Roof repair is covered under your home insurance policy. However, your insurer only pays claims caused by a covered event. Learn about the events covered and excluded by your policy and how to protect your roof until it's repaired.
The Cause Of The Damage Matters
Home insurance doesn't pay for your roof repair if it caves in due to regular wear and tear. As a homeowner, you have a responsibility to maintain your home to ensure its insurability. Therefore, neglecting your roof makes the roof ineligible for insurance claims.
Covered incidents typically include fallen trees, hail, ice and snow damage — as well as lightning strikes. If a covered peril causes roof damage, your insurance company pays for the repairs over and above the deductible.
Where In Your Policy Are Roofs Covered?
When you buy home insurance with an all-perils option, you get roof replacement coverage for acts of nature. It doesn't matter how old the roof is. However, if the roof is past its intended lifespan, it may fall under the general maintenance category. This means you would be responsible for paying to replace it.
What About Water Damage?
Home insurance doesn't cover flood repairs. It does take care of other water damage, however. From a hole in the roof to structural problems, you're covered — so long as a hurricane or other natural disaster caused it. If there is water damage, check with your Affordable Insurance Group agent to determine your coverage.
What's Excluded?
For owners who don't keep up the maintenance on their roofs, the insurance company may deny the claim. Intentional loss, neglect, acts of war and general power failure are also examples of excluded perils.
Protect Your Property
If a hazard damages your roof and forces you out of your home, once it's safe to go back in, secure your property and do what you can to prevent further damage. Cover the roof and windows with plastic or plywood as a temporary fix. Most insurance companies specify that you may forfeit coverage if you don't attempt to make reasonable repairs to prevent further damage.
In order to receive reimbursement for the cost of protecting your property, save your receipts for the materials you buy for that purpose. Avoid contractors that encourage you to spend a lot of money on temporary repairs.
Dealing with roof repairs may challenge your patience and give you anxiety, but thinking out your coverage choices before a storm hits can save you time, stress and money if you ever have to file a claim.
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