Homeowners insurance is a must. You have to protect your home from all the unseen possibilities that can happen to any part of it. Theft, accidents, extreme weather events and fire can immediately put you in a bad way and at the mercy of your policy. Coverage needs to be comprehensive and should entail the most important aspects of a home, and a roof is a big part of the equation.
Anyone who owns a home and has homeowners insurance should know and understand the fine print in their policy, especially when it comes to coverage for a roof.
So, does homeowners insurance cover your roof?
Yes, roofing insurance is included in a homeowners policy and coverage includes instances where a roof is damaged to the degree that major repairs or full replacement are necessary. The kind of damages included in a homeowners policy are fire and vandalism, which are categorized as occurrences beyond the control of the homeowner. Also, usually included are damages from extreme weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes and anything determined to be an “act of God.” Other such damages that are caused by weather circumstances like wind, rain and hail are also usually included in home insurance policies. When damages happen because of an obvious occurrence, coverage is there, but if the event is one that could have been avoided, coverage is not as clear and transparent.
Most homeowners insurance will not cover every single roofing need or problem. There are any number of stipulations in homeowners policies that disallow full or partial reimbursement. One example concerns older roofs that are past their prime. Insurers can choose to pay a partial reimbursement towards repairs or replacement, or they may choose to not pay anything. Other reasons for not honoring claims could possibly include:
- roof neglect and lack of proper roof maintenance
- the use of several layers of roofing materials
- the use of specific and expensive roofing materials
- the actual area, region or geographical location of a home
Most home insurers want to limit liability on claims that involve roof related issues, which include hail and wind damage, and similar occurrences, although instances of fire are covered. Insurers can make limitations through coverage changes. For example, some states are witnessing endorsements with shakes (fashioned from wood) and insurers are only allowing reimbursement on the basis of the cash value at the time of any incident. The cost of replacement is not figured into any final settlement. So, a homeowners policy should be checked for those kinds of specifics and particulars.
Consult with Insurance Provider
In order to determine coverage for roof-related damages, it is best to consult with your home insurance provider as to exactly what will or will not be covered with a particular homeowners policy, especially when it comes to a roof and damages that can occur.
It is an important step in the process to determine what damages are covered and requesting a roof inspection from your insurance provider should be your first consideration. Your provider should be able to give you an estimate as to any claims you may need to make. Make sure that you have your insurance policy in hand as well as any home or roof inspection reports, receipts for roofing work, photographs of damages and any past repairs made. All of this information is pertinent to the claims process and makes it easier to prepare your claim. Once filed, your insurance company will send an adjuster to inspect and assess the damages and determine what will or will not be covered for reimbursement.
If you do need to file a claim for roof repairs or replacement and are unsure about what to expect from your insurance provider, or you just want to arrange for an inspection before filing a claim, complete the online contact form and an expert will get back to you with the information you need.
