One mistake we see homeowners make all the time is they simply assume their insurance policies will pay for anything and everything that goes wrong with their roof. Thus, they’re sometimes left without the resources they need to take care of roofing problems.
In reality, the rules governing how much insurance will help with roofing damage are somewhat complex. You should never assume you’ll be getting a blank check that will allow you to just up and replace your roof. Here are a few things you should know.
Insurance is about mitigating risk.
It’s not there to pay for your roof when your roof runs to the end of its natural lifespan. That is hardly an unforeseen event. Time is inevitable. Every roof has a lifespan, and eventually, your roof will reach the end of that lifespan. You should be putting money aside to replace the roof when the time comes.
Homeowner’s insurance comes into play when something unexpected happens. Storm damage. Fires. Vandalism. Homeowner’s coverage handles these issues.
However, if your older roof was damaged, insurance will sometimes pay for a portion of the replacement. Check out this excellent article from The Washington Post for a rundown of what that might look like.
Deductibles matter.
Got an $1000 deductible? You’ll have to pay that before insurance will pay anything. If the repairs cost less than $1000 you’re not going to get a check from your insurance company. You’ll be paying out-of-pocket to fix that roof damage. If you have that sort of deductible it would be smart to keep at least that much in your account, just in case something happens.
Documentation matters.
You’ll get farther with the insurance company if you take photos of your roof now, before it’s damaged. After the roof is damaged you should take photos of that as well. This can help the insurance company determine how much they’re actually responsible for, and can expedite the process considerably.
Get help from your roofing contractor.
Hiring an insurance-savvy roofing contractor can make a big difference. We can help you get through the insurance claims process, much like your doctor’s office does when you go to get checked out. Here at Done Rite we’ve helped many homeowners navigate this very process in order to help mitigate the costs of roof repairs and replacements. Call us if your insurance company is giving you a hard time…we might be able to help.
Image credit: Ernest Prim