Do you know if your home insurance cover roof leaks? Probably not. Most Homeowners policies exclude incidents of this type, except in certain situations.
In this article, we’ll cover how insurers view roof leaks and what you can do to protect your home from this sad fate.
Imagine with me: you arrive home after facing a lot of rain in traffic, arriving on your street you saw branches and tiles on the sidewalk thrown by the wind. When you open the door you notice that the floor, the rugs, your pillows and the sofa are wet. Your TV has water trails across the screen and a pocket of water reigns supreme in the plaster of your ceiling.
You think: this can only be a nightmare! Someone wake me up!!!
I apologize for the dramatic description, but you wouldn’t be the first, nor the last person to go through such an event and, while dramatic, this was the real scenario for many people.
And if it happened, you would ask me: what now? Who can defend me?
No, no… It would be amazing, but you wouldn’t need Chapolin to solve your problem. A home insurance policy is more than enough.
What coverage protects my roof?
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Oh! So does that mean standard home insurance protects my roof? Yea! The roofing combination not only protects your roof, it protects other structures in your home and your personal possessions. That is, of course, if the damage is caused by a covered hazard.
In this situation, the coverages that would come into action would be:
- Dwelling Coverage
- Personal Property Coverage
1. What is dwelling coverage?
Homeowners or Condo insurance coverage covers your home, including attached garage (if any), countertops, flooring, and built-in appliances.
If your home is damaged by a covered hazard, in which case wind and rain, your policy’s dwelling coverage may pay to repair, rebuild, or replace your roof, ceiling, and wall damage caused by leak. Coverage is included in all residential policies. Ufa!
2. What is personal property coverage?
If your belongings are also damaged by the leak, such as the cushions, sofa, TV, and rugs, personal property coverage , which is also on your standard policy, can be repair or replace them.
FYI, personal property coverage also protects things you’ve borrowed from friends and family, or a guest’s luggage. That is, of course, if they are damaged in leakage or any other covered hazard.
What hazards are covered?
And what covered hazards are these? What determines which hazard enters coverage and which does not?
Well, most roof leaks are covered by your home insurance policy. However, whether or not your roof leak will be covered by standard roofing will depend on the source of the leak. So watch out.
If the roof damage came from the following sources, you can probably rest easy. It can vary from insurer to insurer, but these dangers typically include:
- Fire and smoke (including wildfires)
- explosions
- Volcanic eruption
- remains of objects
- Rays
- Hail and wind storms
- Excess weight due to snow, ice or hail
- Vandalism
- Freezing of household items such as air conditioning or heating system
- Theft
- Breaking or bursting of pipes and other home systems
- Damage caused by vehicles
- Damage due to sudden and accidental discharge of water or steam
- Damage caused by aircraft
- Damage due to an electrical discharge
How much can happen, right?!
You may find that insurance generally covers damage caused by sudden and accidental events, unless the cause is specified in the exclusions.
It is important to understand that damage caused by lack of maintenance, misuse or the wear and tear of time are not usually covered. Coverage is often reduced for roofs that are over 20 years old, typically they can only be insured for actual cash value, not current replacement cost.
Which events are excluded from the named hazards?
Some specific hazards, even if natural and sudden, are often excluded from the standard protection of a home insurance policy. These aren’t hazards that are in every region, not every home, so it doesn’t make sense to be part of every policy, right?
Are they:
- Earthquakes, landslides and mud
- floods
- Damage due to an animal or insect infestation
- General neglect and wear and tear
- Settlement, cracking or warping of your home foundations
- Damage caused by your pets
- War or government action
- Pollution, rust and corrosion
But don’t feel helpless, you can find insurance made exclusively to protect you in some of these situations, such as earthquakes and floods. And to avoid other problems, keep up to date with the maintenance and care of your home that success is practically certain!
Is it worth claiming insurance for any roof damage?
This is something to be analyzed and calculated based on the damage caused by the leak. The cost of repairing structures and replacing insured assets must exceed your deductible.
Get some quotes for any roof damage, oftentimes something can seem silly and cost a lot. For example, if you need to replace the entire roof, the deductible may be negligible, however, if you only need to replace a few shingles, you may be able to afford it without any problems and spend less.
Have you taken out your Homeowners Insurance?
I’m sure that for those who already have their home insured, the article was a great relief. It’s a relief to know that despite everything, if something terrible happens in our house, we are safe and secure.
For those who don’t have it yet, what are you waiting for? Your home is probably your most valuable asset, will you put it at risk? Take a free simulation now and discover that Homeowner Insurance security is more affordable than you think!
