Can an insurance company deny a claim on your home?

Legitimate grounds

• The cause is excluded: wear and tear, deterioration, flood, earth movement, neglect, or a long-term leak.
• The damage predates the policy or the storm being claimed.
• The damage costs less than the deductible, which is technically a zero payment rather than a denial.
• A condition was not met: very late notice, failure to protect the property, or misrepresentation.
• The policy lapsed for nonpayment.

The limits on denials

Georgia's Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 33-6-34, lists conduct insurers must avoid, including refusing to pay without a reasonable investigation, misrepresenting policy provisions, and failing to promptly explain the basis for a denial. The Insurance Commissioner enforces it. Separately, O.C.G.A. 33-4-6 allows a policyholder to seek a penalty and attorney's fees when an insurer refuses in bad faith to pay a covered loss after a proper demand. See bad faith roof claims in Georgia.

What a denial is not

A denial is the insurer's position, not a final judgment. You can ask for the specific policy language relied on, submit new evidence, request a reinspection, file a complaint with the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, or consult an attorney. Many roof denials come down to evidence, such as whether marks are hail or wear, and better documentation changes outcomes. See what to do when a roof claim is denied.