Is My Roof Covered by Insurance? 

How to Know If Your Roof Is Covered by Insurance

Roof covered by insurance is a question many homeowners start asking as spring approaches. With the season comes heavy rain, strong storms, and unpredictable weather that can put your home to the test. While your roof works hard to protect everything underneath it, damage can still happen. When it does, understanding your coverage—and how to handle a roof insurance claim—is essential. Let’s take a closer look at what your homeowner’s policy may include.

A roof replacement is one of the largest home maintenance expenses you’ll face, with the national average cost around $8,000. While you can plan and budget for normal wear and tear, sudden storm damage is another story. When unexpected issues arise, knowing what your policy covers—and how your roof insurance claim will be handled—can make a significant difference in protecting your home and your finances.

3 Basic Levels of Home Insurance & How Your Roof Factors In:

1. Actual Cash Value – This level will consider the roof’s age and condition right before you file the claim to get how much the roof would be worth, better known as the depreciation amount. This roof insurance policy promises to pay up to the amount the roof is worth at that moment. What happens if a wind storm damages your roof off at the end of its life, under this policy? You will probably see a larger depreciation amount and will have to pay the difference out of pocket.  

2. Replacement Cost – This policy will pay to repair damage without factoring in the depreciation amount. For this level of policy, you will pay a little more in premium than ACV, but it will cover you no matter the depreciation of the roof. If you are struggling with the amount of premium, you could increase your deductible.   

3. Extended Replacement Cost – This is an expansion on your dwelling coverage limit that helps in rebuilding situations caused by acts of nature or things out of your control. You’ll want to consider this coverage if your home is in a vulnerable area such as Tornado Alley.  

Pull Out Your Policy Now 

Understanding whether your roof is covered by insurance starts with knowing how to read your homeowners’ policy. Taking a few minutes to review your policy now can help you avoid confusion and delays if you ever need to file a claim.

• Declarations Page – This is the who, what, and how much page. You should see who the insurer is and who the policy is for. You should also see the address of the property insured. Most importantly, you’ll also see how much is insured along with your premium. You should find your dwelling amount here.  
  
• Policy Booklet – This is where the details are! Delve deep into these pages to find out what exclusions there are. In here you’ll be able to find out if your expenses are covered to find additional shelter if your house is not livable.  
  
• Endorsements – This is where you might have customized some of the original homeowners policy to either save money or get more coverage.  

Keep this policy handy for a quick grab, as it is usually pulled out for emergency situations such as filing a claim. Ask your insurance agents to send you a digital copy to keep on your phone or tablet for easy access.  

Filing a Roof Insurance Claim 

When disaster strikes, decisions on what to do next are so much more difficult. Here are the steps you should take:  

1. Protect and Prevent – First and foremost, make sure everyone is out of harm’s way and alright. Once things are calmer, assess the damage and determine what you should do to prevent more damage. An example would be to throw a tarp over a hole in the roof that was caused by a hailstorm.  

2. Get Documentation – Make a list of what was affected and take pictures of the damage. Take note to timestamp all actions.  

3. Call Your Insurance Agent – File a claim with your insurance agent. They can walk you through the situation. Be sure to review your coverage first to make sure it all makes sense to you. 

The Bottom Line for Your Roof Covered by Insurance 

 Typically, home insurance is there to cover unexpected events that are out of our control. Your individual policy depends on your risk assertion. You might be alright with paying more later, so you pay a little less up-front and vice versa.

Make sure you clearly understand what is covered, and that it is all up-to-date (including your inventory list).  

Contact Us Today & Let’s Chat About Insurance Policies Best Tailored To YOU!

Any agent at Expert Protections Services can sit down and evaluate your individual situation. We have local insurance offices all over Ohio- click here to find one near you!