Protecting Your Roof From Future Damage
Working to protect your home can help you save more money in the long run, especially when it comes to your roof.
There are plenty of ways to protect your roof from wear and tear, like cleaning your gutters regularly, removing debris from your roof following major storms and trimming tree branches that hang over or touch your roof. Be sure to check for damage immediately after intense weather like storms, ice or hail.
The right homeowners insurance policy can protect you from lifes unexpected events and ultimately protect your home for generations to come.
What Can I Do If My Claim Is Denied
Even if your insurer denies your claim or offers you a fraction of what you need to make your home whole again, that isnt necessarily the last word. If you believe you have a legitimate claim, you dont have to take the insurance adjusters word for it. You have the right to hire a public adjuster. A public adjuster isnt employed by an insurance company.
They are a licensed advocate who works for the public. While they charge for this service, they only get paid a portion of any claim that gets approved. This means if they dont succeed, you dont owe them a penny. They will also tell you if they believe your claim is valid or not since adjusters know the ins and outs of roof claims.
The bottom line is if youve done your part, but the insurance company refuses to do theirs, there is still hope. Drop us a line on our contact page, and one of our friendly representatives will schedule an inspection at your earliest convenience. A roofing expert will inspect your roof and attic, and help to provide you with more solutions to your roofing problems and questions.
What Roof Damage Is Not Covered
Standard home insurance covers a wide array of damage. However, some exclusions tend to be consistent across most policies:
- Wear and tear: Insurers consider roof maintenance to be a homeowner’s responsibility. If roof damage occurs as a result of something you could have taken care of, such as a rotted shingle, they will not cover it.
- Improper installation: If your roof wasn’t correctly installed, it can be difficult to assess the exact cause of damage. It’s not uncommon for home insurers to exclude poorly installed roofing from their policies.
- Some roofing materials: Due to their replacement cost or protection ability, some roofing material is excluded in a standard homeowners insurance policy. For example, wood shake roofing may not be covered due to its high flammability. Talk with your insurer to find out which roof materials they don’t cover.
- Rot, mold and vermin: Damage due to problems such as rot, mold and animals often happens over time. Home insurance only covers sudden and accidental damage, so these perils usually won’t be covered.
- Flood and earthquake: Standard home insurance does not cover these perils, but separate insurance policies are often available to provide coverage for them.
- Multi-layered roofs: Roofs made of more than one layer of material are costlier to replace. Also, the weight of a multi-layer roof increases the chance of collapse. Home insurers may have policy exclusions because of this.
You May Like: How Do I Calculate Roof Pitch
Review Your Policy Documents
Before formally filing a claim with your home insurance company, review your home insurance policy documents to figure out if the loss is covered.
You should also check whether your policy covers the roof based on actual cash value or replacement cost value and if you have to pay a special deductible, such as a hurricane deductible if it was damaged in that type of storm. For instance, if you have ACV and your roof is 15 years old, your insurance company will pay much less than if you have RCV coverage.
More: Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
How Much Does A Roof Leak Cost To Fix
The cost of roof repair depends on the extent of the damage. For minor repairs, the cost ranges from $150 $400.1 Moderate repairs like fixing and sealing fixtures, replacing shingles and flashing can range from $400 $1,200.
Major repairs, like repairing the roofs outer layer, and replacing damaged wood in other parts of the home, like outer walls, can range between $1,200 $3,500. This can also include replacing the shingles in a 10-by-10-foot section of the roof, since one roofing square is 100 square feet.2
Homeowners typically spend $300 $1,200 on a roof repair in total, creating an average expenditure of $650 $850 for each step in roof-related repair.
Costs above $3,500 for roof repairs are possible, but at that point you may just consider replacing your roof entirely. Roof replacement can cost over $7,500, but it does give you a fresh start.
Don’t Miss: How To Replace Clay Roof Tiles
How Long Does It Take For Insurance To Approve A Roof Replacement
Are Roof Leaks Covered
If your roof is leaking due to damage from a covered peril, your insurer may pay to repair or replace it, up to the limits of your coverage and minus your deductible. If the roof damage is a result of neglect or wear and tear, it likely won’t be covered by your homeowners insurance policy. Learn more about how homeowners insurance covers roof leaks.
