Homeowners insurance often covers roof damage, but only when a sudden, accidental peril causes it, such as wind, hail, fire, lightning, a falling tree, or the weight of ice and snow. Damage traced to age, wear and tear, or lack of maintenance is generally excluded. Whether a covered claim pays the full replacement cost or a depreciated amount depends on your policy’s valuation terms, your roof’s age, and your state. Coverage varies by policy, insurer, and jurisdiction, so your own declarations page is the final word.
Policy language controls; check your declarations page. The policy quotes on this page come from the standard ISO homeowners form, and your carrier’s form or endorsements may say something different.
This is the coverage side of the question: what a standard policy does and does not pay for, and why. For the step-by-step of actually filing, see our guide to filing an insurance claim for roof damage.
Key numbers at a glance
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wind and hail share of homeowners losses | 38.1% to 47.7% of losses each year, 2019 to 2023 | ISO/Verisk via Insurance Information Institute |
| Average wind and hail claim | $14,747 (2019 to 2023 average) | ISO/Verisk via Insurance Information Institute |
| Typical percentage wind or hurricane deductible | 1% to 5% of the home’s insured value | Insurance Information Institute |
| Ordinance or law allowance in the standard HO 3 form | Up to 10% of the Coverage A limit | ISO HO 00 03 05 11, Additional Coverage E.11 (E.10 in the 03 22 edition) |
| National Weather Service severe storm thresholds | Hail an inch or larger, or wind gusts over 58 mph | NWS |
| Florida roof-age rule | No refusal to write or renew solely because a roof is under 15 years old | Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5)(b) |
Which applies to you?
| Your situation | Likely treatment under a standard HO 3 | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Shingles torn off or punctured in a dated storm | Usually covered, minus the deductible | Photograph, tarp, and file promptly |
| Leak from an old pipe boot, worn flashing, or granule loss | Generally excluded as wear and tear or deterioration | Budget a repair; a claim is unlikely to pay |
| Hail dents on a metal roof with no leak | Often excluded where a cosmetic damage endorsement applies | Read the endorsement before filing |
| Storm damage on a roof past about 15 to 20 years | May be paid on an actual cash value or payment schedule basis | Check how the roof is valued on your declarations page |
| Tree or limb falls on the roof in a storm | Usually covered; tree removal has its own limit | File, and keep removal invoices |
| Squirrels, birds, or insects nesting in the roof | Generally excluded | Pest control and a repair estimate |
These are typical outcomes, not promises. The cause of loss, your policy form, and your state decide the result.
What roof damage does homeowners insurance cover?
Standard homeowners policies (typically an HO-3 or HO-5 form) cover roof damage caused by a “covered peril,” meaning a sudden and accidental event named or not-excluded in the policy. The roof falls under Coverage A, dwelling coverage. A covered claim pays to repair or replace the roof minus your deductible, subject to your valuation terms and limits. The trigger is the cause of loss, not the damage itself.
The perils most policies treat as covered include the following. Exact wording varies by carrier and form.
- Wind and windstorm: straight-line wind, hurricane, and tornado damage, including lifted or torn-off shingles. Some coastal and high-wind states apply a separate percentage-based wind or hurricane deductible.
- Hail: bruised, cracked, or punctured shingles from a hailstorm. Cosmetic-only hail dents may be excluded (see below).
- Fire and lightning: flame damage and strikes, including resulting power surges.
- Weight of ice, snow, or sleet: structural roof damage from accumulation, and in many policies leaks from ice dams.
- Falling objects: a tree limb or debris striking the roof. A healthy tree felled by a storm is usually covered; a dead tree you neglected to remove often is not. Removing the tree is a separate additional coverage: the standard ISO HO 00 03 05 11 form (Section I, Additional Coverages, E.1.b) pays up to $1,000 per loss, and no more than $500 per tree, to remove trees felled by windstorm, hail or the weight of ice, snow or sleet when they damage a covered structure or block a driveway or accessibility ramp. The HO 00 03 03 22 edition raises those removal limits to $3,000 per loss and $1,500 per tree. Here is what to do when a tree falls on your roof.
- Vandalism and certain accidental events: depending on the form and any exclusions.
What the standard HO 3 policy actually says
Many homeowners policies in the United States are built on, or closely track, the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Homeowners 3 Special Form. ISO’s current edition is HO 00 03 03 22 (form text copyright 2021), and many carriers still write on the earlier HO 00 03 05 11 edition. Four passages explain most roof coverage decisions. The quotes below are taken from a copy of HO 00 03 05 11 filed with and published by the Maine Bureau of Insurance (form text copyright Insurance Services Office, Inc., 2010). The same four passages appear with the same wording and paragraph numbers in a published copy of the HO 00 03 03 22 edition.
