The Insurance Certificate Should Come From the Agent

A roofing proposal can look complete and still leave out one document that changes the comparison: a current certificate of insurance sent by the insurance agent. A PDF attached by the salesperson is not enough by itself. It may be genuine but expired, issued for a different company name, or tied to a policy that was later canceled. Before you choose a roofer, ask the contractor's insurance agency to send the certificate directly to you. Then compare the insured name, coverage dates, and policy types with the company named on your contract.

Roofer comparison

Start with the legal name. The contractor named as the insured should match the business that will sign your agreement and receive your payment. Small differences deserve a question. A trade name may belong to a corporation or limited liability company, but the relationship should be clear in writing. If the proposal says one company, the certificate names another, and the check is payable to a third, stop until the contractor explains the arrangement.

A certificate commonly lists commercial general liability coverage. That coverage generally addresses accidental property damage or bodily injury arising from the contractor's operations, subject to the actual policy terms and exclusions. It is not a promise that every roofing problem will be paid. It does not replace the workmanship obligations in the contract, and it does not tell you whether the roofer will return to correct a poorly installed flashing detail.

Workers' compensation is a separate line. Ask whether it applies to the people who will perform the work, including any subcontracted crew. Roofing involves ladders, steep surfaces, pneumatic tools, and bundles carried above occupied rooms. The question is not whether a salesperson says that everyone is covered. The question is which employer covers each worker and whether that coverage is active on the scheduled work date.

A certificate is evidence of coverage on the date it is issued. It is not the policy, and it does not alter the policy. Read the disclaimer printed on the form. If a job has been delayed for several weeks, confirm coverage again before materials arrive. A policy that was active when you accepted a proposal might expire before the tear-off begins.

Ask about roofing operations specifically. A general contractor may carry liability insurance while its policy limits or excludes certain roofing work. The homeowner does not need to interpret every endorsement, but the contractor's agent can confirm whether the policy applies to the roofing operations described in the proposal. Ask in writing and keep the response with the contract.

Also ask who is performing the work. If the bidder uses a subcontractor, request the subcontractor's legal name and certificate. The prime contractor's certificate does not automatically answer every question about a separate company's employees and operations. This matters more than the logo on the truck. It tells you which businesses are actually connected to the people on your roof.

Certificate holder is not the same as additional insured

Homeowners often see their name in the certificate holder box and assume that it creates special coverage. It usually does not. That box identifies the party receiving evidence of insurance. Additional insured status is different and normally depends on the policy, an endorsement, and the written agreement between the parties.

For an ordinary residential roof replacement, you can ask the agent what each designation means instead of requesting unfamiliar insurance language from the salesperson. If your lender, property manager, trust, or another contract requires additional insured status, provide that requirement before signing. Do not assume that writing your name near the bottom of a certificate satisfies it.

Limits do not answer every question

Two roofers may show the same liability limit and still carry materially different policies. Exclusions, classifications, effective dates, and the identity of the named insured matter. A large number in the limit column should not end the review.

Ask the agent whether the policy is written on an occurrence basis or another basis, whether roofing is included in the insured operations, and whether the certificate reflects current coverage. You are not trying to conduct an insurance audit. You are checking whether the document fits the contractor, the work, and the dates in front of you.

What it costs

Requesting and verifying a certificate should not add a separate line to a residential roofing estimate. Insurance is part of a contractor's operating cost, so it is already reflected somewhere in the price. A bidder with appropriate coverage may carry more overhead than a person working without it. That difference cannot be isolated by subtracting one proposal total from another, but it is one reason a low number deserves examination rather than immediate acceptance.

Insurance also should not be confused with a bond, a workmanship promise, or a manufacturer's warranty. Each addresses a different risk. A liability policy is not a fund for finishing an abandoned roof. A shingle manufacturer's coverage does not answer for damaged landscaping. A contractor's written workmanship obligation does not prove that bodily injury coverage exists.

The local permit process does not settle this question either. Greater St. Louis is divided among many municipal permit desks, and their requirements are not identical. A city or county accepting a permit application does not relieve the homeowner of checking the contractor's current insurance documents. The permit and the certificate belong in the same project file, but one is not a substitute for the other.

This check is useful on both repairs and replacements. A small repair can still put a worker on an icy eave or above a finished room. St. Louis freeze thaw cycles can loosen flashing and make shaded slopes slick. Hail season can fill contractor schedules quickly, leading companies to add crews or subcontract work. Confirm the actual crew arrangement instead of assuming it is unchanged from the day of the estimate.

What to ask

Send the contractor a short written request before you sign. It can be plain:

Please have your insurance agent send me a current certificate showing the legal name of the company on this proposal, commercial general liability coverage, and workers' compensation coverage. If another company will supply the roofing crew, please identify that company and provide its certificate too.

When the documents arrive, check them against a short list:

1. Named insured: Does it correspond to the company signing the roofing agreement?
2. Producer: Did the document come from an identifiable insurance agency rather than only from the salesperson?
3. Effective dates: Will the listed policies remain active through the expected work period?
4. Coverage lines: Are commercial general liability and workers' compensation shown, or has the agent explained why a line is absent?
5. Operations: Has the agent confirmed that the policy applies to the roofing work being proposed?
6. Crew: If a subcontractor will install the roof, have you received that company's legal name and insurance evidence?

If the roofer resists sending the request to the agent, treat that as comparison information. The same applies if the company says workers are independent contractors but will not identify their employer or explain whose coverage applies. You do not need to accuse anyone of being uninsured. You need a clear answer before strangers begin removing shingles above your house.

Keep the certificate, the agent's email, the signed proposal, photographs, measurements, product selections, permit record, change orders, and final invoice together. For a Keys Roofing proposal, the shingle selection should identify Atlas or Malarkey products as applicable. Insurance documentation still stands on its own and should match the contracting entity and the people assigned to the work.

Call the agency using independently confirmed contact information if anything appears inconsistent. Ask whether the policy shown is currently active and whether the certificate was issued by that office. Do not ask the agent to predict whether a hypothetical loss would be covered. Coverage decisions depend on the policy and the facts of an event. Your immediate question is narrower: is this contractor presently insured for the roofing operation being proposed?

Make this check before paying money or approving material delivery. Once pallets are in the driveway and the crew is scheduled, delaying the project becomes harder. If you are comparing a Keys Roofing proposal with another bid and need the contractor information clarified, call (314) 220-2333. Ask for the certificate to be sent from the insurance agency, then compare the names and dates with the proposal in your hand.