Does home insurance cover roof wear and tear?
Short answer. No. Wear and tear, deterioration and aging are standard exclusions in homeowners policies, so a roof that simply wore out is not covered. An old roof can still take new storm damage, though, and that damage is covered even when the rest of the roof is worn.
What insurers call wear and tear
- Gradual granule loss and an exposed mat.
- Curling, cupping, clawing and thermal cracking.
- Brittle shingles and failed seal strips from age and heat.
- Rusted flashing and cracked pipe boots.
- Rot from long-term moisture.
When an adjuster says wear and tear
- Ask which specific conditions they relied on, and on which slopes.
- Compare with your photos. Hail hits are random, with fractured mat and dents in soft metals from the same day; wear is uniform and gradual.
- Point to collateral damage. Gutters, vents and AC fins dented by the same storm undercut a pure-wear finding.
- Request a reinspection with your roofer present, or a written explanation of the decision.
The middle ground
Sometimes the adjuster agrees there is storm damage but reduces the payment through depreciation because the roof was already aged. That is how actual cash value works, and it is different from a denial. On a replacement cost policy, much of that depreciation is recoverable after the work is done. See wear and tear vs hail damage.
Georgia heat ages roofs faster
Hot attics and strong sun shorten shingle life, which is why ventilation matters. A ventilated, maintained roof gives an insurer less to blame on wear.