How Hwa Can Help
At Home Warranty of America, we believe in protecting our customers from the headache of expensive home repairs. Since homeowners insurance doesn’t cover your roof, appliances or your home’s systems — such as your HVAC, plumbing and electrical — you could be out-of-pocket thousands or tens of thousands of dollars if a major component of your home needs extensive repairs.
With an HWA home warranty, filing a claim has never been easier. Head online to our website and follow the simple steps to getting all your home repairs and replacements taken care of. You can also pick up the phone and we’ll repair or replace whatever it is for free — you’ll only pay a trade call fee. And since we have a customer service team and emergency services available 24/7, you can just click on our website or call us, you’ll never be left in the dark when there’s a problem with your home.
At HWA we have multiple home warranty plans available and we work with budgets both large and small to tailor your home warranty to your specific coverage needs.
So, if you’ve ever wondered, do home warranties cover roofs?, call us toll free at: 492-7359, or today to see how we can help you achieve peace of mind with a home warranty from Home Warranty of America.
Squirrel And Pest Damage
In terms of their propensity for damage and outright peskiness, squirrels are your roofâs version of kitchen cockroaches. They may be small, but they can cause a lot of expensive damage.
Will homeowners insurance cover the large holes that a family of squirrels gnawed on your roof, causing countless leaks and water damage? Typically not, since squirrel-inflicted loss, like other types of pest damage, is gradual and preventable with proper home maintenance.
But if a squirrel causes sudden damage â for example by gnawing on your homeâs wiring and causing a fire, that would likely be covered.
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Know Your Roofing Insurance Coverage
When you first notice damage to your roof, look at your homeowners policy and the roof coverage it offers. This may take a bit of research if youve never paid much attention to your policy, but the information will also help guide your financial decisions about roof repairs. You can also request a copy of your policy from your insurance agent.
The majority of insurance agencies offer two types of roof insurance: repair coverage and replacement coverage. Repair coverage usually reimburses the homeowner for a certain percentage of repair costs. Replacement coverage, on the other hand, provides for the replacement of a roof thats beyond repair. These policies are more expensive and make it harder to get a claim accepted. Thats why its so important to document the damage and submit a claim as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, not all roof damage will be covered by homeowners insurance. Your coverage depends on your specific policy, your location, and the cause of the damage. For example, a hail storm that damages a roof may qualify for coverage because its an unusual and unpreventable event. However, a hurricane that damages a roof in Florida may not be covered because of the frequency of such events, or because the homeowner lacks hurricane-related coverage or didnt take adequate precautions. If the roof damage was caused by you or an inexperienced roofer, your roof replacement will likely not be covered either.
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What Kinds Of Losses Caused By Roof Leaks Are Covered By Homeowners Insurance
Even if a roof leak is covered by insurance, its important to understand what kinds of losses an insurer will and will not cover. This question, too, can be answered it depends. In this case, it depends on the terms of the insurance policy and what it includes and excludes.
Many insurance policies cover the full repair or replacement cost of damaged roofs, provided that the roof is less than ten years old.
For older roofs, many insurance companies will compensate the homeowner only for the roofs depreciated value. Roof leaks, regardless of cause, can sometimes cause mold to grow inside the house. Many insurance policies now specifically exclude coverage for mold remediation, leaving the homeowner to foot the bill for that work.
When roofs leak, the water often damages the interior of the house and the furniture, appliances, systems, carpeting, and personal property inside. If the leak was caused by an insurable event something that was sudden and accidental then damage to the interior of the house and its contents will likely be covered.
Surprising Things Not Covered By Your Home Warranty
A home warranty can be a great way to help defray unexpected costs and protect your new investment as a homeowner. But its important to clearly understand a home warrantys function and what it typically covers. Make sure you have the best protection for your new house, particularly if this is your first home purchase. Use this guide to help you understand the scope of a home warranty and ten surprising things that might not be covered.
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Getting Reimbursed For Roof Replacement
Age is not your roof’s friend. Unless it’s made of a material with famed longevity, like slate, a roof depreciates with each year many insurers won’t cover those that are over a quarter-century old. Other possible policy exclusions could include improper maintenance or neglect, the use of certain expensive roofing materials , or roofs with more than two layers of roofing material.
To give yourself the best chance of having your insurance company pay for a roof, the first step is to call them out for an inspection. Before they arrive, gather up as many documents as you can, including a copy of your current home insurance policy, any home inspection reports, receipts for any repair work youve done, and photos of any damage that has occurred. All will be helpful in the claims process. The insurance company will send out an adjuster to inspect the damage and offer their own assessment.
