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Is Roof Replacement Covered By Insurance?

Roof damages are not the easiest thing to deal with, especially if the damages are major. A roof replacement can cost you thousands of dollars—depending on the material of your roof and the severity of the damage.

For most of us, this type of money isn't something we can just afford to throw at a repair on a whim. The next best thing to do is file a claim at an insurance company.

But let's be honest, that's not easy to do either. It can be quite confusing and stressful—plus insurance is not always guaranteed. But don't worry just yet, cause we're here to help you figure out whether your roof replacement can be covered by insurance.

Do insurance companies cover roof replacement?

Short answer: Yes, some forms of homeowners insurance will cover roof damage and replacement—but not all damages can be covered by insurance.

Depending on your insurance policy, your roof damage may or may not be covered by homeowners insurance. If the roof damage was caused by an accident or sudden unexpected event, then it is highly likely that it will be covered by insurance.

Some insurance companies will even approve a roof replacement for partial or minor damages as long as it's proven that the lifespan of the roof is shortened due to the damage and that it occurred due to sudden unexpected events.

But if your roof is damaged from just the usual wear and tear, you'll have a harder time getting an insurance claim approved.

Whatever the case, you need to act fast. Even if your roof was damaged by an accident, delaying will allow the roof can get dirty and it can look less like damage and more like the cause of wear and tear and neglect. This also increases the likelihood of your claim being denied.

How to get homeowners insurance to replace your roof

It can be a difficult task to file an insurance claim and with no assurance that your claim will be accepted. It would be a shame if you were to go through all the trouble of filing an insurance claim and not even getting—at least—the actual cash value for your roof repairs.

So how can we ensure that your insurance company will cover your roof damage and replacements? Well, there are a couple of ways to do that. Keep reading - we are going to teach you.

Know your insurance coverage

When you first notice your roof is damaged, check if you have any roof coverage on your insurance policy. Most homeowners insurance should cover roof damages. Not sure where to find the specifics of your policy? You can always contact your insurance company and ask for a copy of the policy.

Most insurance companies offer insurance for both repairs and replacements. Part of knowing your insurance coverage is knowing which of the two you're eligible for.

There are a few situations in which you are most likely eligible for repair only. One of these is if your roof is less than 10 years old. Another is if your roof is only suffering from minor damages that affect just a single area. A third instance in which you may only be eligible for repair and not replacement is if your concern is mismatching parts that don't have any effect on your curb appeal.

However, if your roof repair costs are almost as expensive as a replacement - you'll be eligible for replacement. Similarly, if the roof is older and you plan on selling it in the future, you are more likely to be eligible for a replacement. But again - it all depends on company policies.

There are three main things that insurance companies will be looking at when determining whether or not they should approve your claim: policy, cause of damage, and location.

Remember, insurance only covers damages caused by accidents and unexpected events. So say for example you live in a coastal area that is known for having harsh winds and extreme rainfall. This is expected weather in that region, and so if the wind damages your roof, your claim might be denied.

Or maybe you live in an area that isn't used to harsh winds and rain. But, your roof is old and not properly maintained. In this instance, your claim might also be denied. Living in an area that is at risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes or flooding, may also result in your claim being denied.

Document the damages to send to your insurance company

The best way to avoid getting your insurance claim denied is to have records and documentation of the damages caused to your roof as soon as they happen.

Make sure to show before and after photos of your roof. This will show the insurance company the damage wasn't caused by neglect or wear and tear. Take pictures of both the exterior and interior of your home. Do not forget to note the date of when you first saw the damage.

Documenting the damages and sending them to your insurance company together when you file the claim can help them assess your case much faster. You should make it as easy as possible on the insurance company to approve your claim.

It's also a good idea to try to fix the damages yourself even before you file the insurance claim. You can include receipts of the repairs you made. This will show your insurance officer that you are not one to neglect your roof and that you really need your roof to be repaired immediately by a professional.

