Answers to What May Be Covered By Insurance When You Have a Leak in Your Roof
When you discover a leak in your home's roof, you may be wondering if your home insurance policy will cover the cost to have the damage repaired. Homeowners insurance policies may cover the cost of a leak caused by damage to your roof, but can depend on what exactly is covered in your homeowners insurance policy and can also depend on several other factors. For example, if the leak was caused by normal wear and tear or if the damaged caused was due to a recent weather event or disaster. A licensed roofing contractor who has experience with your insurance company can assess the cause of your leaking roof and help you determine the best course of action whether it be filing an insurance claim or covering the cost out of pocket.
What to do if your roof is leaking?
If you have visible roof damage, such as an interior leak, the first thing you need to do is contact a local roofing company who is licensed and insured to inspect the damage to your home's roof as soon as possible. It is important to have an inspection as soon as your notice damage to your roof. It is typical for insurance policies to exclude what they consider neglect from your policy. In most cases, your insurance company will send an inspector to your home. If the insurance company discovers the damage to your roof is not recent, they may consider it neglect and not cover the cost to repair the damage to your home's roof.
Homeowners insurance typically does not cover damage resulting from lack of maintenance or wear and tear. Homeowners insurance policies instead tend to cover repair to damage caused by sudden, accidental damage which can include storms resulting in damage to your home's roof. Damage caused by age or lack of maintenance resulting in leaks in your home likely wouldn't be covered by yourhome insurance. Conducting regular roof inspections can assure that any damage to your home's roof is discovered in a timely manner which, in turn, would give you a higher likelihood that you would be covered by your homeowners insurance policy if you were to experience a leak.
Another reason to act as soon as you notice roof leaks is so that the roofing company can tarp your roof to temporarily keep your home covered from the elements and keep further damage from happening to your roof. Have your insurance policy paperwork handy if you plan to go through insurance for the repair so the contractor can review what is outlined in your policy and look for any exclusions your policy may contain. A roofing contractor who has expertise with your insurance company can help determine if the damage to your roof could be covered by insurance.
How much does it cost to fix a leak in a roof?
Once you discover a leak in your roof, one of the first questions you may ask yourself is, "How much will this cost me?". Of course, the cost to repair the damage to your roof depends on the extent of the damage and location of the leak. Residential roof repairs can vary from a few hundred dollars and up depending on the severity of the damage. If the cost to repair damage to your roof resulting in a leak is less than the cost of your deductible, you may be better off paying for the repair out of pocket.
Do warranties cover roof leaks?
We warranty roof leaks on any repairs we perform on your home's roof.
If you are reading this article about whether homeowners insurance covers roof leaks and are currently experiencing a leak in your home, give us a call and we would be happy to do a free inspection and help you determine whether the damage to your roof could be covered by insurance.
If you've already had roof repairs in the past, or if you have a new leak and your home is over 10 years old, you may qualify for a full roof replacement through your homeowners insurance. "How do I get homeowners insurance to pay for a new roof?", is a question we hear from homeowners quite often. Call Elevation Roofing for a free roof inspection today!
Want to know more about what could be covered by insurance? We have the answers to the 10 Most Common Insurance Roof Replacement Questions and what could be covered here!
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