What does full roof replacement insurance coverage include?
Short answer. When insurance approves a full roof replacement, the estimate should cover every component of the roof system: tear off and disposal, underlayment, ice barrier where needed, drip edge, starter strip, shingles, ridge cap, flashing, vents, pipe boots and code required items. Missing components are common on first estimates and can be added through a supplement.
The full replacement checklist
- Tear off of each existing layer, plus disposal.
- Underlayment over the full deck.
- Ice and water barrier in valleys and around penetrations, and at eaves where code or the manufacturer calls for it.
- Drip edge at eaves and rakes, which the residential code requires on asphalt shingle roofs.
- Starter strip at eaves and rakes.
- Shingles with a waste factor for cuts, typically higher on hip roofs than gables.
- Hip and ridge cap shingles.
- Flashing: step, counter, headwall and chimney flashing as needed.
- Ventilation: ridge vent, or replacement of box vents and turbines.
- Pipe boots and other penetrations.
- Steep and high charges where pitch or story height adds labor and safety gear.
- Permit where your city or county requires one.
- Decking replacement, often as a per sheet allowance if rot is found.
What gets the whole roof approved
Adjusters look for enough functional damage on each slope, often measured with test squares. When most slopes qualify, or the remaining shingles cannot be repaired or matched, the whole roof is typically replaced. See matching.
Comparing the estimate
Line up the insurer's estimate against a roofer's measurement report. Items left off were often never considered rather than denied, and a supplement with photos is how they get added.