Roof damage is one of the most common reasons why homeowners file a claim with their home insurance company. That’s because roofs are exposed to the elements at all times, and can be damaged by any weather-related event, either directly or indirectly.
For example, wind can damage a roof by ripping off entire sections or your asphalt shingles, or it can cause a nearby tree or branch to fall on the roof.
A full roof replacement can be expensive, depending on how big your home is, where you live and what types of materials you use. That’s why filing an insurance claim is a good idea to help you pay for the replacement.
At the same time, this high cost is reason enough for insurance companies to do their due diligence to make sure the roof damage qualifies as a covered event under your policy, and that your roof requires a full replacement rather than a repair.
If you’re wondering what the criteria are for a roof replacement claim, keep reading below.
What Types of Roof Damage Are Covered?
The first and most obvious question is what types of damage are covered by homeowners insurance. Every insurance policy, and every insurance company, is a little different from the next, so it’s important to check your individual policy to see what is and what is not covered.
That being said, there are some general damage that most insurance companies and policies will cover. This includes any sudden damage that is caused by an event such as fire, hail, lightning, smoke, wind, ice/snow, vandalism and falling objects.
As mentioned before, strong winds that rip off sections or your roof or cause nearby trees to fall would typically be covered under most home insurance policies.
What Isn’t Covered?
There are also some things that are generally not covered by most homeowners insurance policies.
This includes any damage that’s sustained because of a neglect of maintenance, normal wear and tear, and damage caused by floods, earthquakes and hurricanes — in some instances.
Depending on where you live, it might be advisable to purchase additional insurance coverage for floods, earthquakes and/or hurricanes, if it’s available to you and economical. This could provide you with additional coverage in case one of these weather-related events occurs.
Insurance companies will typically consider ongoing maintenance to be the job of the homeowner. If this maintenance is neglected and damage occurs as a result, then, they believe it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to pay for it.
For instance, if water damage occurs to the underside of the roof because a homeowner didn’t clear out their gutters, then the insurance company will likely deny the claim.
Will Insurance Pay for a New Roof?
Like any reported claim, your insurance company will do a full analysis to not only determine whether the damage is covered under your policy, but also what the best solution should be and, as a result, how much money they’ll give you as part of the claim.
When you report roof damage to your insurance company, they will send an adjuster out to your home to inspect the damage in-person. They won’t just take your word — or your submitted photos and videos — for it.
After this inspection, the adjuster will send a report to your insurance company, which will eventually send you a final decision report on your claim. It’s a good idea to have a local roofing company you can trust present at the inspection if possible, to supplement the adjuster and make your case that your roof needs to be replaced.
If it’s obvious that your roof needs to be replaced and that the damage is covered, it’s likely that your claim will be approved to have a roof replacement.
Even if the entire roof isn’t damaged, though, you might be approved to have a full roof replacement. That’s because repairing a section of the roof might not be enough to protect the entire integrity of the system, which could lead to future insurance claims.
Will I Get Full Value for the Roof?
This is another instance in which you’ll need to check your individual policy for more details.
Most insurance policies will provide coverage for either Replacement Cost Value (RCV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV).
The ACV coverage provides lower monthly premiums, but only pays for the roof value at the time of the damage. The RCV will pay for whatever it costs to replace your roof.
How Will the Insurance Company Pay?
Once your insurance company approves your roof damage claim, it will tell you the total amount that is covered. Keep in mind that you will need to pay your deductible before the insurance company pays anything — though you won’t have to pay this out of your pocket.
For instance, if your deductible is $1,000 and your roof insurance claim ends up being $15,000, then you will receive $14,000 from your insurance company.
Some insurance companies will cut you a check directly that you will then use to pay the roofing contractor that you have selected to do the work. Other insurance companies will opt to work directly with the contractor, paying them directly for the work once it’s completed.
No matter how it’s actually paid, the insurance company may issue a check for part of the roof replacement upfront so the job can get started, only issuing a check for the remainder of the work once they can verify that the work has been completed.
Work with a Local Roofing Contractor You Can Trust
Roof damage is one of the most common things that home insurance covers. However, not all roof damage ends up being covered, as mentioned above.
That’s why it’s a good idea to find a local roofing company that you can trust and that has years of experience with roof insurance claims. With this team on your side, you can increase the chances that your claim will be approved so you can get the new roof that you deserve.
The Roof Resource is one of the best local roofing companies that you can work with. We have years of experience with insurance companies, and we provide our services in a very unique way.
Contact us today for a 100% virtual quote that often leads to a roof replacement project that’s significantly less expensive than our competitors.