Can an insurance company deny coverage on your home or roof?

1. Denying coverage for a loss

This is a coverage position: the insurer says your policy does not cover what happened and cites an exclusion such as wear and tear, mold, flood or long-term leakage. You can challenge it with evidence that a covered peril caused the damage and with the exact policy wording. See wear and tear vs hail damage.

2. Refusing to insure or renew

Insurers choose which risks to accept. Older roofs, visible deterioration, past claims and aerial imagery findings commonly lead to a declined application or a non-renewal. Georgia requires advance written notice before a non-renewal takes effect, and the notice states the date, so read it as soon as it arrives. Your options include repairing the listed items, replacing the roof, sending a roofer's condition report, or shopping other carriers through an independent agent.

3. Limiting roof coverage

Instead of refusing, an insurer may cover the roof only at actual cash value, apply a roof payment schedule that pays a shrinking percentage as the roof ages, exclude cosmetic hail damage, or add a percentage wind and hail deductible. These changes are often made at renewal and are easy to miss. See roof age and insurance.

What to do

• Read every renewal packet for new endorsements.
• Ask your agent in writing what changed and why.
• If you think a coverage decision is wrong, request the basis in writing and contact the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.