Our Nashville homes are one of the biggest investments we will make. The thought of our homes being damaged by a tornado, high winds, or wind-blowing rains, is a scary reality. When something like this happens, there is usually no other option but to have a full roof replacement. This means with Tennessee’s unpredictable weather, knowing what our Homeowners Insurance covers and how claims work requires knowledge and experience. Both should come from your insurance agent and roofing contractor.
When it comes to roof damage, the fine print in your homeowners’ policy can make it unclear if homeowners insurance will cover a new roof or not.
The Process of Replacing My Roof With Homeowners Insurance
First, call your insurance company so they can inspect your roof to determine what type of damage has been done. Once your insurance inspector has determined that there is roof damage, they will issue an estimate for your roofing claim.
Most of the time, it won’t take long to determine whether roof damage has been done as a result of a tornado or storm blowing through. For sake of argument with the inspector, before and after pictures are helpful.
How To Begin The Process Of Replacing My Roof When It Is Old?
This is where 80% of homeowners fall into this category. We recommend checking your homeowner’s insurance at least once a year to make sure nothing has changed. You should be informed as the year goes on if there are any surprises.
There are many factors when it comes to what your insurance will and will not cover. For example, your roof is more than 20 years old and way past warranty, your first thought might be – “my homeowners insurance will pay for a new one”. Well, not necessarily. Sometimes insurance companies will only pay for a repair to be done. Other times, a partial roof replacement instead of the whole roof. Leaving you with two choices – do I have a roof that has two variations or do I pay out-of-pocket for the other half that my insurance didn’t cover?
Homeowners Insurance Scrutiny
Some policy exclusions include improper roof maintenance, neglect, or letting it get too old. And the day you DIY-ed an area where your roof was leaking, we have seen them deny a claim because you make the insurance policy void by doing so.
No matter the roof material that was damaged or aged, your insurance company may scrutinize your claim. Asking you for more extensive documentation such as photographs and large amounts of paperwork.
Material Requirements
99% of the time Homeowners Insurance policies require you to replace apples to apples. This means, if you had asphalt shingles installed and the manufacturer is still in business, you will replace them with similar shingles. One change that could be made is if the inspector determines that you are in a high-wind area or more prone to certain elements, he may upgrade your underlayment’s and installation process, i.e. nails, metals, etc.
We hope this gives you a little knowledge as to what insurance policies cover when it comes to your roof. If you have questions, would like a roof inspection, or help you file a claim, then call us at (615) 452-0161 or on our Contact Page here.
