Cedar Shake Roofing Contractor Insurance

Risks Specific to This Sub-Trade

Fire liability is the dominant concern for cedar shake contractors, with claims arising from installations in fire-prone areas or failures to install required fire-retardant-treated materials. Code compliance varies dramatically by jurisdiction, and installing cedar shakes where prohibited or without required treatments creates statutory liability. Material moisture content and storage conditions directly affect long-term performance, creating completed operations claims when improperly stored shakes curl, split, or deteriorate prematurely. The manual splitting and fitting process creates higher laceration and repetitive stress injury rates than standard roofing materials.

Coverages This Sub-Trade Needs

Carriers That Write This Sub-Trade

Cedar shake roofing is a restricted class in many markets due to fire liability concerns. Admitted carriers that will write it include Cincinnati Financial and select Travelers programs, but only for contractors demonstrating strict fire-code compliance. E&S carriers like Kinsale handle accounts in fire-prone regions or those with less established track records. Carriers universally require documentation of fire-retardant treatment compliance and code verification processes.

What Disqualifies an Account

Any completed operations claim involving fire damage to a cedar shake roof installed without required treatments is an industry-wide declination. Contractors operating in WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) zones without documented compliance protocols face automatic rejection. Operations that cannot provide evidence of material sourcing from CSSB (Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau) certified manufacturers signal quality concerns to underwriters.

Premium Range

Cedar shake specialists at $250K-$500K revenue typically pay $8,000-$18,000, with rates elevated above standard shingle due to the restricted market. Mid-size operations at $700K-$1.5M pay $20,000-$45,000 with fire liability driving the rate. Established cedar shake firms above $2M should expect $50,000-$100,000, with geographic concentration in fire-prone areas adding 20-35% to base rates.