source: insurance.com
Insurance companies view roofs as one of the most important parts of a home. Roofs protect homes from the elements and can prevent home insurance claims.
If you have a damaged roof, you’re likely going to have problems within your home that will lead to more claims. With that mind, many insurers are becoming more restrictive with roof coverage. Some insurers won’t even cover your home if it has an older roof.
Can my home be insured with an older roof?
Some insurers have refused to renew existing homeowner insurance policies on houses with roofs older than 20 years without passing an inspection. Those who fail inspection will not be renewed without a roof replacement.
Other insurers don’t write new policies for homes with roofs over 20 years old. They will only pay actual cash value for roof replacement for older roofs when they’re damaged. This means they don’t pay to fully replace the roof, but only reimburse for what an old roof is worth after 20-plus years.
“If you have a roof that has lasted 20 years, then you’ve probably exceeded the roofing membrane life expectancy,” says Gerald Delaune, senior building envelope consultant at Childress Engineering Services Inc. in Richardson, Texas. “Chances are that at that point, there are issues within the roofing system that cannot be seen (such as moisture within the system), which could potentially deteriorate the deck and that it would be worth your money to replace the roof.”