Does insurance help pay for roof replacement, and how much of it?
Short answer. When storm damage qualifies, insurance pays most of a roof replacement: the replacement cost of the damaged roof minus your deductible, with depreciation either paid later on replacement cost policies or kept on actual cash value policies. You still pay the deductible and the cost of any upgrades you choose. If the roof is simply old, insurance does not help at all.
What you pay on a covered claim
- The deductible, always. In Georgia, no contractor can legally waive or rebate it.
- Non-recoverable depreciation on an actual cash value or payment schedule roof.
- Upgrades, such as moving from standard architectural shingles to a premium line, or adding gutters that were not damaged.
- Anything outside the scope, like decking that rotted from an old leak.
Three examples on a $15,000 roof
- Replacement cost policy, $1,500 deductible: insurance pays $13,500 in two checks; you pay $1,500.
- Actual cash value policy, 40 percent depreciation, $1,500 deductible: insurance pays $7,500; you pay $7,500.
- Payment schedule paying 50 percent for the roof's age, $1,500 deductible: insurance pays $6,000; you pay $9,000.
Making sure insurance pays its full share
- Check that every required item is in the estimate: tear off, underlayment, drip edge, starter, ridge, flashing, vents and code items. A supplement adds what was missed.
- Collect the recoverable depreciation by sending the final invoice.
- Ask about overhead and profit when several trades are involved.
If insurance will not help
An old roof without storm damage is a homeowner expense. Financing and planning ahead are the realistic options, and replacing before the roof fails avoids interior damage that would add to the bill.