1. Open perils for the dwelling. Under Section I, Perils Insured Against, Coverage A and Coverage B:
“We insure against direct physical loss to property described in Coverages A and B.”
That means the house itself, including the roof, is covered for any direct physical loss unless the policy excludes it. The burden of the fight then shifts to the exclusions.
2. The wear and tear exclusion. Paragraph A.2.c.(6) of the same section lists losses the policy does not insure, starting with:
“(a) Wear and tear, marring, deterioration;”
The same list excludes “(c) Smog, rust or other corrosion, or dry rot”, “(g) Birds, rodents or insects” and “(h) Nesting or infestation, or discharge or release of waste products or secretions, by any animals”. This is the clause behind most denials of aging, rusted, or animal-damaged roofs.
3. The created-opening rule for interior water. In the named perils that apply to personal property (Coverage C), the Windstorm Or Hail peril:
“does not include loss to the property contained in a building caused by rain, snow, sleet, sand or dust unless the direct force of wind or hail damages the building causing an opening in a roof or wall and the rain, snow, sleet, sand or dust enters through this opening.”
This is why a storm leak with no opening created by the wind or hail can be denied for damaged belongings, and some carrier forms and endorsements use similar wording for the structure itself. If wind lifted shingles or hail fractured the roofing, document that opening.
4. Slow leaks and seepage. The HO 00 03 05 11 base form excludes “Mold, fungus or wet rot” under A.2.c.(5), with a carve back only for hidden mold caused by an accidental discharge from plumbing, heating, air conditioning, sprinkler systems, appliances, or off-premises pipes. A roof leak is not on that list. The base form does not carry a separate exclusion for constant or repeated seepage, but some carriers add one by endorsement or use their own form wording, so check your policy for a seepage or leakage exclusion.
Policy language controls; check your declarations page and the endorsements listed on it. A state-specific or carrier-specific form can change any of the wording above.
What roof damage is NOT covered?
Homeowners insurance generally does not cover roof damage from wear and tear, age, neglect, poor maintenance, manufacturing defects, or improper installation. It also excludes flood and earthquake damage, which need separate policies. The logic is consistent: insurance pays for sudden accidents, not the predictable decline of a roof that has reached the end of its service life, which is why some owners ask whether a home warranty covers roof damage instead. This distinction is where most roof claims are won or lost.
The common exclusions:
- Wear and tear: shingle granule loss, brittleness, curling, and general aging. A roof is expected to deteriorate, so its decline is not an “accident.”
- Neglect and poor maintenance: a leak that developed slowly from a known problem you did not fix, such as a failed pipe boot or missing shingles you never replaced.
- Manufacturing defects and faulty workmanship: premature failure of the shingle or a bad install. These may be a manufacturer or contractor warranty issue, not an insurance claim.
- Flood and earthquake: excluded from standard policies and covered only under separate flood or earthquake coverage.
- Pests and animals: the standard HO 3 form excludes damage from “birds, rodents or insects” and from nesting or infestation by any animals, so squirrel nests or insect damage in the roof or attic is generally excluded. Raccoons are not rodents, and sudden physical damage by a raccoon may be handled differently from a nesting or infestation loss, depending on the policy wording and the facts.
- Cosmetic damage: where a cosmetic exclusion endorsement applies (common on metal roofs).
Wear and tear vs sudden peril: the line that decides your claim
The single question an adjuster answers is whether the damage came from a sudden covered event or from gradual wear and neglect. A storm on a known date that tears shingles is a covered peril. The same roof leaking because 18-year-old shingles lost their granules is wear and tear, even if the leak “appeared” suddenly. The cause of loss controls, not when you noticed the symptom.
This is why documentation matters so much. Date-stamped photos, a matching weather event, and a roofer’s or inspector’s report tie the damage to a specific storm rather than to age. When the cause is ambiguous, carriers tend to lean toward the exclusion. If that happens, our guide on a roof insurance claim denied walks through the appeal path and when a public adjuster helps.
Does home insurance cover roof repairs or only replacement?
Home insurance covers roof repairs as well as replacement. The policy pays to put covered damage right, and for many storm claims that means a repair: replacing torn shingles, a damaged section of decking, or flashing a falling limb bent. A full replacement is paid only when the covered damage cannot reasonably be repaired, or when a state matching rule or the adjuster’s scope extends the work to the whole roof.
