Can an Insurance Company Make You Get a New Roof?
No, but They Can Cancel Your Policy if They Decide it Needs Replacing!
If you live in Florida, the roof of your home takes a beating...guaranteed. Hurricanes, tropical force winds, hot and humid conditions, daily sun damage, torrential rains, and damage from tree debris are all factors that wear down a roof.
Due to extreme weather conditions, Florida homeowners need to be more diligent compared to other parts of the country to keep their roofs in good condition. Roofs should be cleaned and maintained regularly and checked for leaks and damage to prevent more costly repairs—or insurance issues.
If You Neglect Your Roof, it Could Cost You
Does your roof have leaf debris in the gutters or piles of pine needles on the shingles? This not only causes a roof to have a shorter life, but could cost you more in repairs or higher insurance rates. Your insurance company can refuse to renew your policy or increase your premiums because of neglect, and they may deny coverage for damage caused from lack of maintenance.
Most standard homeowners insurance policies require the homeowner to be responsible for gutter cleaning and repair, as well as replacing damaged shingles.
When is Damage to a Roof Covered by Homeowners insurance?
Homeowners insurance policies will usually cover damage to a roof caused by a storm, severe weather, or an accidental event.
Are You at Risk of Being Cancelled for An Aging Roof?
If your roof is close to 20 years old, or sometimes even upwards of 15 years old—your insurance company could deny renewing your policy—simply due to age. Sometimes you can buy a little time on an older roof by having it inspected. If it passes the inspection, you may be covered for a short time longer. If you need a referral to a great home inspector who can help you with this, feel free to contact us at Galezano Insurance.
If a roof is over 20 years old, damage may not be covered, and you could be risking cancellation by not replacing it. As mentioned above, Florida roofs age faster, and as a result, need to be replaced more often.
What if the Home You’re Buying Has an Old Roof?
The cost of a roof can be expensive. Try negotiating to have the roof replaced before the sale is complete. If that’s not possible, make sure to get the roof replaced as soon as you move into the home to prevent your home insurance from being cancelled. Bonus: your insurance rate with a new roof should reflect a nice improvement too!
What Type of Roof Insurance Should I buy?
There are two types of insurance policies you can purchase for your roof. Unfortunately, these are much pricier now in Florida than they used to be.
Why did the cost of roof insurance go up? Third-party contractor repair fraud after recent hurricanes caused a lot of problems for the insurance industry and homeowners. This was a large contributor to 2020 insurance rate hikes. As a result, Florida regulators and insurance companies have had to tighten the requirements for both roof coverage and replacement.
Homeowners can choose between ACV (actual cash value) and RCV (replacement cost value) insurance policies for their roof.
Which one is better? It depends on a variety of factors. Replacement cost is always the goal, even with a newer home. Actual cash value is a last resort if the insurance carrier ends up approving coverage for a home with an older roof, but doesn’t want to cover the roof for replacement cost. Your insurance agent will provide you with options for the most protection at the best value.
Why does roof age matter?
Because of fraud and high roof claim payouts, insurers are already reducing the acceptable age to 10 years for shingle roofs and 20 years for tile roofs. The residential insurance business is changing so quickly, it’s hard to keep up!
Whatever you decide, take a look at your current homeowners insurance policy and review it carefully. If you’re not sure about something, contact your insurance agent.
Do you have questions about what type of roof coverage you should purchase?
At Galezano Insurance, we’re happy to offer a second opinion and we’ll answer any questions you have about roof insurance.
Reach out to us at
Galezano Insurance LLC
1408 SE 17th Avenue, Suite D
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Phone: (239) 202-0233
Fax: (239) 202-0229
www.Galezano.com