Yes, your homeowner’s insurance can pay for a roof replacement, assuming it meets a few qualifications. If your roof…
- Is less than 20 years old
- Damaged by a Natural or Accidental Incident
- Has Received Necessary Maintenance
… your homeowner’s insurance will cover most, if not all, of its replacement costs.
But there is more to this than you may realize—insurance can be tricky, and if you don’t meet these requirements, have a bad policy or insurance company, are concerned about the costs post-claim payment, or your roof replacement is still not covered, you could have some issues.
How to Get Insurance to Cover Your Roof Replacement
In order to have your roof replacement insured, you will have to take care of a few things. Firstly, it will be incredibly helpful for you to take “before” pictures of your roof. Having a current photo will prove to the insurance company that the present damages are a result of an insured incident.
You will also want to keep track of the age of your roof. Most policies refuse to insure roofs older than 20 years old—normal wear-and-tear is not insured, and old roofs won’t be covered even if the damage is the result of an insured incident.
It will also be incredibly helpful to keep records of any roof repairs or maintenance. That way, when you make a claim, the company will see that you have been responsible and that the damage is due to an insured incident rather than wear-and-tear.
Preparing For Future Damage
Your insurance may cover roof replacement, but you already know that they won’t cover wear-and-tear. That means it’s up to you to maintain your roof in order to keep your repair and replacement coverage.
An easy way to do this is to have your roof regularly inspected—and, of course, make sure you document each inspection. Also, keep up with maintenance as much as you can. Clearing overhanging tree branches, debris, standing water, etc. will all prevent future issues.
Get Homeowners Insurance—Call Redwood Agency Group
The average roof replacement costs between $5,000 and $10,000. If you are faced with this cost without insurance to cover it, you may be in trouble. Or, worse yet, if you have an unreliable insurance policy, they may not give you money for it, even if you deserve it.
When choosing an insurance company, then, you have to go with someone you can trust. Redwood Agency Group will do what it takes to make sure you find a policy. If you would like to speak with one of our agents about your home insurance options, give us a call at (512) 994-0894.