Which Home Warranty Companies Provide Roof Coverage
Choice Home Warranty, Select Home Warranty, and The Home Service Club all offer roof leak coverage to customers.
Below youll find roof leak coverage specifics for the companies that provide this type of home warranty coverage.
- Choice Home Warranty: Best Repair GuaranteeIn Choices sample contract, it explains that repairs of shake, shingle, and composition roof leaks for single-family homes are covered, but foam roofs, tar and gravel roofs, Masonite shingles, gutters, and partial roof replacement are not covered.
- Select Home Warranty: Lowest DeductibleWith Select, roof leaks on single-family homes are covered, but patios, metal roofs, shingles, and structural leaks arent covered. Select also doesnt cover repairs that require a partial or complete roof replacement.
- Liberty Home Guard: Most TrustedLiberty Home Guard offers new customers free roof coverage when they purchase a plan. The limited roof coverage includes roof leak patching on the occupied living area of your home. It does not cover metal roofs, shingles, gutters, flat roofs, skylights, flashing, satellite, or chimney components.
- The Home Service Club: Quickest CoverageThe Home Service Club covers leaks that result from rain or normal wear and tear. It does not cover foam roofs, structural leaks, or improper installations. Note: The Home Service Club will pay up to $1,000 per contract term for roof leak repairs.
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Best 3 Home Warranty Companies For Roof Coverage
Coverage for Your Roof
If youre interested in getting home warranty coverage for your roof, you should consider Choice Home Warranty.
Most home warranties offer coverage on your homes appliances and systems, but many have expanded their coverage to include roof leaks. Homeowners insurance covers damage from natural disasters, but roof leaks caused by rain or normal wear-and-tear and be quite expensive without a home warranty. Finding the best home warranty roof leak coverage for your home can be a challenge when youre not an expert in home warranties. To help, House Method made a guide for finding the right one. In our guide you will find the following:
- Best home roof warranty providers of 2021
- Roof repair costs and coverage
- Differences in home warranty roof coverage policies
- How to care for your roof
- House Methods top roof warranty provider recommendations
Read on to learn about steps you can take to maintain your roof, common issues that can lead to leaks, and home warranty roof leak coverage that could limit the amount you have to spend on repairs.
Will A Home Warranty Cover My Roof Replacement
Arizona homeowners are prone to all kinds of roof damage thanks to the states harsh climate. The blazing summers can cause shingles to crack and degrade, leading to leaks that can cause extensive damage to the roof and the rest of the home. The yearly monsoons bring with them high winds and intense rainstorms, which can cause significant damage to your roof.
Phoenix roof repair and roof replacement can both be costly. If you have a home warranty, some of those costs may be covered. But unfortunately, the answer to whether or not your home warranty will cover your roof replacement is usually no.
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What Roof Repairs Will A Home Warranty Cover
Many homeowners are under the impression that roof coverage will cover the costs of a roof replacement. Unfortunately, this is not true. Home warranty plans that offer roof coverage always stipulate that the warranty does not extend to a roof replacement. So, what does it cover?
Generally, roof coverage only covers leaks that develop in your roof. Essentially, a home warranty that does offer cover for your roof will pay for the costs of the leak to the repair. However, any damage caused by the leak will not be covered either. However, that may be covered by other insurance.
Furthermore, various companies that offer home warranties with roof coverage may specify exceptions to the coverage. When doing your research about different home warranty plans, its important to consider aspects like this. For example, a company may not cover leaks that occur on a patio.
Despite the limitations of roof coverage, its still an important aspect of a home warranty to consider. After all, when it comes down to average home repair costs, roof repairs are among the costliest repairs that homeowners have to make. Having roof coverage can protect your budget on that rainy day for a real rainy day!
What Does Home Insurance Cover
If you take a close look at your policy, youll find a fairly specific list of the types of damage and disasters your insurer will pay to cover. Homeowners insurance usually covers perils, such as fire, many natural disasters, vandalism, burglar damage, accidents and theft. It covers the interior and exterior of your home, and usually your yard. In addition, homeowners insurance can be customized to cover specific items, including expensive jewelry, musical instruments and fine artwork. You can add these items to your policy for higher coverage . It can also cover your liability in the event of an injury on your property. This insurance covers you from loss and damage.
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How Does Coverage Work For Roof Damage Claims
The roof is an integral part of your homes structure. So, the dwelling coverage section of your homeowners insurance policy typically protects you from perils. Damage and destruction from disasters qualify the roof for a partial or total replacement. The value of your claim and exactly what your insurance covers are outlined in your policy.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay a deductible before your coverage kicks in. Insurance providers in high-risk states typically impose a higher deductible for damage that occurs from hurricanes or hailstorms. If you want to protect your roof, you will probably pay more for additional coverage. You may also have to take out additional coverage for hurricane wind or water damage. Options are available for the type and level of coverage you want for your home and roof.
