Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Replacement?

Modern roof designs are able to withstand just about anything nature throws at them. However, that doesn’t change the fact that nothing lasts forever. Therefore, you will need to replace your roof sooner or later. The most common reason for a roof replacement is severe damage that you cannot repair. Oftentimes, this is a result of extreme weather events. Other times, people opt for a roof replacement simply because their existing roof is at the end of its natural lifespan. Homeowners, in general, need to replace their roofs around once every two decades.

Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Replacement?

While the costs of replacing your roof vary, the average cost of a brand new roof in the United States is around $7,000; a significant investment. If you’re facing replacement roof expenses, it’s only normal that you’ll ask yourself if your home insurance policy can help cover the cost.

When Will Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Your Roof Replacement Costs?

Have you started reading over the fine print in your homeowners’ insurance policy? If so, you will quickly discover that your Omaha roof replacement may be covered or partially covered under very specific circumstances. Most likely, you will find out that your home insurance will cover the cost of a roof replacement if:

• Did your roof sustain damage, beyond repair, in either an “act of nature” or an “act of God”? These are natural disasters over which you, as the homeowner, have no control. You could have done nothing to prevent the damage. Examples include hurricanes, snowstorms, and hailstorms.
• The roof sustained damage, beyond repair, due to either an accident or a crime. Examples include fires (in which the rest of your home was not damaged beyond repair) or extreme vandalism. Freak accidents in which your entire roof caves in will also likely fall under your insurance policy. 

Homeowners will usually need to be able to prove that the roof had not already been worn down to the point where it needed replacement anyway. Therefore, filing an insurance claim on a roof that is over 20 years old will be challenging, even if an act of nature ultimately “killed it”.

The policyholder will also need to be able to document that the roof cannot undergo repair. Should you not have taken steps to maintain your roof, that may affect the insurance payout as well.

When Will Homeowners’ Insurance Not Cover Omaha Roof Replacement?

You will be on your own in practically all other circumstances.

• If your roof needs replacing as a result of age, your home insurance will not cover the cost.
• If your roof was irreparably damaged by pests such as raccoon populations, you cannot rely on your insurance policy to pay for a replacement.
• Did any damage occur to your roof from an act of nature like a hurricane, lightning strike, or hailstorm? If so, your insurance company will consider this damage to be cosmetic. Your insurance company will likely not cover the cost even of minor repairs.
• Was your roof torn apart in an act of nature or an accident, but it was already over 20 years old at the time? If so, you may not be eligible to receive help from your insurance provider.

Talk With Your Insurance Provider

Now is a good time to investigate whether your roof is still receiving coverage from your insurance provider. You will also want to investigate whether it is time to invest in a new roof or have an Omaha roofing company perform repairs. Although roofs are built to last, you must replace a roof every few decades. If yours has not had work done on it in years, consider your options.

If your roof has already sustained heavy damage, that will be covered only in specific circumstances. Talk to your insurance representative and see if your policy will cover the damage. Asking for a list of insurer-approved contractors will help you file your claim more quickly.

At Integrity Contracting, Inc., we make the insurance claims process easy for you. Our Omaha roofing contractors will work to get all of the money you are owed to repair your roof. 

When Do You Need a Roof Replacement?

Additional Reading: 10 Kinds of Damage Home Insurance Won’t Cover (Nerdwallet)

Integrity Contracting, Inc. | Omaha Roofing Contractor

Integrity Contracting, Inc is a general contractor providing services in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. We are a multifaceted home construction company that specializes in painting, tree trimming, tree removal, siding, seamless gutters, home remodeling, and roofing in Omaha, Nebraska.

Integrity Contracting Inc. superior service offers the quality you deserve with the affordability you can respect. Let our experienced Omaha roofing, siding, seamless gutter, and home remodeling professionals tackle your next home project so you can relax and have a stress-free experience.

Contact Integrity Contractors Inc. to learn more about Omaha roof replacement.