Don’t Miss: How To Order Roof Trusses
Insurance Doesnt Cover Improper Roof Installation
Lets say straight-line winds come through your area and rip shingles off your roof. You have homeowners insurance, so youre not worried because theyll cover the damage.
Unfortunately, when the insurance adjuster comes out for an inspection, they find your roof wasnt installed using correct roofing techniques. Now your homeowners insurance wont cover the storm damage. But why?
Homeowners insurance wont cover wind damage or any other kind of storm damage if they find your roof was improperly installed. Thats why its absolutely crucial to hire a local roofing contractor with a strong workmanship history anytime you need roof work done.
Proper roof installation plays a huge role in every aspect of your roof. To learn more about what it means to your roof, check out this article on why proper roof installation is important.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Rental Properties
Insurance companies have policies that protect the landowner and renter in case of accidents. If you live in a rental, contact your landlord immediately if you suspect any damage. While a renter does not have to claim insurance for the leaky roof, insurance companies offer a renters insurance policy that allows you to protect your belongings in case of accidents.
For landlord insurance, the process is to analyze and document any damage before calling up your insurance company. You should leave things as is while the insurance adjuster comes to inspect the damage and processes the claim.
Also Check: Is Flex Seal Good For Rv Roofs
Make An Appointment With An Insurance Adjuster
Your insurance company will schedule an appointment for an adjuster to come out to your home and assess the roof damage. The adjuster will go on the roof, assess the damage, determine what is and is not covered for your roof claim and give you an estimate to provide to the roofing contractor. Ask the adjuster to share any documentation with you.
How We Make Money
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to stricteditorial integrity,this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here’s an explanation of how we make money.Our content is backed byCoverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity . For more information, please see ourInsurance Disclosure
You May Like: How Do You Get Rid Of Raccoons On Your Roof
Take The Appropriate Next Steps In Your Roof Replacement Claim
After you submit your insurance claim and enlist a roofing company to offer supporting evidence, your insurance company has the discretion to make a decision. After their allotted time frame , the insurance agent will let you know if your claim was approved or denied. If they deny your claim, you can appeal the decision. These procedures differ by insurance company, so make sure to consult your insurance agent for guidance.
If your roofing claim is approved, youll be able to start working with your chosen contractors to complete your new roof installation. Once your roof is replaced, we recommend that you get it inspected regularly. Not only will routine maintenance keep your roof in great condition, but itll make future roofing claims easier to get approved since youll have both written reports and photos noting the past condition of the roof.
Tips For Filing A Roofing Insurance Claim
To begin the process, call your insurance company so that they can inspect your roof to determine if damage has occurred. They can then give you an estimate for your roof insurance claim.
Be sure to gather up as many documents as you can before you call your insurance company.
A copy of your current home insurance policy, any home inspection reports, receipts for any roof work youve done and before-and-after photos of any damage that has occurred are all helpful in easing the claims process.
Read Also: How Much Pitch Does A Roof Need
Should You Get A Home Warranty For Roof Repair Or Replacement
Getting a home warranty for roof leak protection can be a good investment to supplement your home insurance, but theres no right answer as to whether to buy it.
These warranties often cover roof leaks caused by an old roof or general wear and tear, which home insurance companies usually exclude from policies.
A home warranty with roof coverage provides some peace of mind knowing that if your roof leaks, you dont have to pay for the repairs entirely out-of-pocket, but you have to decide whether the added expense is worth it.
Home warranties can be expensive. Not only do you pay a monthly fee, you typically pay a service fee each time a professional comes to your home. And if your roof is leaking due to age or wear and tear, you may need to replace the roof, which isnt covered by a home warranty.
Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Leaks And Replacement
Homeowners insurance policies often cover roof leaks and other roof damage if the damage is from a sudden event or act of nature. This type of insurance helps cover the costs of home repairs or replacing parts of your home.
However, there are certain types of roof damage that home insurance providers may not cover. Before filing a roof damage insurance claim, it’s best to determine whether your homeowners insurance covers roof leaks.
