A market guide for independent insurance agents. Last reviewed: June 2026.
Roofing splits into a GL problem and a WC problem. The GL is mostly E&S/binding business with well-defined programs — and well-defined no-go zones (NY's scaffold law keeps most programs out of New York entirely; Amwins also excludes Cook County, IL). The WC is harder: most standard markets decline roofers outright, leaving specialist carriers, state funds (averaging ~$29.50/$100 vs ~$9.90-$15.25 private), or the PEO route.
New ventures are placeable: BTIS and Pathpoint both bind new artisan contractors, and Prime openly takes the hot-tar and distressed accounts everyone else excludes.
Markets identified through editorial research (June 2026) and agent placement discussions. Items marked "verify" carry details we could not confirm at the primary source.
| Market / Program | Type | How Agents Access It | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amwins Underwriting — Roofing Operations | E&S program | Via Amwins | Commercial + residential roofers; $1M/$2M primary, lead excess to $10M; AI/WOS per contract; drone-inspection coverage. $10,000 minimum premium. Not in AK, HI, NY state, Cook County IL. |
| BTIS | Binding platform (A-rated carriers) | Retail agents, 38 states | Small-contractor and new-venture-friendly GL incl. roofers; excess available. |
| Prime Insurance Company | E&S | Direct / wholesale | Hot tar and high-risk applications, fail-to-tarp coverage — the distressed-roofer market. |
| Pathpoint | Digital E&S | Free agent portal | Instant bindable GL for contractor classes incl. new ventures. |
| Crum & Forster E&S | E&S | Wholesale | Artisan trades incl. roofing within construction liability appetite. |
| WC: Frank Winston Crum / BH GUARD / ICW / Lion (SPLI) | Admitted WC | Appointed agents | The short list of WC markets actively considering roofing; FWC is FL-centric. |
| WC: PEO route (SUNZ/UWIC, Vensure) | Co-employment | PEO brokers | Often the most cost-effective roofing comp solution, especially with mod problems. |
| State funds | Last resort | Direct | Default in many states at roughly 2-3x private rates. |
Real placement discussions from independent agents about roofing contractor insurance.
BTIS and Pathpoint both handle new-venture artisan contractors; expect E&S paper, contractor warranties, and sub-certificate requirements from day one.
Loss severity. The active markets are Frank Winston Crum, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD, ICW, and Lion via SPLI — plus PEOs (SUNZ, Vensure) and state funds. Private rates run ~$9.90-$15.25/$100; state funds average ~$29.50.
Prime Insurance openly accepts hot-tar and high-risk application methods. Most program forms exclude open-flame work — ask before you bind, not at the claim.