What Kind of Roof Damage Is Covered By Insurance?
When your roof gets damaged, you can get worried about the repair costs. But with insurance coverage, you don’t have to worry about costly roof repairs. Your insurance firm will take care of the expenses involved. So what damages will the insurance cover?
Every insurance policy has a list of the damages that it covers. Insurance will mostly not cover damages caused by wear and tear, poor maintenance, old age, or mold. So, it would be best if you were on the lookout for the damage causes covered in your policy.
Here you will learn the following aspects of roof damage insurance:
- Factors to consider in determining whether your insurance will cover your damaged roof.
- The kind of roof damage covered by insurance.
- The kind of roof damage not covered by insurance.
- How to file an insurance claim for roof damage.
Let’s get started!
Contents
Factors to Consider in Determining Whether Your Insurance Will Cover Your Damaged Roof
Insurance coverage has many limitations. To qualify for a roof damage cover, you must meet the standards, and the cause of damage should be on your policy cover list. This website has informative content on what you need to know about roof insurance.
The factors below determine if your roof damage will qualify for compensation:
What Caused the Damage
The cause of the damage is the primary reference to whether you qualify for the damages cover. Your roof damages will not be eligible for damage cover if they result from wear and tear are not covered. However, if the damage resulted from a natural disaster or an accidental fire, the roof damage is covered.
The Age of the Roof
The age of your roof will also influence the decision to cover the damage. Roofs less than ten years old are considered new and are likely to be covered in case of damage.
If your roof is older than 20 years, you will receive limited coverage, but in most cases, your claim can get rejected because your roof is already old and weak.
The Condition of the Roof Before the Damage
Taking good care and regular maintenance of your roof can increase your chances of getting compensated. If you regularly engage a roofer to inspect your roof, write your roof inspection report, and fix any threats, no grounds exist for the claim rejection.
The Kind of Roof Damage Covered by Insurance
If a natural disaster (listed on the policy) caused your roof damage, and your roof is less than 20 years old and adequately maintained, the roof qualifies for compensation.
The homeowner’s insurance coverage will cover leaking roofs and roof replacement.
Roof Leaks
So, if your roof leaks due to damages caused by a peril your insurer covers, they pay for repairs and purchase the materials needed.
Roof Replacement
Most homeowners’ insurance coverage will cover the roof installation cost for a roof damaged by any perils listed in their policy cover. However, damages caused on a few shingles of your roof might be considered cosmetic. In that case, the insurer will leave you to foot the repair costs.
Also, your insurer can claim that the cause of damage resulted from negligence, wear and tear, and lack of proper maintenance of your roof. To be on the safe side, ensure roof inspection at least once per year and that you possess copies of your roof inspection report.
The reports will be evidence of the regular roof inspections and repairs done.
The Kind of Roof Damage Covered by Insurance
You may have a homeowner’s insurance cover, but your claim gets rejected even after roof damage due to the following:
- The cause of the damage is not covered/listed—for example, damages caused by wear and tear or lack of maintenance.
- Damage caused by molds, pests, birds, wet roofs, or errors made by the roofing contractor is not covered by the insurance.
- The case excluded cause of damage from your policy cover. Some insurance coverage excludes causes like hailstorms, hurricanes, or earthquakes from their policy. You should check with your insurance company to take note of such exclusions.
How to File an Insurance Claim for a Roof Damage?
For your roof to be covered for any damage caused by a covered peril, you must follow the procedure below.
Weigh Your Options
After the occurrence of the damage, sit and weigh your options. If the number of claims in the past three years is more than one, then your insurer may decline your claim. Also, if you do not meet the conditions stipulated, your claim might be rejected.
Therefore, if you weigh your options and conclude that you don’t fit the cover, contact a roofing contractor to give you the repair estimate.
Document The Damage
After you are sure that the cause of roof damage is in your policy cover and meets the required standards, go ahead and document the damage. You can document it by taking videos or pictures to show the source of damage (if it is visible, like a tree falling on your house) and the extent of the damage.
Present the pictures and videos to the insurance agent, helping you to file the claim as evidence of roof damage.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
If you are ready to file a claim, contact your insurer and notify them of the occurrence. The insurer will link you up with an insurance agent who will send a claims adjuster to assess the damage in your home.
The adjuster will estimate the cost of repairs to your home and send them to your insurer to determine the final payout.
Final Word
Roof damage insurance coverage is not a straightforward process. As a homeowner, you must be aggressive and do follow-ups to qualify for compensation after your roof damage. Make sure your policy covers any peril that might cause damage to your roof.
Also, ensure your house is adequately maintained, and the roof inspected at least once a year. Keep the roof inspection reports safe and produce them to justify your roof eligibility for roof damage coverage.
