Most homeowners insurance policies cover roof replacement if the damage is the result of an act of nature or a sudden accidental event. How roof coverage works · Preventing problems in Most home insurance companies will pay to replace the roof if it's irreparably damaged by fire, strong winds, hail, or other hazard covered by your policy. Yes, we need to include some legal jargon down here. DBA Policygenius Insurance Services in California (“Policygenius”), a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in New York, New York, is a licensed independent insurance broker.
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Coverage is often reduced for roofs that are more than 20 years old; they may only be insured at their actual cash value, not their current replacement cost. If your roof is neglected or worn out, your home insurance may not cover the cost of replacing the roof. Coverage for other hazards may require you to take out additional home insurance; earthquakes and floods are two examples. Having an old, worn roof can make it harder for homeowners insurance to cover roof damage.
To have the best chance of having your insurance company pay for a roof, the first step is to call them to have it inspected. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, homeowners should perform a regular roof inspection twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, to diagnose potential problems in time. For example, if a tree fell to your roof due to a storm or your roof was damaged as a result of a fire, your home insurance is likely to help pay for roof repair or replacement. As they age more than a decade, they will depreciate, and the amount the insurance company will help you pay for the repair or replacement will reflect that depreciation.
Fortunately, the roof is an integral part of the structure of your home, so the home coverage section of your home insurance policy generally protects you from those hazards. While guarantees certainly don't cover everything that insurance doesn't cover, they can help protect the homeowner from having to pay large sums of money out of pocket for unexpected expenses. If you didn't keep up with regular roof maintenance or tried to do it yourself instead of calling a professional, many insurance companies will deny your claim. Homeowners in coastal states prone to hurricanes and tropical storms, such as Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina, often must pay a differently named storm or hurricane deductible, similar to wind and hail deductibles.
If you indicate that your roof is more than 20 years old on your home insurance application, most insurance companies will require that you pass an inspection.