Also Check: What Wind Speed Causes Roof Damage
Three Things To Check About Roof Insurance
Here are the three main questions to ask to understand if your roof insurance is good or not. The first question refers to the perils that are covered, the second refers to how you will be paid and the third refers to how much money you get in a claim:
Detailed Documentation Of Your Roof Repair
Documentation is essential for getting your insurance claim honored for the first time. The roofer will offer a detailed damage report that includes the photos for the reviews. When submitting this packet is not sufficient for the insurers to grant a claim. They would be saving you more than a week as the insurer can waive their right to have an adjuster examine the damage personally.
Also Check: How To Replace A Roof With Solar Panels
How Your Insurance Company Determines Roof Coverage
How does your insurance company determine the coverage on your roof? Each house and situation is different, so there isnt one simple boilerplate process. Your insurance adjuster will consider your location along with the roofs age, quality of materials, and current condition. Adjusters also consider preventative protection and monitoring services like Smart Home kits.
Roofs over 20 years old might only be insured for up to their cash value. With most policies, a deductible may have to be met before your insurance kicks in to cover it.
Tip: Pairing a home warranty that covers structural damage with home insurance can help maximize your coverage.
What Roof Damage Is Not Covered By Insurance
When the cause of roof damage is not a covered peril, then the cost of repairing the damage is not covered by insurance. Perils that are not covered include roof damage from general wear and tear or lack of maintenance.
Mold, pests or birds, wet rot, errors made by a contractor or construction worker as well as improper code materials are examples of perils that arent covered by homeowners insurance. Improper code materials are violations of building or plumbing guidelines established by licensed contractors.
In some cases, a homeowners insurance policy specifically excludes covering the repair of roof damage, more so in HO-8 insurance policies. The significance of HO-8 home insurance is that it is often used to insure older or high-risk homes which are more likely to encounter roof damage from weather like hail and wind or falling objects like trees and power lines.
You May Like: How Much Does It Cost To Pitch A Roof
How Do I Choose The Right Policy For Roof Replacement
If roof replacement or repair is one of your priorities, there are a few things that you should definitely keep in mind when looking at different packages. Before you get a quote, you should:
- Estimate the value of your roof: This should include unique features, expensive materials, or any upgrades you have made.
- Investigate contractors in your area: The cost of labor and even materials will vary depending on where you are in the country, so you want to talk to some reliable contractors to see how much repairs or replacements might cost.
- Estimate additional living expenses: You may need to live elsewhere while repairs or rebuilding works are taking place, so this is an important expense to consider.
Once you have a rough estimate of what a replacement might cost overall, you can consider whether you need the extra features of the Premier Package from Farmers Insurance, which can come with Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage.
Read also > > Amica Roof Replacement Policy
What Homeowners Plans Does Farmers Insurance Offer
If you think you might end up filing a claim for significant roof repairs, or a full roof replacement, then it would definitely be worth looking at the limits and deductibles that each package from Farmers Insurance comes with.
They have three packages for their Farmers Smart Plan Home policy:
- Standard: Designed for affordability and aimed at those who are just getting onto the property ladder, the Standard plan gives you the flexibility to choose higher limits for specific valuable items.
- Enhanced: The Enhanced package includes higher policy limits and extra features. On this plan, they will cover the costs of a roof replacement without deducting depreciation.
- Premier: The Premier package has their highest limits and personal property coverage. With this plan, you can also get Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage, with means that you will always get full reimbursement for rebuilding, no matter what your policy limit is.
Within each package, there is a lot of customization that will cater to your specific needs. Your homeowners policy will end up being unique to you and your property, so you might have slightly different coverage from the standard plan.
Read also > > Allstate Roof Replacement Policy
You May Like: Can You Paint Shingles On Your Roof
Accurate Insurance Claim Paperwork
There are various kinds of forms to be filled out for collecting your insurance. Several homeowners work on the initial paperwork alone, only to have their claims rejected due to the smaller oversights. Several experienced roofers are familiar with the insurance process to help you re-check your paperwork or fill it out while waiting.
