Texans are no strangers to extreme weather. From hail and tornadoes in the summer, to freak ice storms in the winter, people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have seen it all. Unfortunately, such extreme weather goes hand in hand with severe and costly roof damage. If you’ve recently experienced such an event or if you’re simply a homeowner in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you’re probably wondering if your homeowner’s policy allows roofing insurance claims.
The simple answer to this question is probably. Depending on your individual policy, your coverage may vary from the norm, but most storm-related damage falls into the category of “acts of God”. Acts of God are unpredictable events including, but not limited to, storm damage. For most people this will include damage form hail, wind, ice, tornadoes, and even hurricanes. Non-storm related acts of God include fire damage and vandalism.
While most polices cover damage from storms, some policies may not reimburse you for the roof’s full value. Typically newer roofs are reimbursed for the full amount. However, if your roof is older, you may be reimbursed for less. Policies that take your roof’s age into account will reimburse you based on the roof’s depreciated value. A roof’s depreciated value takes into account not only age of the roof but preexisting wear and damage. How and if this value is calculated and taken into account will vary depending on your individual policy.
Unfortunately, some insurance companies are finding ways to reduce the amount they pay out for storm-related roof damages. In addition to age, some insurance companies take into account factors such as type of roof (dents in metal roofing are sometimes considered cosmetic damage only), availability of replacement shingles, and occasionally only paying for partial roof replacements instead of a full replacement.
To find out for sure if your homeowner’s policy covers storm-related damage, it would be wise to contact your insurance company for further information. Before they pay out, they may request an inspection be performed on your roof. As the premier roofing contractors in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Old Pro Roofing is proud to offer free inspections for roofing insurance claims, as well as an estimate for your repair costs. Speak with one of our roofing specialists today!