Josh Cotner and The Contractor’s Choice Agency have been helping homeowners and roofing contractors with their insurance policies since 2005.
In 2024, having proper insurance coverage is more important than ever, but when homeowners are looking to hire a roofing contractor, it’s equally important that they verify that their preferred roofing contractor is actually covered.
Prior to the project beginning, homeowners should ask roofing contractors for proof of insurance.
Cotner says this will come as an Accord 25 form, and it will have several places for endorsements to be listed.
“As a homeowner, you want to make sure that your insurance agent sends those endorsements to the carrier, and that you are added as an additional insured on a primary basis,” the nationally respected Cotner explains.
“This is because we have found that some carriers won’t get a notification that a homeowner has been added to the policy, and then sometimes homeowners get sued because a contractor does a bad job or the contractor’s employees will get hurt on the job site.”
For reference, Cotner and his team at The Contractor’s Choice Agency can provide homeowners a sample certificate that they can ask their roofing contractor to complete.
“Again, homeowners can also ask a roofing contractor for a copy of their insurance policy,” Cotner mentions, adding that homeowners should also be aware that some roofing contractors will forge their insurance policy to avoid paying costly premiums every month.
“Some roofing contractors will commit fraud by going online and buying improper insurance through an app, and then providing fraudulent certification to the public.”
For context, the majority of roofing contractors will not do this, particularly if they have been in business for many years and have fostered a stellar reputation, but there are also shady roofing contractors who will disregard the law and consequently subject themselves to up to seven years in prison and a $250,000 fine, just so they can make some quick money.
For his part, Cotner wants to eradicate these suspect characters from the roofing industry and protect homeowners.
“I’m tired of roofing contractors ripping off homeowners and not providing the right insurance,” says Cotner, who after nearly two decades in insurance has witnessed firsthand innumerable ways roofers try to game insurance carriers.
“What I do is not always fun or exciting, but by going through these extra steps I am better able to protect homeowners.”
Again, most roofing contractors will not devise elaborate schemes to rip off homeowners, particularly if they have built a sustainable business.
And in most cases, homeowners and roofing contractors agree on a scope of work and everything works out, but for homeowners who want to ensure that they are protected in case of malfeasance, they can arrange to have a performance bond issued, which guarantees that their project will be completed, regardless of circumstances.
“If you want a guarantee on a contract, you can get a bond,” Cotner says.
“For 3.5% of the project cost you can ensure that the roofer will do the job, and if he doesn’t, the bond company will pay another roofing contractor to finish the project.”
At the same time, if a homeowner doesn’t want to issue a performance bond to their roofing contractor, then they could be subjecting themselves to future headaches, even when dealing with a roofing company that is perceived as reputable.
Cotner says that sometimes even roofing contractors with years of experience will struggle to find insurance because in the past they have had expensive claims that will make carriers want to avoid covering them.
In these instances, a roofing contractor may still operate despite being uninsured or underinsured.
“For new roofers, insurance can be slightly more expensive, but they can still get it. For a company that has been in business for a while, it’s definitely easier to get insurance, but if they have had a couple claims, it can be very difficult for them to get coverage,” details Cotner, while also adding that for those roofers he has been able to find them policies despite their past claims.
And it’s not as if Cotner solely aims to capitalize on roofers who are enduring issues finding coverage.
Rather, as an insurance expert who constantly is updating himself on new insurance codes and bylaws, what makes Cotner so invaluable to countless roofing contractors and homeowners is that he understands and can apply information very quickly.
That alone is a big reason why Cotner has been around for so many years, and while he has built a successful insurance agency as a result, his main prerogative is to help homeowners and roofing contractors alike in whatever ways he can.
“Roofing contractors and homeowners can always give me a call. I love helping the general public navigate the nuances of insurance,” he says.
“My team and I are always taking classes so that we are constantly up to date on insurance legalese, and in turn we can disseminate that information to current and future clients in ways that are easy to understand.”
Due to the inherently contentious nature of insurance claims, Cotner has spent a lot of time entangled in lawsuits both against him and his clients, and his vast knowledge and experience have led to high profile clients like the building department in Miami leaning on him for guidance.
“I’m a resource,” Cotner reminds clients.
“People come to me for crucial information both before and during times of need, and that’s because when I’m not learning through experience, I pore through as many insurance documents as I can, to the point where there have been times that I have advised my own lawyer in cases where he may not have the information I do.”
To some, it may seem like Cotner is pro-homeowner, but the reality is his allegiance is to doing what’s right, and in that sense, he understands that roofing contractors can also sometimes be victimized by homeowners with nefarious intentions.
It’s why moving forward he wants to expand the National Contractors Association and produce more content surrounding insurance so that people on both sides are better equipped to navigate insurance claims in the future.
“The overwhelming majority of my clients who are roofing contractors are great people, but they still get burned a lot. I mean, it sucks when they have to go and try to collect from a homeowner who simply won’t pay them, even after they have invested their time, effort, and resources into a project,” Cotner explains.
“In my opinion, this is how some roofing contractors can fall down the wrong path because they will get screwed over, and then they will make decisions that they ordinarily wouldn’t, which leads to a host of other problems.”
Adds the preeminent insurance agent in roofing, who will always be a force for truth, transparency, and overall benevolence:
“Roofing contractors are a massive part of the economy, and if they lobbied correctly and collectively, legislation could be enacted to benefit contractors and keep their insurance costs down.”
“Every day my objective is to keep people safe because safety is profitable. So by facilitating proper insurance coverage, I’m helping both homeowners and roofing contractors get what they want, without it costing them more money or invoking unnecessary legal action.” QS
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As a family-owned business with 53 years of experience in the Twin Cities market, Grussing Roofing specializes in residential roofing, insurance restoration, siding, windows, and gutters.
For homeowners and commercial building owners who are looking to connect with a company that prides themselves on putting customers first, look no further than Eden Prairie-based Grussing Roofing.
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