Your home is an oasis. It’s a place where you can entertain family and friends with backyard BBQs or retreat with your family to get some much-needed rest, relaxation and a break from the outside world. However, sometimes that oasis is spoiled by a leaky roof which, if not taken care of promptly, can lead to significant water damage that’s expensive to repair.
Stated by Plano roofers, If your roof has developed a leak, it’s essential you know whether or not your homeowner’s policy covers it. Most standard policies do cover certain types of roof damage, however the cause of loss must not be excluded if the coverage goes into effect.
In this article, we look at roof leaks and insurance.
Roof Leak Coverage
Look at your homeowner’s policy and you’ll find that it covers many of the typical causes of roof leaks including damages up until the policy’s limit you agreed to have been met. Most policies are written on what’s known as an ‘open-peril’ basis, meaning that coverage is in effect for any loss that’s not specifically mentioned in the exclusion section of the policy. For example, if you live in an area that receives weather such as high winds or storms? If so, and your roof leak was caused by Mother Nature, then your damage would be covered.
However, there are a few causes of loss that most policies exclude, and these include things like earth movement, corrosion, neglect or war.
What About Mold?
Mold is not only damaging to your home, it’s damaging to your family’s health. Mold damage and your insurance is tricky because the coverage will only go into effect if the cause of the mold was because of one of the named hazards that are covered. If your policy names a burst pipe as a hazard that’s covered, and you can show the mold resulted from a broken pipe, then it will be covered.
What About Regular Wear & Tear?
It’s normal for a roof to degrade over time, however, if damage is caused by neglect, your insurance won’t cover the roof leak. That’s why it’s essential you perform regular maintenance on your roof to keep it in top shape. Cleaning gutters and repairing loose shingles can be a pain, but it’ll be to your advantage should you need your insurance.
How To Spot A Leak
In addition to performing routine maintenance, doing regular inspections to check for leaks is recommended. Watch for missing tiles, uprooted nails or warped shingles. Also, check the attic for water stains that show a leak.
When To File A Claim
Always file as soon as you see the leak and need roof repairs. It’s also wise to enlist the help of a professional roofer to assess the damage so you have a better idea of what you’re looking at in terms of repairs. Having said that, you may decide not to submit your claim to your insurance if the repair cost is close to your deductible
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