Natural disasters and accidents are unpredictable and can happen any time, which is why insuring your home is so important. As South Florida roofing contractors with years of experience in the industry, we also know that it’s equally vital to be familiar with what your insurance covers, especially since home repairs can be quite expensive. In this article, we’ll discuss whether your insurance covers your roof.
Does Insurance Cover Leak Repairs?
The simple answer is that your insurance usually does cover leak repairs. However, you have to look through your policy thoroughly to see what it actually covers. This is because home insurance would typically state that it would cover leak repairs, depending on the cause of the leak.
Most insurance policies won’t cover leak repair if the cause of the leak is due to age or wear and tear. This is primarily because those are damages that wouldn’t have occurred if the roof was properly maintained. The causes that insurance policies do cover often include fire, lightning, explosions, storms, riots, theft, accidents, and so on.
To illustrate, leak repairs are usually covered if it’s caused by a storm that has knocked a tree over onto your roof. On the other hand, if your roof is leaking from shingles that are old and worn, it’s on you to pay for the damage.
Does Insurance Cover Roof Replacements?
Just like in the previous example, insurance coverage is highly dependent on the situation. Yes, insurance policies do cover roof replacements. However, it will still depend on the cause.
If your roof replacement is due to the several reasons listed above (fire, lightning, explosions and so on), then there is a big chance that your insurance policy will cover it.
What Doesn’t Insurance Cover?
It is important to be familiar with the situations that are typically excluded from coverage. Typical hazards would include damage due to an infestation, negligence, wear and tear, settling of house’s foundation, damage caused by pets, war or government action, and more.
How Do Insurance Claims Work?
When something happens to your roof, what should you do to get your insurance claim started?
The steps you would need to take vary from one insurance provider to another. However, there are certain things you can do that can help your insurance claim go smoothly.
If an incident occurred that caused damage to your roof, it is best to note the date and time that the event occurred. You should also take sufficient pictures of the damage and prepare a brief description of the event.
Once you have this information and other necessary documents or invoices ready, call the contact number of your insurance company. It’s important to notify your insurance company as soon as possible instead of waiting.
Conclusion
Your roof is an essential part of your home, offering protection from weather elements. Fortunately, most insurance policies do cover roof repair costs. However, always remember to pay attention to the fine print in your policies because while they do cover roof repairs, they only do so in certain situations.
As a general rule of thumb, you can count on your insurance to cover your roof if any damage is due to a sudden, unpredictable accident or caused by nature. Also, don’t expect to be covered if your roof is damaged due to neglect or wear and tear. To make sure your roof is compliant and covered by insurance, maintain your roof regularly and ensure that it is inspected and in good, working condition.
Gustafson Roofing is a local, family-owned roofing company that has been serving the Boynton Beach, Florida area since 1948. As one of the most experienced roofing contractors in the region, Gustafson Roofing provides a full range of roofing services, from installation of new roofing systems to repairs and maintenance. They are experts in roof replacements, installing various types of roofs, including asphalt shingle, metal, tile, and flat roofs. In addition to reroofing, the company offers roof leak repairs and inspection services to keep clients’ roofs protected. With over 60 years in business, Gustafson Roofing prides itself on quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction.