Does the age of your roof affect homeowners insurance?
Short answer. Yes, roof age is one of the biggest factors in homeowners insurance. It affects your premium, whether an insurer will write or renew the policy, and whether a roof claim is paid at full replacement cost or a depreciated amount.
Three ways age shows up
- Premium: many rating plans charge more as the roof ages, with noticeable steps as it passes about ten and fifteen years.
- Eligibility: some carriers will not write new policies on shingle roofs past roughly 15 to 20 years without an inspection, and may non-renew existing ones.
- Claim payment: older roofs may be paid at actual cash value or on a roof payment schedule, so a storm on a 17 year old roof might pay a fraction of the replacement cost.
Why age matters so much in Georgia
Georgia's heat, humidity and summer sun age asphalt shingles faster than milder climates. Granule loss and brittle shingles also make storm damage more likely and repairs harder, which is exactly what insurers are pricing.
How insurers determine the age
Your application, permit records, sale disclosures, prior claims and aerial imagery. If their records show an old roof that has been replaced, send proof; the error can cost you money every year.
What you can do
- Find out the actual installation year from records or a roofer's assessment.
- Read your declarations page for any roof schedule or ACV endorsement.
- Have the roof inspected after significant storms; damage that qualifies for a claim on an older roof is still covered, just valued differently.
- When you replace, send your insurer the paperwork and ask for re-rating.
Full detail: roof age and insurance.