It’s a situation countless homeowners find themselves in at one time or another: your roof needs replacing and you’re wondering if insurance will foot the bill. Under most homeowners insurance plans, roof replacement is indeed covered. But there are mitigating factors–age, wear and tear, poor maintenance–that can limit your coverage or even cause your insurance company to deny your claim entirely.
If you’re looking to submit a claim to your insurance company for a roof replacement, read on to see whether you’re properly covered.
Covered Roof Damage
Most standard home insurance policies will cover a roof replacement if your roof is damaged by a list of covered factors. While these may vary from plan to plan, they usually include damage from factors such as:
● Fire
● Smoke
● Lightning
● Windstorms
● Hail
● Falling objects
● Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
● Vandalism
If the damage to your roof is severe enough that the entire roof needs replacing, then your insurance will most likely cover replacement (provided the damage is caused by one of these factors). If the damage is only cosmetic, however, they may exclude it from coverage.
Roof Damage That May Not Be Covered
There are a few factors that aren’t usually covered by standard homeowners insurance, although you may purchase additional coverage to include some of these factors. These include:
● Earthquake
● Flooding
● Animals (such as rodents or termites)
● Mold
● Lack of maintenance
● Normal wear and tear from aging
If your roof needs replacing because it’s 30 years old (and there hasn’t been any damage from covered events), your insurance won’t cover it. They also won’t cover it if it’s damaged or leaking because you’ve neglected to maintain it.
If you live in a state prone to extreme weather events such as hurricanes or tornadoes, your policy may also exclude wind- or hail-related damage or charge you a separate deductible for these events. It’s important to look over your policy to see what is and isn’t covered. If necessary, you may want to purchase additional coverage to fill in the gaps.
What Affects Coverage?
The age and condition of your roof will play a large factor in whether or not your roof replacement is covered. When you first apply for homeowners insurance, the age of your roof will determine the deductible and claim payout for your roof. For example, a 5-year-old roof might have a claim payout of several thousand dollars, while a 20-year-old roof may have no claim payout at all.
How To File A Claim For Roof Replacement
The best way to get insurance to pay for your claim is to document everything. Hire a trusted roofing company to make repairs, being sure to take photos of your roof before and after the replacement. You can file an insurance claim over the phone or through your insurance company’s website–some roofing companies will even help you file the claim.
Here at Big Dawg Roofing, we work with you to file insurance claims and document everything you need to make sure you can get your claim covered properly. Check out our website to get a quote for your roof replacement today!