Are you happy with your insurance coverage? If you are a roofing contractor, insurance is a crucial part of your business. You should know that there is no "one size fits all” coverage for roofing businesses. If you chose your insurance company based solely on price and coverage, you may be missing out on important services that only working with an insurance brokerage can provide. For true peace of mind about your livelihood, your employees, and your business, the best option is to find a broker who can help you access customized commercial insurance coverage for roofing.

Customized commercial insurance involves a process of assessment. A good broker from a company that offers this option will first spend some time with you and your employees to get an understanding of the types of work you do. Next, your broker may send a safety specialist to your job sites in order to observe employees and how they work. This specialist will then be able to address specific ways in which your business can reduce its exposure to risk.

The Cost of Accidents

Construction is the most dangerous sector of Canadian industries, resulting in more accidental deaths and serious injuries than another other type of work. Ontario accounts for nearly 40% of these accidents. Roofing, because of the heights involved, is inherently treacherous. A quick glance at the news reveals many high-profile roofing accidents in recent years, including a death that occurred when a roofer fell through the skylight at the home of former BC premier Gordon Campbell.

For an employee, an accidental fall or other roofing accident can be devastating, resulting in death, paralysis, incapacitation, or injuries that end their working career. However, an accident can also be very costly to your business in a number of different ways, including:

·       Psychological costs. When an employee is injured or killed, everyone in your company – including you -- feels the impact. Employees may blame the company for not protecting the worker. This can also have an effect on your ability to hire good workers in the future.

·       Financial costs. Any type of accident on a job site interrupts work. The accident may also cause damage that needs to be repaired, or take employees away from the job to talk to accident investigators.

·       Market image costs. No one wants to be associated with a firm that has a poor safety track record. One or more serious accidents can badly impact your ability to win bids on future jobs.

Legal Obligations

In Ontario, there are strict guidelines in place for health and safety in the construction workplace. Safe practices include such preventive measures as: using a fall-arrest system attached to an adequate rooftop anchor when a fall of more than three metres is possible, following guidelines on ladder use, employing barriers on flat roofs to make workers aware of the roof’s edges, ensuring measures are in place to prevent material from falling on workers, and keeping surfaces free from debris and slippery conditions. A good commercial insurance broker keeps abreast of all legal obligations and safety guidelines, and can help to ensure that your company is in compliance.

Contact a brokerage company specializing in customized commercial insurance coverage for roofing today, and protect your employees, your property, and your livelihood.