A typical homeowner's insurance policy against all hazards covers your roof and the cost of replacing it if it becomes damaged. That's the good news, How Roof Coverage Works · Preventing Roof Problems A typical homeowner's insurance policy against all hazards covers your roof and the cost of replacing it if it becomes damaged. But it's usually only covered if the damage or destruction is the result of a sudden accident or an act of nature. Problems that result from general wear and tear or a roof that has exceeded its intended life are not eligible for reimbursement because they fall under the homeowner's general maintenance responsibility.
If the roof is damaged by a covered hazard, such as fire or bad weather, homeowners insurance will cover the costs of replacing the roof. If the roof damage is considered cosmetic, homeowners insurance cannot reimburse the homeowner for their roof insurance claim. Replacing a roof is expensive, but you may not have many options if your roof is older and doing nothing could make it difficult to secure your home. On the other hand, if a homeowner has an old roof that is damaged by a sudden covered event, such as a windstorm, the insurance company could reimburse the homeowner for the actual cash value of the roof.
As stated above, if the damage to your roof was caused by an act of nature or an unforeseen accident, the roof collapsed, a storm ripped asphalt shingles, or a fire your roof replacement is likely to cover. Now you know that your homeowners insurance will cover your storm-damaged roof and 3 things you need to know about replacing your roof with insurance. A good way to keep your insurance costs down and protect your roof is to protect it from storms by installing impact-resistant shingles that are resistant to aesthetic and functional damage. A reputable roofing company will replace your roof properly without causing you further damage or charging you an unreasonable amount.
But if your roof is old or requires maintenance and repair, standard homeowners insurance will generally not reimburse for roof replacement. You also need to hire a roofing contractor who has experience in insurance work when you get your roof replacement. Over time, all roofs will need to be replaced, although the time may vary depending on the roofing material. If a tornado rips off your roof, for example, you can file a claim with your homeowners insurance, pay your deductible, and then your insurance company will pay the remaining costs to replace your roof.
The types of roof damage covered by your insurance will depend on the terms of the policy and the reasons your roof needs to be repaired or replaced. Having an old, worn roof can make it more difficult for homeowners insurance to cover damage to the roof. If the roof was damaged as a result of any of these covered hazards, the roof is most likely covered under the homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance will not cover wind damage or any other type of storm damage if they discover that the roof was installed incorrectly.
