Trust and Verification
How to Actually Verify a Roofing Contractor's Insurance in Texas (Not Just Ask)
Texas does not legally require roofing contractors to carry general liability insurance, and Texas is the only state where private employers - including roofing contractors - aren't required to carry workers' compensation insurance at all. That makes verification your responsibility, not a guarantee built into the law: ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI), then call the insurance company listed on it directly to confirm the policy is actually active, rather than trusting the document alone.
Direct Answer
Texas does not legally require roofing contractors to carry general liability insurance, and Texas is the only state where private employers - including roofing contractors - aren't required to carry workers' compensation insurance at all. That makes verification your responsibility, not a guarantee built into the law: ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI), then call the insurance company listed on it directly to confirm the policy is actually active, rather than trusting the document alone.
Why asking isn't the same as verifying - and how to actually verify
A contractor telling you they're insured, or even handing you a document, isn't the same as confirming it. Here's the actual gap in Texas law and the real steps that close it.
- Texas doesn't require general liability insurance for roofing contractors by law - the industry standard many reputable contractors carry voluntarily is around $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, but that's a norm, not a legal mandate.
- Texas is the only state where private employers, including roofing contractors, are not legally required to carry workers' compensation insurance at all - meaning a contractor can legally operate without it, which shifts real liability risk onto you if an uninsured worker is injured on your property.
- A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is the standard document a contractor should provide showing their coverage types and limits - but a COI by itself only proves a policy existed when it was issued, not that it's still active today.
- The actual verification step: call the insurance company or agent listed on the COI directly, using the number printed on the document rather than one the contractor gives you separately, and confirm the policy is currently active and hasn't been cancelled.
- If a contractor is reluctant to provide a COI, or provides one you can't independently verify with the insurer, treat that as a real red flag - not a formality you can skip to save time.
- Workers' compensation coverage protects you as the homeowner too: if an uninsured worker is injured on your property and their employer carries no workers' comp, you could face real liability exposure - verifying it isn't just about protecting the contractor's crew.
What to do with a Certificate of Insurance once you have one
- Call the insurer or agent listed on the COI directly - don't rely on a phone number the contractor hands you separately, since that defeats the purpose of independent verification.
- Confirm the policy's effective dates cover your entire project timeline, not just the date the COI was issued.
- Ask specifically whether workers' compensation is included, since Texas law doesn't require it and many legitimate-seeming contractors operate without it.
- This is general guidance on how to verify insurance documentation, not a guarantee about any specific contractor - always do this verification yourself rather than relying on a contractor's word alone.
Sources
The data above is cited directly from these publishers - follow the links to read the original reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas law require roofing contractors to carry insurance?
No. Texas doesn't legally require roofing contractors to carry general liability insurance, and it's the only state where private employers aren't required to carry workers' compensation insurance at all. Verification is on the homeowner, not guaranteed by state law.
Is a Certificate of Insurance (COI) enough proof that a contractor is currently insured?
Not by itself. A COI shows what coverage existed when it was issued, but policies can lapse or be cancelled afterward. Calling the insurer or agent listed on the COI directly to confirm the policy is still active is the actual verification step.
Why does it matter to me if a contractor's workers aren't covered by workers' compensation?
If an uninsured worker is injured on your property and their employer carries no workers' comp, you as the homeowner could face real liability exposure - which is why verifying this coverage protects you, not just the contractor's crew.