A bond isn't insurance for your project
A contractor bond is a guarantee the state can draw against if the contractor violates licensing rules or leaves certain claims unresolved; it isn't a policy that pays out every dispute automatically, and it's usually a fixed amount that has to stretch across every claim filed against that contractor, not just yours.[1]
What the bond amounts actually are
California requires a $25,000 bond for a C-39 roofing license. Washington requires a $15,000 bond for a specialty contractor registration, raised from $6,000 in July 2024. Neither figure guarantees your specific claim gets paid in full if it's a large one or if others have already filed against the same bond.[2],[3]
Insurance covers different risks than the bond
General liability insurance is what typically pays for damage a crew causes to your property during the job. Workers' compensation covers an injury to a worker on your site; in California, C-39 roofers must carry it regardless of whether they have employees, a stricter rule than many other trades face.[1]
How to actually check any of this
A state license lookup will typically show whether a bond is on file. For insurance, ask the contractor directly for a certificate of insurance naming their carrier, and, if you're concerned, call the carrier to confirm the policy is active rather than taking a photocopy at face value.[1]
You can also ask to be named as an additional insured, or at least to be sent a certificate that lists your address and job as the covered project, which is a routine request most established companies can fill quickly, and a slow or evasive response to it is worth noting on its own, independent of anything else about the bid.
What happens if you actually need to file a bond claim
A homeowner claim against a contractor bond typically has to go through a formal process, sometimes a superior court judgment first, and the payout is capped at whatever's left of that bond after any other pending claims against the same contractor are settled.[1]
That's a slower, more limited path than most people expect going in, which is exactly why checking the license, bond, and insurance before signing matters more than knowing how to file a claim after something goes wrong. A small claims filing against the contractor directly is sometimes faster than a bond claim, depending on the amount in dispute.