Are Roofs Covered Under Home Warranty
Quickly identifying and repairing roof leaks is important to protecting your home from moisture and damage. Thats why Choice Home Warranty offers roof leak coverage as an add on to any home warranty service contract. With Choice Home Warrantys optional coverage, home owners will be covered for repair of roof leaks regardless of the actual cost of repair. This is exceptionally helpful coverage, as it is essential to take care of roof leaks as soon as they are discovered in order to avoid damage to your home.
Roof leak repair coverage is especially helpful, as it makes it easy to quickly take care of the problem. Without home warranty roof leak coverage, home owners might drag their feet calling a roofer to take care of one small leak, letting it grow into a more serious problem. But with home warranty coverage, all it takes is one call and a low service call fee to get roof leaks taken care of before they grow into a larger problem.
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Alternatives To Roof Warranties
Some roofs come with a manufacturers warranty. The warranty can last decades, but it may protect you only if defective materials were installed.
A workmanship warranty typically guarantees the work of the contractor that installed the roof. The coverage can vary depending on the company and typically protects against installation errors.
If you cant take advantage of those warranties, you may be able to pay for unexpected roof leak repairs by using an open home equity line of credit, or HELOC, dipping into your housing emergency fund, using a 0% interest credit card or taking out an unsecured personal loan.
Adding roof leak coverage to your home warranty plan for an extra fee can help your repair costs from going through the roof. Its important, however, to review the restrictions and the cost of coverage, as well as consider alternative approaches to protecting your roof.
About the author: Linda Bell is a former mortgage writer and spokesperson for NerdWallet. Previously, she was a business/personal finance reporter and producer at Bloomberg News and Fox Business. Read more
Types Of Home Warranty Coverage
- As home warranty plans differ, you have to check what is covered under your plan. Inquire with your real estate agent to find out if upgrades are available.
- Home warranty companies have three types of coverage basic coverage, enhanced coverage, and optional coverage. Some companies may not have basic coverage but a standard policy instead.
- Not all companies include the same items in their standard policy. Once you know what the covered items under a particular category are, the next step is to opt for a plan that suits your home. Home warranty plans can be classified based on the number of items that are protected.
OptionalCoverage
Optional coverage includes those items that are not covered under the basic or enhanced plans. These are not the common appliances that most households have. This coverage gives you the option of adding your pool, spa, wine cooler, well pump, etc., to your home warranty policy. You need to pay a fixed extra premium to put optional add-ons in your home warranty policy.
Most home warranty company websites have a sample policy. It states what items are included in basic, enhanced, and optional coverage plans. Make sure to read through the document to understand the items included under each system and appliance plan. Pay close attention and read cautiously to know the coverage, limitations, and exclusions.
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Does Home Warranty Cover Roof Repair
As we have mentioned earlier, the coverage provided by the home warranty is minimal. If you have issued the roof problem to the company, they might be covering the cost of patching repairs. The company would not cover more than that.
Every contract is different from one another, and it depends on the companys specifications. Some commonly covered items may include laundry and kitchen appliances, electrical and plumbing issues, heating and cooling systems, and some other aspects. You can get this coverage by purchasing the standard plan. However, you need to spend more money to get coverage.
The annual premium price should be paid to get the coverage. If one day a system breaks down, you can call the company to make a claim. The company will later assign a contractor to take care of the issue while paying a deductible for every service.
This plan is worth taking a look at, especially if the house is more than 5 years old of age. On the other hand, this plan is a great option while you have no established connection with the local contractor.
Purchasing a home warranty only based on the roof leak coverage is not wise, considering the limitation and restrictions are very narrow. It is important to inspect a property before purchasing it. Keep in mind that home warranties may also not cover existing conditions. Make sure you read the contract to know what to expect.
Does My Home Insurance Cover Roof Damage Caused By A Hurricane
Home insurance for hurricane-related damage can be a bit tricky. Home insurance generally covers wind damage to roofs, but some insurers exclude certain types of hurricane-related damage. For example, some insurers in Atlantic coastal states will exclude wind-related damage, meaning roof damage wont be covered by a standard home insurance policy.
You might need windstorm insurance as an endorsement to your home insurance policy or as a standalone policy. If you live in an area thats prone to hurricanes, talk with an agent to make sure there are no gaps in your coverage. A good hurricane insurance plan is typically a mix of homeowners insurance, flood insurance and wind insurance .
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