Is a Leaking Roof Covered by Insurance?
When your roof starts to leak, you may feel worried and upset with the mess that is left behind. You need to get some of the work done as soon as possible to protect your home and make sure that you are not going to end up with all your personal belongings ruined. But will your home insurance help to cover a roof that is leaking?
Some types of leaks are covered by your home insurance, according to a local CT roofing company (https://theconnecticutroofers.com/). If a sudden event causes damage to a well-maintained roof and it leaks, this will be covered by your insurance. Leaks that happen from gradual events, including normal wear and tear in the roof, age, or rot, will not be covered. You will need to read the policy for your insurance to help determine whether your leak will be covered or not.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the situations where a leaking roof will be covered by insurance and some instances where you will need to foot the bill so you can be prepared when this happens.
Will Roof Leaks Be Covered By My Insurance?
The exact types of roof damage that will be covered through your insurance will depend on the type of insurance that you have and what is found in your policy.
For most policies though, if the leak happens because there was a sudden event, like a tornado or bad weather in your area, and the roof was well-maintained before that event, then you will be able to get the repairs covered through your insurance.
This does not mean that all leaks will be covered. If a leak happens because the roof starts to get older and you do not repair it, then the insurance will not cover the leak. If there are issues like age, rot, normal wear, and tear, or you do not maintain the roof well and a leak happens, you should not expect the insurance to cover this issue as well.
There are always some exceptions to this though. For example, unless you decide to get special flood insurance, damage that will happen to the roof due to flooding will not be covered.
And most policies are not going to include any damage that was caused through an earthquake unless the homeowner purchases that extra protection. And if the homeowner intentionally does damage to the roof, this will not be covered at all.
Even if your insurance is going to cover a leak, it is important to understand the exact losses that the insurance company will and will not cover. This will be another one that is answered by “it depends”. This will depend on the terms of the policy and what your company agrees to cover for the price that you are agreeing to pay.
One thing that many companies will cover is a newer roof. Most insurance policies will cover the full cost for a repair or replacement of a damaged roof if the roof is less than ten years old. If the roof is older, the company is going to compensate you only the depreciated value of the roof. And even though roof leaks can cause mold to grow inside of your home, but insurance will usually exclude mold remediation.
You may need to consider the damage that happens inside the home. If a sudden event happens and ruins the roof and causes water damage to your appliances, furniture, and other things in the home and the event is one that is insurable under your policy, then the insurance will cover getting those replaced.
There are different things that will come into play when it is time to figure out what is covered in your insurance policy. Some of the determining factors include:
- How much you pay for the policy
- What deductible you choose to work with
- The state where the property is located
- Any additional riders you add to the policy
- What coverage you would like to have
You should work with an insurance agent to make sure that you understand what is in your policy and what needs to be covered. This can allow you to protect your home and the different items in your home without a big surprise when there is damage to your roof.
Understanding Your Insurance Policy
The best way to get the answers to what is covered under your home insurance policy is to take a look at the documents as well. Each policy is going to be different and it depends on what the laws are in the state where your property is located, the deductibles that you pay, and more.
You should read through the policy to get a better understanding of what can be covered when your roof is leaking and what will be your responsibility. Talking to an insurance agent can help out here as well.
