Roofing

Key Takeaways

  • Age and wear are never covered. Policies cover sudden storm damage from hail, wind, or flying debris. They do not cover deterioration from age, normal wear, or deferred maintenance, and a roof already in poor shape when a storm hits will often have its claim denied on those grounds.
  • Wind and hail frequently carry a separate deductible. In tornado and hail-prone areas, policies commonly set a higher deductible specifically for those claims. Some exclude wind damage entirely unless you pay for a rider that adds it back.
  • RCV and ACV policies pay very differently. A replacement cost value policy covers the full replacement less your deductible. An actual cash value policy pays depreciated value, so a 20-year-old roof on materials rated for 25 years returns only a small fraction of what the work costs.
  • A 20-year-old roof is a hard case. Insurers treat the roof’s overall condition as a contributing factor in the damage. Once a roof reaches that age, the argument that the owner had ample opportunity to replace it becomes the insurer’s position.
  • Get the roof inspected before you call the insurer. A reputable roofing company can tell you the actual extent of the damage and whether repair or replacement is warranted, which puts you in the claim conversation with information rather than questions.

Paying to replace the roof on your home or business is never cheap. That’s one of the main reasons many people put off replacing their roof for far too long, as they either can’t or don’t want to pay the high cost.
There are certain situations where your insurance company may help pay for a roof replacement and lessen the project’s burden on your budget.

Here, we’ll look at what types of roof issues insurance companies typically cover and everything else you need to know about filing an insurance claim for your roof.

What Roof Issues Does Insurance Usually Cover?

Homeowner’s insurance and commercial property insurance policies generally always cover a building’s roof, as it’s obviously considered an integral part of the structure. Nonetheless, exactly what is and isn’t covered can vary from policy to policy. It can also vary based on factors like location, the type of roof, and the type of roofing materials.

The majority of policies cover storm damage, such as from hail, strong winds, or flying debris. However, different policies can have certain limitations, such as areas prone to tornadoes or major hailstorms.

If so, the terms of the policy will often specify that you have to pay a separate and higher deductible when filing a claim for wind or hail damage. Some policies in tornado-prone areas can even have an exclusion that states the insurance company doesn’t cover wind damage at all. In these cases, you’d have to pay extra to have a rider added to the policy that specifically covers wind damage.

The most important thing to note is that insurance policies will never cover roof repairs or replacement if the issues stem from age, normal wear and tear, or neglected lack of maintenance. Let’s say that your roof is already near the end of its life and in fairly poor shape, then gets severely damaged by hail. Sometimes they may work with you, but it’s less than 50%.

In this case, you can be almost certain that your claim will be denied, and you’ll have to pay for the replacement yourself. That’s because the insurance company will claim that the overall condition of the roof was a contributing factor in it getting damaged. If the roof is 20 years old, they gave them the chance to file, but they waited too long.

The other thing you should understand is that insurance companies will rarely cover the full cost of a roof replacement. Roofs are considered a depreciable feature of a home, meaning their value continually decreases over time as a result of wear and tear.
Insurance will normally cover a percentage of the replacement cost if your roof was replaced in the last few years and gets damaged. If it’s a replacement cost value (RCV) policy, they cover it fully. The only thing is deductible. An actual cash value (ACV) policy will pay depreciation.

This is because the value won’t have depreciated all that much in this case. On the other hand, your roof might be 20 years old, and the roofing materials are only rated to last for 25 years. If so, your insurance will only pay a small amount.

Filing a Claim for Roof Repairs or a Replacement

If you suspect that your roof was damaged by a storm, it’s always a good idea to contact a reputable, experienced roofing company and have them inspect the roof before you call your insurance company. One reason is that the roofer will be able to tell you the extent of the damage and whether repairing or replacing the roof is actually necessary.

FAQs

You do. Carriers often maintain preferred vendor programs and may recommend one, and that recommendation is not a requirement. Using a preferred vendor can streamline paperwork, and using your own contractor is equally valid and sometimes better, since a contractor working for you rather than for the carrier represents your interests on scope. What matters is that whoever you choose is willing to walk the roof with the adjuster. Our roof replacement team meets adjusters on the roof as a matter of course.

Because the lender has a financial interest in the property, most carriers issue claim checks naming both you and the mortgage holder. You endorse it and send it to the lender, who typically releases the money in stages, often an initial portion up front and the balance after an inspection confirms the work is complete. This process takes time, so start it the day the check arrives rather than after the contractor has started.

It depends on your policy language rather than on a blanket rule, and matching is one of the more commonly disputed points in roofing claims. Some policies address matching directly and others are silent, which leaves room for the carrier to pay only for the damaged slope even when the replacement shingle will not match the rest. Read the policy for matching or uniform appearance language, and raise it early rather than after the scope is written.

Usually yes, and it is a common way to get a better roof out of a claim. The carrier pays what it owes to restore what was there, you pay the difference for the upgrade, and your contractor writes the estimate so the two portions are clearly separated. Impact resistant shingles are the most frequent upgrade, partly because some carriers offer a premium credit for them afterward. Confirm the split in writing before work starts.

Two things, and both are worth understanding first. On a replacement cost policy you are typically paid the depreciated amount up front and the remaining recoverable depreciation only after the work is completed and documented, so skipping the work means forfeiting that second payment. The unrepaired damage also stays on your record with the carrier and can affect renewal and future claims for the same area. Where a lender holds the funds, they will not release them without proof of completion.
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