Only give one estimate

Insurance companies may ask for an estimated price of the repairs and they will usually ask for multiple estimates. It's best to only give one estimate.

If they really insist on multiple estimates, try to limit it to two or three. Make sure to get estimates that will benefit you. You might try to find a low estimate, but the lowest estimate might not be the best for you.

And while you're researching how much it'll cost to repair the roof, you might want to research different roofing materials that may be more durable than your current one. You might be able to get roof material discounts through your insurance agency.

Watch out for scammers

There are tons of scammers out there that are known as "storm chasers". These are scammers that come around knocking on people's doors after a storm asking if they need their roof repaired. They will offer you fast roof repair for a cheap price. Some might even say it's for free.

A lot of scammers start out by offering you really cheap roof insurance, followed by saying something in the lines of "you have to act now or else you'll miss the deal". The moment you encounter a person like this, keep your guards up. They are usually looking for people who are vulnerable and are easy to manipulate.

Here are more warning signs to look out for to avoid scammers: If they ask you to pay huge amounts of money upfront and in cash. Insurance agencies are not supposed to ask for large down payments. If it's a roof repair scam, know that professional roof repair companies will not ask for payments before the work is done.

When in doubt, ask for a license. Professionals will always have a license. And just to be extra careful, try to find information online regarding the company. If they're legit, they'll have reviews online and a working website.

Find a reputable roofing company

If you really want to make sure that the insurance companies approve your claim, it's best to find a reputable roofing company to do the roof inspection for you. An experienced roofing company will know how to assess the damage and create an accurate report to be sent to your insurance officer.

If you don't find your own roofing company to inspect the damage for you, insurance companies will send their own guy to inspect your roof. This can be an issue, for example, if the inspector they send isn't a roofing expert.

They might not understand the severity of the damage and how it impacts your home and make it seem in the report that the damage isn't a big deal. These guys might try to find a reason (any reason) to deny your claim.

This is why it's best to find a roofing company yourself to do the inspection. But don't just go choosing any roofing company. Pick a roofing company that deals with roof repairs and replacements but also knows how to deal with roof insurance claims (companies such as Pineapple Roofing).

If by any chance your insurance claim gets approved all you'll have to do is find someone to repair or replace your roof for you. At least if you find a roofing company to inspect for you, you already have someone to do the repairs as well.

Is it possible for a roofing company to handle my insurance claims?

We understand—dealing with a damaged roof can be a lot of stress. It can become even more of a headache when you have to deal with insurance claims. There are just so many things to consider when you're filing a homeowners insurance claim.

You have to read up on insurance policies, document the damages, try to repair the damages, create estimates, do research on the roofing material, and hire a roofing company to inspect your roof—it's just too much sometimes.

Well, you don't actually have to do all of this. You just have to do one thing and that's hiring a reputable roofing company—like us, Pineapple Roofing.

Pineapple Roofing Handles Roof Damage Insurance Claims For You!

Too tired and stressed to do roof damage insurance claims on your own? We got your back. As the #1 Dallas residential roofing company, we have a reputation for going above and beyond.

Our years of training and experience in the roofing industry have taught us that roof damage really is a common problem— a big and expensive problem! We noticed that a lot of our customers will file insurance claims to help with their roof repair and replacements. We also noticed that this process caused them stress and headaches.

Roof damage is already one major problem, dealing with homeowners insurance is another. Because we want to offer the most hassle-free roofing experience for our customers, we made sure to include roof damage insurance claims as a part of our services!

So aside from being the ones who repair and replace your roofs, we're also the ones who file the insurance claims for you. And to add a little extra, we even offer free roof inspection services for both residential and commercial roofing.

With Pineapple Roofing in your corner, fixing a damaged roof is as easy as can be. Everything from the inspection to filing the insurance claims and repairing the roof is handled by us - you've got more important, more fun things to be doing! 

The only thing you have to do now is to go to our website and book a free inspection with us. From there you can just sit back, relax, and watch us do what we're best at.