Homeowners Insurance for Roofing 101

Your roof is your home’s biggest line of defense against weather, debris and other potential issues, so it makes sense your insurance company is going to want to make sure your roof is in good shape. If you own or are buying an older home, for example, your insurance company may not renew or issue a new policy without a roof inspection. It’s that important.

Not only is it important to the insurance company to know the condition of your roof, but it’s important to you to know exactly what your homeowners policy covers. Ask questions until you’re sure you have the right coverage.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Replacement Cost?

Yes, as long as the cause of the damage is a covered incident—often called a peril in your policy. Roof insurance is part of your homeowners policy, which covers your home’s structure, including the roof. Depending on whether you have actual cash value (ACV) coverage or replacement cash value (RCV) coverage, your insurance will cover the entire cost of replacement (RCV) or the actual cash value of your roof at the time of damage (ACV).

The type of coverage you carry also impacts how the age of roof and insurance relate. With RCV coverage, the age of your roof doesn’t matter and your insurance company will replace the roof, minus your deductible. With ACV coverage, you’ll get the actual value of your roof, which brings depreciation into play. An older roof means a lower payment from your insurance company.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Leaks?

Most of the time, yes. When a leak is caused by a covered peril such as a fallen tree branch or harsh wind, your policy should cover the cost of the repair and any further damage within your home caused by the leak. However, if the leak was caused by age, a lack of maintenance or normal wear, you may have to pay out of pocket to fix it. This is one reason proper maintenance and inspection is so important.

Should I Have a Professional Inspect My Roof After Hail?

Yes. Don’t assume there’s no damage, even if you can’t specifically see any. Hail as small as 1” in diameter can cause damage, which can be hard to spot unless you’re trained to see it. Dents and dings as well as lost granules can lead to bigger problems. By catching them right away, you avoid those problems and keep anything that does arise as your insurance company’s financial responsibility.

If you’ve endured a hailstorm or other harsh weather, contact us for a hail inspection and we’ll take a close look at your roof.

What is the Proper Roof Insurance Coverage?

The right roof insurance will obviously depend on your home and any additional structures on your property. You’ll want to consider building code upgrades, building update costs and other items like an affordable deductible and insurance premium.

Contact us and ask for a roof inspection. We’ll help you determine the value of your current roof and what the roof replacement cost would be so you can further ensure you have the proper coverage on your home.

Because roof replacement cost is part of your homeowners policy, make sure to ask your insurance agent specifically about roof coverage. Sometimes it’s easier to lump everything together and assume you have what you need, but you should never assume when it comes to your roof, your home or the insurance that covers it.

How to Get a New Roof from Homeowners Insurance

When you notice damage on your roof, contact your agent right away. Waiting too long not only delays the repairs but might even cost you the chance to have the repairs covered by insurance. If you’ve already had your roof inspected for hail or storm damage by us or another professional, it’s helpful to let your insurance agent know that.

Your agent will schedule an adjuster to assess the damage, after which you’ll get a summary of covered damages and a check for about half the repair or roof replacement cost.

Next, you choose a licensed, bonded, insured contractor, who will get to work on your roof per the timeline you develop with your agent. Once the repairs or replacement is completed, you’ll get a check for the remainder of the cost.

While this may sound simple, navigating the insurance process, especially when an incident has occurred, can be stressful. We’re insurance advocates, and we know the process, so if you choose us to do the repairs or replacement, we’ll help guide you through it.