The dwelling coverage portion of your homeowners insurance covers the house structure, including the roof.

Types of Roof Damage

Types of roof damage covered by your insurance will depend on the policy’s terms and the reasons your roof needs to be repaired or replaced. Typically, a policy covers problems that are sudden or accidental, and caused by certain events such as wind, fire, hail or the weight of snow.

Insurance for Partial Damage

In some cases, the lifespan of the roof is shortened because of damage. Your insurer may cover the cost to replace the entire roof even if it’s only partially damaged. For example, if a homeowner has asphalt shingles damaged by hail strikes, an adjuster would count how many strikes occurred in a section to determine the impact on the lifespan of the roof. If there are enough strikes, the roof lifespan is substantially impacted and it needs to be replaced.

Insurance for Matching Issues

If the materials to fix your roof are unavailable, your insurance company may have to replace the entire roof. For example, if you have slate tile that you can’t get any more, you may have to replace the entire roof to ensure materials match.

Wind and Hail Damage

Home insurance companies in past years have been walloped by numerous and expensive roof claims. To combat this, many home insurers have implemented different coverage levels for wind and hail damage vs. roof damage from other causes. You might find that:

• You can buy only “actual cash value” coverage for wind and hail damage if your roof is too old to qualify for replacement value coverage. Your insurance reimbursement will be based on the depreciated value of the roof at the time of the damage. This will take into account the age of the roof and its materials. The upshot is that you could get substantially less money than you need to replace the roof. You’ll have to pay the difference.
• If your roof is newer and in good shape, you may be able to buy roof replacement cost coverage. This will pay you the full amount to get a new roof.

Lack of Maintenance

Additionally, since it’s your responsibility to maintain your home, policies don’t cover damage caused by a lack of maintenance. So repairing your roof due to wear and tear, or replacing it because its lifespan is over, won’t be paid for by insurance.

Lack of maintenance could also come back to bite you after a storm. If your roof was old or not well-maintained before the storm, you could have trouble getting full reimbursement.

Floods or Earthquakes

Homeowners insurance also won’t cover damage caused floods or earthquakes, including roof damage. If you live in an area at risk for these disasters, consider flood insurance or earthquake insurance.

Wood Roofs

Have a wood roof? You may pay more for home insurance. For example, Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. of Nebraska charges 25% more for dwelling coverage if you have a wood roof.

Metal Roofs

Have a metal roof? Cosmetic damage from hail may not be covered.

Fortified Roof Endorsement

Get a better roof than before: Insurance companies usually don’t pay to give you something better than what you had before. But you may be able to buy a “fortified roof endorsement” that will replace your non-fortified roof with a better one if the entire roof requires replacement. Fortified roofs are made to meet standards set by the Institute for Business & Home Safety.

Insurance Deductibles

The deductible is the amount you must pay for repairs before your insurance company covers the rest of the cost.

Special Deductibles

In some states insurers can have a special deductible for wind and hail damage from hurricanes. So if your roof blows off in a hurricane, you may find you have a higher deductible to deal with. The regular deductible still applies to other types of damage, such as a fire.

Review Your Insurance Policy

The first good step in making a roof claim is to try to understand your policy. There’s no point going to battle for coverage that you never had. For example, is the roof damage actually covered, or did you choose to exclude wind and hail damage? Is your coverage for replacement cost or actual cash value?

Assess the Damage

If you suspect there is roof damage from a storm, inspect your entire home, not just the roof. You’ll want to know the scope of the damage when you contact your insurer to start a claim.

Getting an Estimate

Get an estimate for repair based on what you had, not on how you want to change things. Don’t rely on the adjuster to determine the repair cost of the roof. Make sure to get a written estimate on a roofing company’s letterhead with the company’s contact information.

Be Prompt

Time is of the essence when dealing with a roof claim. “The longer a roof sits with damage, the more weather and dirt makes it less obvious what the damage is since it looks like wear and tear,” says Severaid.

Keep a Log of Correspondence 

What starts out as a seemingly simple claim could blow up into a nightmare. You’ll be glad if you kept records from the start, including photos, who you spoke to and when, and what they told you.

Protect the Home From Further Damage

If a tornado rips through your neighborhood and tears part of your roof off, protect your home from further damage. In fact, preventing further damage when possible is often a requirement in homeowners policies, and further damage may not be covered. You may need to put up a tarp while you alert your insurer.

Don’t Let the Insurance Company Boss You Around

Insurance companies are a business and may not have your best interests in mind when it comes to paying out roof damage claims. If you’re not doing a good job of explaining what they should be paying you, they have no fiduciary obligation.

You’re entitled to fair trade pricing, so make sure you have a solid repair estimate. If you have a large or complicated claim, consider hiring a public adjuster to work on your behalf.

Don’t Get Multiple Estimates

If you get multiple estimates, your insurance company will want to see all of them and may only accept the lowest one. The lowest estimate may not be the best quality.

Consider Roof Material that Can Get You an Insurance Discount

Research materials that will be more durable than your past roof. Your insurance company might be willing to offer a discount for impact-resistant roofing. Check with the insurer on roof material discounts before you make a final pick.