What does homeowners insurance roof replacement coverage pay for?
Short answer. When a roof replacement is covered, the insurer should pay for a complete installation, not just shingles: tear off and disposal, underlayment, starter strip, ridge cap, flashing, vents, pipe boots, drip edge, and charges for steep or tall roofs. Code upgrades depend on ordinance or law coverage, and upgrades you choose are your cost.
What a complete replacement estimate includes
- Tear off and disposal of the existing layer, plus additional layers if there are any
- Underlayment over the whole deck, and ice barrier in valleys and where required
- Starter strip at eaves and rakes
- Shingles with a waste factor for cutting
- Hip and ridge cap shingles
- Drip edge at eaves and rakes
- Flashing: step flashing, counterflashing, chimney and skylight flashing
- Ventilation: ridge vent or box vents replaced
- Pipe boots and other penetration flashings
- Steep and high charges for roofs too steep or tall to walk normally
- Detach and reset of gutters, satellite dishes and solar panels when needed
- Permit where the jurisdiction requires one
Overhead and profit may also be included when the job needs a general contractor to coordinate multiple trades; see overhead and profit.
Things that often come later
Rotted or damaged decking is usually found only after tear off. It is added through a supplement with photos, and whether it is paid depends on the cause and on code coverage. See roof supplements.
What stays your cost
- Your deductible
- Non-recoverable depreciation on an actual cash value or scheduled policy
- Upgrades, such as a premium shingle line or added ventilation beyond what you had
- Code items if you lack ordinance or law coverage; see code upgrades