When you own a Venice area home, it is very important to understand what your homeowner’s insurance policy does – and does not – cover. Because we have persistent blazing sunshine, heavy rains, and occasional hurricane force winds, you may wonder about the coverage as it pertains to your roof.
Should you discover that your roof is leaking, will your insurance pay for the repairs?
Will My Leaky Roof Claim Be Paid?
All insurance policies are different, and insurance companies will handle similar situations differently. Still, there are some general assumptions which can be made when it comes to your leaky roof, and if your insurance will take care of the costs or fixing or replacing your roof.
- Acts of God: Natural disasters and weather events are often called “acts of God”, and they represent a situation which you, as the homeowner, had very little control over. So if a hurricane roars through and rips off several tiles or your roof, causing it to leak, your insurance company will most definitely pay for those repairs and any damage which resulted from the event. Remember that in South Florida, most homes will be required to have a windstorm rider attached to their homeowner policy, due to the frequency of tropical storms and hurricanes. This coverage is generally listed separately from the rest of your homeowners policy, but is a requirement for virtually all mortgages.
- Neglect or Disrepair: However, if your roof leak is due to prolonged neglect, it is possible that you will not be reimbursed for the repair of your roof. Normal wear and tear is expected when it comes to roofing materials, especially here in the Venice and Englewood area. But if you have allowed your asphalt shingle tiles to erode and lose all their granules, or you have neglected to clean out your gutters for years, you may find your insurance company reluctant to pay.
Basic Roof Maintenance Tips
Because your insurance company may refuse to pay (in whole or in part) if your roof has not been properly maintained, it is important to understand how to best take care of your roof.
- Perform a comprehensive annual roof inspection to identify any areas of erosion or disrepair. Look for broken or missing tiles and shingles, areas of built up debris, breaches in the roofing materials, or problems with the flashing or gutter systems.
- Eyeball your roof after every major storm to spot any damage which may have occurred. You should walk around the home on the ground and look at gutters and soffits, then look at the roof itself from the top of a ladder. Be very careful if you venture out onto the roof, as it may be slippery, or you may further damage your roofing tiles.
- Fix any minor problems as quickly as possible. If you neglect to fix a minor repair, it will become a major repair very quickly – and your insurance company may not pay of you didn’t address the problem earlier on.
- You may wish to consider a waterproof sealant on top of your roofing materials to further protect them from leaking. This sealant should only be applied if the roofing materials are structurally sound and free of defect.
What Else Will My Home Insurance Cover?
Even if your home insurance policy will not pay for a neglected roof, it should pay for any damaged caused by that leaky roof. In other words, if your insulation or drywall are damaged due to the leak, it will most likely be covered. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to read your policy thoroughly, and to perform routine roof maintenance.
Kingdom Roofing has an excellent reputation in the Venice area for roof repair and installation. We are happy to help you keep your roof well maintained – and your home dry.
