Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a New Roof?

​After a major storm does significant damage to your home, you might be asking, “Will homeowners insurance cover a new roof?” 

Great question and we are going to try and break it down for you.

First Steps
After major damage, it helps to give your insurance agent a call. Ask for the steps needed to file a claim and what help is available. Ask about exclusions. This prevents you from installing a new roof only to find none of the work falls under insurance coverage.

If you work with a discount insurance provider and don’t have an agent of your own, make sure you get a copy of your policy so you can see your coverage for yourself. They might not mention to you additional services, like mold remediation or Additional Living Expenses (ALE).

Specifically, ask what you need to do to have your roof replaced. Then collect that evidence and submit it with your claim. For instance, to completely replace a roof, some companies require estimates from three different roofing companies. All three must say a replacement is necessary, versus a repair.

If it is clear you’ve maintained your roof, you did not cause the damage and your roof was not in need of replacement before the damage occurred, there’s a good chance your policy will cover the replacement. Just make sure you check in advance regarding exclusions.

When Homeowners Insurance Refuses to Cover a Roof Replacement
Old roofing isn’t covered under most policies because it is already so near to replacement at the owner’s expense. Age restrictions vary by policy, but anything 20 years or older is likely not going to happen. This relates to the first layer of roofing in place. According to the online magazine Money, most roofs can have two layers of shingles. More than that and your insurance company might reject your claim.

Why? Because it shows a lack of basic maintenance on the part of the homeowner. Records indicating regular inspections and repair work, photo evidence or even posts on social media regarding clearing out leaves, and evidence of trimming trees might be necessary to justify a total roof replacement. Even then, depending on your type of roof cover, you might be out of luck.

Bottom Line: There are a lot of variable that come into play about insurance when it comes to your roof. 

​For all your roofing needs and questions the team at Class Eh! would be pleased to assist.
​Please contact us HERE for a free estimate.

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