Will my homeowners insurance cover my roof repair

Homeowner’s insurance covers a lot of accidents and mishaps. When it comes to your roof however, things can get a bit tricky. Whether or not your insurance covers certain damage depends on many factors. If you haven’t had to file a claim for roof repair, it can be a difficult process to navigate. Understanding how homeowner’s insurance works for roof repair in Boynton Beach is the first step in the process.

Understanding Roof Coverage

In many cases, homeowner’s insurance will cover roof repair. The extent to which the costs are covered, as well as circumstances surrounding eligible repairs varies, however. Natural accidents that damage your roof, like extreme weather or other natural incidents are often covered.

Still, every homeowner’s insurance policy is different when it comes to details for what it’ll cover. If you haven’t taken care of your roof, a claim may be denied for neglect. If you have a very old roof, it might be out of range for insurance to cover. Things that prevent coverage for a claim are called exclusions. You should always check your policy to figure out what exclusions and covered items are listed.

Will my homeowners insurance cover my roof repair?

It’s not always crystal clear whether or not homeowner’s insurance will cover your roof repairs. In some cases, your insurance may cover a partial repair, but won’t pay to replace your entire roof. As a rule of thumb, things that occur over a long period of time often aren’t covered. Things that occur suddenly, like damage from a lighting strike, often are covered.

Look at the age of your roof. If it’s a couple decades old (say, 20 years or so) chances are most damage won’t be covered. Roofs are expected to experience wear over time, and many homeowner’s insurance policies won’t cover roof damage if it’s above a certain age.

How long did it take for the initial problem to cause significant damage? If your insurance company sees the resulting damage as something preventable, it may not be covered. If you haven’t been keeping up with maintenance, it still takes time for noticeable damage to present.

Likewise pests, such as termites or vermin, should be exterminated immediately. Otherwise, the damage isn’t covered, because it’s considered neglect which is a common exclusion.

The good news is that if you’re diligent about the maintenance of your roof, most issues will be covered. Make sure to take care of your roof, so any damage or peril is clearly covered.

Conclusion

Whether homeowner’s insurance covers a roof repair really comes down to the details in your specific policy. Remember that regular age, and damage that takes a long time isn’t often covered. However, if you’re keeping up with roof maintenance, and have a roof less than a couple decades old, it’s much easier to have damage covered. Every policy is different, but no matter what, documentation is important. Take clear photos of any damage before you submit your claim.