If your roof has become damaged and needs to be replaced, you should contact your insurance company right away. Your homeowners insurance may cover the cost of repair or replacement after certain types of damage occur, but you should be prepared in the event the cost of the repair falls on you.
Types of Roof Damage Covered by Homeowners Insurance
The dwelling coverage portion of your homeowners insurance covers the house structure which includes your roof. When it comes to the types of roof damage that will be covered by your insurance you will need to look at your insurance policy’s terms and the reasons your roof needs to be repaired or replaced.
Usually, an insurance policy will cover problems that are sudden or accidental, or that were caused by weather events like wind, fire, hail or the weight of snow.
Insurance for Partial Damage
If the lifespan of your roof is shortened because of damage, your insurance carrier may cover the cost to replace the entire roof even if it’s only partially damaged. An example of this may be if a homeowner has roof shingles damaged by hail, an insurance adjuster would come to your home and count how many strikes occurred in a section of your roof, and determine the impact on the lifespan of the roof. If there are enough strikes, and they determine that the roof’s lifespan is substantially impacted they will indicate that it needs to be replaced.
Insurance for Shingle Matching Issues
If the materials needed to fix your roof are unavailable or no longer sold, your insurance company may be required to replace your entire roof. For example, if you have slate tile that is no longer sold, you may have to replace the entire roof to ensure the materials match.
Wind and Hail Damage
To deal with the expensive roof claims, many home insurance companies are implementing different levels of coverage for wind and hail damage versus other types of roof damage. For some this might mean that you can buy only “actual cash value” coverage for wind and hail damage if your roof is too old to qualify for replacement value coverage.
This means that your insurance reimbursement will be based on the depreciated value of the roof at the time the damage occurs. They will take into account both the age of the roof and the materials. In some cases this may cause you to get less money than you’ll need to replace your roof and you’ll be required to pay the difference.
However, if your roof is newer and in good shape, you may be able to buy roof replacement cost coverage. This will ensure you receive the full amount needed to get a new roof in the event damage occurs.
Other Things Not Covered
It’s important to keep in mind that since it’s your responsibility to maintain your home, most home insurance policies won’t cover roof damage caused by a lack of maintenance. This means if you need to repair your roof due to normal wear and tear, this won’t be paid for by insurance.
Lack of maintenance could also give you an issue if there is inclement weather. If your roof was old or not well-maintained before the storm, you may be denied a full reimbursement
Consider Your Deductible
Your deducible is the amount you will be required to pay for repairs before your insurance company covers the rest of the cost. In some states insurers can have a special deductible for wind and hail damage from hurricanes. This means if your roof blows or is damaged during a hurricane, you may have a higher deductible.
Is Your Roof Damage Covered by Insurance?
Regardless of the circumstances and condition of your roof, it’s important to contact a public insurance adjuster to act on your behalf if you think your roof’s integrity may have been damaged by any of the following.
- Hail
- Wind or Storm
- Water
- Hurricane
- Snow or Ice
- Any incident of accidental roof damage
If you have already begun the roof damage insurance process and are not working with a public adjuster on your claim you should immediately contact one if any of the following situations occur:
- An insurance adjuster that doesn’t physically get on your roof
- An insurance adjuster that fails to inspect the entire roof for damage
- Your roof claim has been denied or has been undervalued
- Your neighbors are receiving full roof replacements while your insurance company wants to repair your roof
At Maximum Adjustment Inc we are on a mission to ensure our clients get fair and full claim payments from their insurance companies in the aftermath of roof damage. Contact us today.