general liability insurance covers damage to the clients' property, workers' compensation covers any harm caused to the employees of the company. When hiring roofers to come and work on one's own property, this consideration becomes vitally important. Should any accidents befall the crew of a roofing company without workers' compensation, the hospitalization bills could actually be the responsibility of the homeowner. The reasoning is that, in the absence of worker's compensation insurance, the owner of the property where the accident occurred is liable for damages.

Adequate insurance coverage is vital to protecting the homeowner during any kind of roofing work. As an additional measure for even greater peace of mind, it's a good idea to ask about warranties on the workmanship and the materials used, whether provided by the roofing contractor or by the material manufacturers.