Your roof is an exposed part of your home that is vulnerable to numerous threats. Homeowners insurance policies usually cover repairs or replacement when damaged due to an insured loss.
Home insurance policies typically include dwelling coverage that protects roofs; however, any claims are reduced by your deductible amount and must meet certain thresholds to be valid. Read on for more details of what coverage may apply in your situation.
Damage Caused by Weather
Maintaining your roof is one of the primary responsibilities as a homeowner, but even with our best efforts issues may still arise from time to time. When your roof becomes damaged it may lead to leaks which in turn damage furniture, ceilings and possessions in the house. If this situation becomes serious enough a complete roof replacement could be required.
Homeowners insurance should cover some or all of the cost associated with installing a new roof when necessary due to extreme weather events like strong windstorms and tornadoes, or when damaged due to fire or falling tree limbs.
However, not all roof damage is covered by your home insurance policy, causing further confusion. In general, your roof and its components should be protected under dwelling coverage but your provider will want to carefully examine its condition prior to offering or continuing coverage.
Your insurer will consider both the type of roof material and age when approving or denying a claim for damages to the roof. Certain materials are more resistant to certain weather conditions than others, so this factor will play a part in his or her decision as to whether your claim should be approved or denied.
After experiencing any major storm, especially one accompanied by hail or strong winds, your roof should be thoroughly examined by a professional in order to identify any damage and recommend repairs as soon as possible. A roof professional can identify any areas affected and suggest repairs necessary.
At any sign of roof damage, taking immediate action is vital for both preventing further damage and filing an insurance claim faster. When safe to do so, take photos of the damage and request repair estimates promptly if appropriate; once submitted to your insurer for approval or rejection, they’ll send out checks accordingly.
Damage Caused by Acts of Nature
Homeowners insurance provides protection from disasters outside your control, such as severe thunderstorms uprooting trees, wildfires destroying houses, and tornadoes destroying roofs. A solid policy covers things such as this type of scenario – among them severe thunderstorms uprooting them, wildfires consuming homes and tornadoes taking out roofs.
However, you will likely need to cover some types of damage yourself. These might include general wear-and-tear on your roof that accumulates gradually or damage caused by pests – both are considered preventable damage that aren’t covered by most policies.
Example: if your roof is 20 years old and leaks after a storm due to worn shingles, most insurers won’t cover this expense out-of-pocket as roofs depreciate with age and become less resilient against weather events like high winds or hail; most homeowners don’t have enough savings set aside to repair such damages themselves.
Similar considerations apply when it comes to general wear and tear on other areas of your house. For instance, if you own an older property and notice walls are starting to crack or peeling paint off its surfaces, insurance providers likely won’t cover such repairs as these actions would fall under normal wear and tear.
Reading your homeowner’s insurance policy carefully is the best way to find out whether your roof will be covered, as every policy differs and some details could come as a shocker. For instance, most policies cover accidental fires – for example if an unattended candle accidentally left burning on the stove causes your roof to catch on fire by accident; but many won’t cover intentional ones so if you set it deliberately you will likely have to cover its damage yourself from personal funds. It is recommended to speak with an insurance expert so you won’t be caught unaware if something should happen at home – otherwise
Damage Caused by General Wear and Tear
Homeowners insurance provides protection from fire, wind and hail damages to your property as well as covering liability costs associated with injuries to others or damage to their property. Furthermore, it can help cover repair or replacement expenses related to personal belongings as well as structural elements of your home.
At Genesis Roofing of Charleston, our trusted roofing contractor Genesis Roofing discusses what constitutes normal wear and tear on residential roofs in this blog post.
If you’re uncertain whether your roof has been compromised by damage or simply exhibits signs of ageing, it’s wise to consult a professional inspector. Your insurer may even require such an evaluation before accepting claims; they’ll need to determine if any potential claims fall under their policies.
Your insurer will likely impose a deductible, which is a percentage of your total claim amount that must be met before beginning payment on claims. For example, if your roof requires $20,000 worth of repairs, before they start covering costs you must meet your deductible first before insurance pays for repairs. While higher deductibles usually result in lower premiums overall it’s essential that this factor be taken into consideration when selecting homeowner’s insurance plans.
Many homeowner’s policies don’t cover roof damage caused by neglect or failure to maintain it, since its main goal is protecting against unexpected damage rather than covering routine costs of maintenance and upkeep. If your roof shows any signs of wear and tear, be sure to call an experienced roofing company and file an insurance claim immediately; if it was due to neglect or improper upkeep, however, your insurer is likely to deny your claim and your rates could increase substantially.
Damage Caused by Defective Materials
Roofs are costly investments that can easily be damaged in various circumstances, which is why homeowner insurance policies contain specific elements that outline what their insurer will and won’t cover in terms of repair and replacement costs. Many organizations collaborate with insurance providers to develop broad form or special form policies for this reason.
In general, more expensive policies offer better coverage; with some exceptions. Comprehensive form policies such as an HO-5 policy provide homeowners with extensive protection. They cover perils not specifically excluded in their policy wording.
Construction defects can wreak havoc on roofs. These include design flaws, improper installations or operations practices and the products used on a job site. As soon as these issues manifest themselves (e.g. burst water pipe), or may appear later (shift in foundation, degradation of stucco wall etc) the damage can become evident and irreparable.
Contractors can be held liable for construction defect claims, which is why they carry commercial general liability insurance policies. These policies cover any damages to property caused by workmanship but won’t cover labor or materials costs incurred during completion; nor will they cover damages caused by sudden events such as wind or hailstorm.
Homeowners who suspect construction defects should immediately contact their insurance agent or company. They will guide them through the steps to report and assign an incident adjuster, review policy provisions and estimate loss before eventually receiving payment for repairs or replacement. It’s also an opportune time to purchase additional coverage or upgrade existing policy with multiple providers offering discounts based on multiple policy contracts that could help save you money in premium costs.