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Does Insurance Pay for a New Roof?

does insurance pay for a new roof

Many homeowners have been in the same situation: their roof needs replacing and they do not know if their insurance company will cover it. The answer is fairly simple. Your insurance company will typically cover roof repair if the damage is the result of an accident or act of nature–such as a hurricane–but they will not cover any replacements that are a result of the age of the roof. A roof that is ready to be replaced because it is too old will usually be the responsibility of the owner of the property.

How Does Roof Coverage Work?

Your roof is perhaps the most important part of your house. It is the thing that keeps you protected from the sun’s rays as well as the rain, wind, and other weather. During hurricane season in Florida, there is nothing more important to a homeowner than a solid, well-maintained roof. 

This is because damage to your roof can come from anywhere. Homeowners can anticipate losing a few shingles or having to deal with some wind damage, but they must also take into account the possibility of trees falling over, power lines toppling, or even fires.

Thankfully, none of these events are under your control which means that they are covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. Many insurance companies will cover either the total or partial replacement of your roof should your roof be damaged in one of these events.

Be aware, however, that there are always exceptions. Coverage for your roof, even if it has been damaged, is going to be dependent on how old your roof is. If your roof is over twenty years old, you will likely not receive the current replacement cost.

Do you have a policy deductible? You’ll have to pay that before your coverage can kick in. In the state of Florida, many insurance companies have a higher deductible for hurricane-related damage. Be sure to check your policy so that you don’t have any surprises when it comes time to replace your roof.

Things to Keep in Mind

While a scenario where the roof comes crashing down is not ideal, it is these types of instances that often get full coverage. It is only when the damage is less severe that you are going to have issues arguing for full coverage. For example, if a thunderstorm blew through town and damaged some of your shingles, your insurance company may not classify it as essential. They may call it a cosmetic issue. As such, the insurance company may insist that you pay for it. Even if there is water damage to the inside of your home–such as the walls, floors, or your furniture–you would still not be able to get your roof replaced. Only the damage to the interior would be covered.

Getting Reimbursed for Your Roof Replacement

The older your roof is, the harder it is going to be to have it covered. This is because many insurance companies have a cut-off where they will not cover roofs that are older than twenty-five years. You may also have other exclusions to your policy such as exclusions of certain types of material or exclusions based on neglect to a roof. 

In order to make sure that your insurance company covers your roof claim, you are going to want to call the insurance company to come out for an inspection. During that inspection, they are going to assess your roof’s damage and give your insurance company an estimate for what the damage may cost and if they should cover it. You will want to prepare for this inspection by gathering as many relevant documents as possible. This means that you will want to have your current homeowner’s insurance policy as well as any receipts for work that you may have already done and any before-and-after shots of your roof that you may have. The better prepared you are, the more the insurance adjuster will have to work with when assessing your case.

Searching for Orlando and Tampa Roofers?

Has your roof been damaged? Are you ready to have it replaced by professionals who will get the job done right? The biggest deterrent for homeowners when they have to replace their roof is getting their insurance to cover their claim. At Janney Roofing, we work with the insurance company to get your claim processed quickly, so you can have your new roof sooner. No longer will you have to volley back and forth between your insurance company and your roofers. With Janney Roofing, you can relax as we handle the paperwork and the insurance company to get the job done quickly and efficiently. If you are interested in learning more about our services or you are ready to replace your roof, feel free to contact us at Janney Roofing today.

Retail Roof, Insurance roof repair, roof repair
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