Does My Insurance Policy Cover Storm Damage or Roof Replacement?

If you live in Florida, you have experienced sudden and catastrophic wind events, such as hurricanes and severe thunderstorms.  These storms can cause damage to your property’s exterior, leaving you in a position of possibly having to replace your roof, as well as repair damage to the interior.  The questions is - Can you rely on your insurance company to cover all the damage?
 
The answer is a bit more complex than a simple yes or no because it depends on your policy.
 
Insurance companies are beginning to implement roof depreciation schedules into their policies.
 
Roof repairs or replacement, if the damage to your roof is caused by a covered loss, are typically covered in the dwelling coverage section of your policy. However, I cannot stress enough to make sure you understand and know what your policy covers, limits, or excludes.  Recently, friends of mine obtained an insurance policy and unbeknownst to them, it included a roof depreciation schedule.

What Does This Mean?

A full roof replacement, without the help of insurance, can be a steep price tag for many property owners. It is a necessary component to your property’s envelope.  If a roof depreciation schedule exists within your policy, the insurance company will deduct a percentage of coverage based on the age of your roof, then deduct your deductible.  This can certainly result in high out of pocket expenses you did not expect to have.

Does Insurance Cover Roof Replacement?

Homeowner’s insurance policies will vary when it comes to covering full roof replacement resulting from a storm.
 
Most policies cover damages from sudden and accidental losses such as wind, hail, or lightning, but may have a higher deductible. Where other policies may exclude these types of storm damages altogether.
 
Be prepared and review your insurance policy so that you know and understand your property coverage. For example, whether you are covered, or not, for the ensuing water damage to your property from a roof leak or if you are covered for full roof replacement from a hurricane, windstorm, hail or lightening.

Roof Damage Insurance Claim Denied, Now What?

Was the damage to your roof insurance claim denied? The verbiage in your homeowner’s insurance policy is important for any claim you make. However, a roof repair or full roof replacement is not something you should wait to handle, whether your claim was denied or not.
 
If you need a roof replacement and the damage is caused by a covered loss, and your insurance provider is denying your claim, you may still have options.
 
That is when hiring a public adjuster, like Reliant Insurance Adjusters, can help you get the highest possible claim settlement and also potentially avoid an outright claim denial. Contact us today for a free policy review and learn how we can help get your insurance claim paid should you have one.