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Does homeowners insurance cover roof damage from a storm?
Storm roof claims usually turn on three things: what caused the damage, how old the roof is, and which deductible applies. Here's where each one lives in your policy.
See your own storm deductible and exclusions in about a minute.
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What filed forms generally say
Most homeowners forms treat sudden storm damage to a roof — shingles torn off by wind, holes from hail, a tree landing on it — under Windstorm or Hail, and generally handle it as a covered peril.
Wear and tear, old age, rot and poor upkeep are generally excluded. A roof that leaked because it was worn out is usually read differently from one that leaked after wind lifted the shingles.
Many policies pay for an older roof at what it was worth, not what a new one costs. That's often set by a roof surfacing schedule or an actual-cash-value roof endorsement, which subtracts for the roof's age.
Hail dents that don't let water in may fall under a cosmetic damage exclusion, where one has been added.
Near the coast, a hurricane or named-storm deductible — often a percentage of the home's insured value — may apply instead of the regular one. Inland, a separate wind/hail deductible is common.
Most forms ask you to report damage promptly, make reasonable temporary repairs like a tarp to stop more water getting in, and keep receipts. Some states set a deadline for filing a storm roof claim.
Why your policy can still say something else
Whether your roof is paid at full replacement cost or its depreciated value, which deductible applies, and whether a cosmetic damage exclusion is attached are all specific to your own policy and state.
Clauses to look for in your own document
- Perils Insured Against — Windstorm or Hail
- Exclusions — Wear and Tear
- Roof Surfaces — Payment Basis
- Windstorm, Hail or Named Storm Deductible
- Duties After Loss
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More questions
PoliSays explains document wording. It is not an insurer, broker, or law firm, and nothing here is advice.