Recently I needed to remove a large dead Douglas fir tree from my yard. A friend recommended a guy he knew, who would do the job cheap “on the side” with no company backing him. If I had agreed to allow him to remove the tree and he became injured or my neighbor’s property was damaged in the process, I would have been liable for the damages. I found it ironic that I was removing the tree to take away any risk of it damaging either my home or my
neighbors and a friend recommended I have it done “on the side” whereby I would be completely liable again.
There are many uninsured workers out there who can complete your job less expensively than reputable businesses. The reason for this is that they are not paying the expensive WorkSafe BC and liability insurance that the reputable business must. In some cases they are not carrying commercial insurance on their vehicles. Roofing is a high risk occupation and as such commands significant WorkSafe BC premiums. A badly installed roof can cause substantial damage to your home, which necessitates expensive liability insurance.
Are you protected?
If the workers you hire are not protected by WorkSafe BC then they are protected by you. That basically means if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property you are liable for the injury and damages. It is in your best interest as a prospective customer to make sure your selected roofing company carries adequate liability insurance and WorkSafe BC to protect you from legal responsibility.
Most Roofing companies will fall under the steep slope roofing insurance category because that is the highest risk category and the only way to be covered for all roofs. The WorkSafeBC website has more info on the costs per worker for steep sloped roofer injuries.
If you chose to hire workers that do not have liability or Worksafe BC coverage, then you become the insurance.
What can you do to protect yourself? You can ask for proof of liability insurance and you can request a clearance
letter online which will assure you of a company’s WorkSafe BC status.