Roof repairs can easily cost thousands of dollars to have done properly by a professional. Fortunately, your homeowner’s insurance coverage provider may be liable for covering some or all of the costs of necessary repair work. Let’s take a closer look at whether your policy would typically come into effect after your home’s roof is damaged.
Damage Wasn’t Caused by a Lack of Maintenance
After a massive rain event, it’s possible that your roof might leak and cause significant damage to the structure as well as the rest of the house. If the leak was caused because of excessive rainfall, you’ll likely have any subsequent claim to pay for the damage approved.
However, if there is evidence of missing or damaged shingles, damaged gutters or other issues, your claim might be denied. The insurance company would likely claim that the leak was caused by preexisting issues that should have been fixed. If you didn’t know about the issues ahead of time, the insurance company might still deny your claim if you can’t prove that you had your roof inspected in the past year.
Even if you don’t see signs of obvious damage after a major weather event, be sure to have the roof inspected anyway. In fact, you may want to do so every year regardless of how old the roof is because newer ones can fail just as easily as older roofs. This may be especially true if they weren’t installed properly or there are other problems that might lead to failure before the end of the structure’s typically useful life.
How Old Is the Roof?
The age of your current roof will also play a significant role as to whether an insurance claim is approved. Typically, an asphalt shingle roof will last for about 20 years assuming its installed and maintained properly. If the shingle roof on your home was installed more than 20 years ago, your insurance provider may only pay a percentage of the overall repair bill as it’s almost at the end of its useful life.
If your roof was installed more than 25 or 30 years ago, the insurance company might deny the claim entirely. At this point, repairing or replacing it would be considered a home maintenance issue whether it was damaged in a storm or not. In addition, any interior water or pest damage caused by an old roof is unlikely to be covered by your insurance policy.
Of course, shingles aren’t the only material used to cover a roof. A metal roof can last for up to 50 years if properly installed and maintained while clay tiles can last longer than that.
Certain Exclusions May Apply
It’s not uncommon for tornadoes to occur in Nebraska. Therefore, it’s possible that your insurance provider will include a wind exclusion in your policy. Essentially, this means that you won’t be covered if your roof is damaged because of high winds such as those caused by a tornado.
The same might be true if your roof is damaged by hail. Of course, you can always pay more each month to negate these exclusions and ensure that you are covered regardless of why your roof was damaged.
Damage caused by flood waters is also left out of a standard home insurance policy. You would need to buy a special policy to ensure that you would have money to repair or replace your roof. Finally, if your roof is damaged in an earthquake, it’s also unlikely that the cost to repair or replace it would be covered by your policy unless you specifically had it added back in.
Damage Caused by the Weight of Snow or Ice Might Be Covered
While Lincoln tends to get just a few inches of snow during the year, it’s not uncommon for a major blizzard to hit Nebraska. Temperatures during the winter months are also cold enough for ice to develop and accumulate on gutters or shingles.
Cold weather may also prevent ice or snow from melting in a timely manner. Therefore, even a couple inches of snow per day can add up if it isn’t allowed to run off of the roof. Often, any damage that is caused because of the weight will be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.
The same might be true of any damage caused by an ice dam. For instance, if the gutter is pulled off because of ice accumulation, your insurance provider will likely pay to have the gutter put back on.
Of course, this assumes that the damage was caused by a weather event and not by your lack of care. Furthermore, your policy will likely only cover damage to the roof or gutters. Damage caused to the interior of the home or to anything inside of the home will typically need to be covered through a separate claim if it is covered at all.
Did Something Fall Through the Roof?
Your insurance policy will typically cover damage done to your roof by an object falling through it. For instance, if your neighbor’s tree falls through your house during a severe weather event, you’ll likely be covered. In fact, if you notified your neighbor about a dangerous tree before it falls on your home, you might be able to get that person to pay for the damage.
The same is likely true if a tree branch, power pole or some other object located on your own Lincoln property falls through your house. This again assumes that the object on your property was adequately maintained. For instance, if a dead tree falls on your house, the accident might be seen as a result of your own negligence.
All Other Reasons Why a Claim Could Be Honored
In most cases, damage caused by a storm will be covered unless it is specifically excluded from your policy. In addition, damage caused by fire or smoke will also typically be covered. For instance, if a lightning strike caused a fire to break out on the roof, you’ll likely be covered by your insurance policy. Finally, a roof repair claim will typically be covered if the damage was caused by vandals or by someone attempting to break into your house.
How Significant Was the Damage?
Even if your insurance claim will most likely be approved, you might want to hold off on doing of if the cost of the repairs is less than your deductible. In many cases, this would signify that the damage is cosmetic or minor enough that you could pay it off on your own. If the damage is deemed to be cosmetic, it’s possible that your claim would be denied anyway.
If you are in need of roof repair services in Lincoln or Omaha, give the team at Emerald Roofing a call today. We can also help with siding and gutters to ensure that the exterior of your home functions properly at all times.