The same exclusions apply either way. A roof repair needed because of age or wear is not a claim, while a roof repair needed after a dated windstorm usually is, minus the deductible. When a repair offer looks too small for the damage, our guide on how to get insurance to pay for roof replacement covers test squares, supplements, and the line-of-sight argument.
ACV vs replacement cost: how much a covered claim actually pays
Even on a covered claim, how much you receive depends on your policy’s valuation basis. Replacement cost value (RCV) pays what it costs to replace the roof today. Actual cash value (ACV) pays that amount minus depreciation for the roof’s age and condition. The difference on an older roof can be thousands of dollars, and older roofs are frequently forced onto ACV terms.
| Feature | Replacement Cost Value (RCV) | Actual Cash Value (ACV) |
|---|---|---|
| What it pays | Full cost to replace the roof today, minus deductible | Replacement cost minus depreciation, minus deductible |
| Effect of roof age | Age does not reduce the payout | Older roof means larger depreciation and smaller payout |
| Typical premium | Higher | Lower |
| Availability on older roofs | Often unavailable past a set age | Common fallback for older roofs |
| Out-of-pocket gap | Deductible only | Deductible plus the depreciation not recovered |
Many RCV policies pay in two parts: first the ACV amount, then the withheld depreciation (the “recoverable depreciation”) once you complete the work and submit receipts. For the depreciation math and why an ACV claim can pay a fraction of a new roof, see our detailed breakdown of the actual cash value roof calculation.
How roof age changes your coverage
Roof age is one of the strongest factors in both eligibility and payout. As a roof ages, many insurers shift it from RCV to ACV, cap the coverage, or decline to renew. The exact thresholds are set by each carrier and vary by state and roof material, but the pattern across the market is consistent enough to plan around.
What the published data and statutes show:
- Non-renewals are rising. Across 15 disaster-prone states, the homeowner non-renewal rate climbed from 0.80% in 2018 to 2.32% in 2024, per Weiss Ratings analysis of NAIC Market Conduct Annual Statement data (2025). Older roofs are a leading factor, as our report on insurance non-renewal by roof age details.
- Age thresholds are set by each carrier. Scrutiny of asphalt shingle roofs commonly begins around 15 years, and coverage restrictions are common past 20 years, according to the carrier underwriting guidelines summarized in our homeowners insurance premiums by roof type and age report. Metal, tile, and slate are usually treated as young for longer.
- Some states limit age-only decisions. In Florida, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old, and for a roof at least 15 years old it must allow an inspection by an authorized inspector at the homeowner’s expense before requiring replacement (Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5)(b) and (c)).
Roof surface payment schedules. Some carriers attach an endorsement that pays wind or hail losses to the roof surface at a percentage of the cost that falls as the roof ages, set by a schedule printed in the endorsement. It works like built-in depreciation that is not recovered after the work is done. If your declarations page lists a roof payment schedule or an actual cash value roof endorsement, the payout on an older roof may be well below the cost of a new one. Read the schedule itself; the percentages vary by carrier and state filing.
These thresholds are also why premiums and denial patterns differ so sharply from state to state. The Roofing Brief’s 2026 State of Roofing Insurance report tracks carrier exits, ACV-schedule ages, and claim-denial patterns by state, which is the clearest picture of how age limits are actually being applied this year. Low-slope roofs face their own underwriting questions; see how insurers treat flat roofs.
Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks?
A roof leak is covered when a covered peril caused it, such as wind lifting shingles or hail puncturing the surface, and the resulting interior water damage is usually covered too. A leak from age, worn flashing, a failed pipe boot, or a maintenance issue you let slide is generally excluded. As with all roof claims, the cause of the leak decides coverage, not the water damage you see inside.
One practical trap: if a slow leak causes mold or rot over months, insurers often deny it as a maintenance failure because a diligent owner would have caught it. Sudden, storm-driven leaks documented quickly are the ones most likely to be paid.
The table below shows how a standard HO 3 tends to treat common leak causes. It is a guide to likely outcomes, not a coverage decision.
| Leak cause | Likely treatment | Policy clause in play |
|---|---|---|
| Wind tears off shingles and rain enters through the opening | Usually covered, including resulting interior damage, minus the deductible | Coverage A open perils; Windstorm Or Hail opening wording for contents |
| Hail fractures roofing and a leak follows | Usually covered if functional damage is shown | Coverage A open perils |
| Wind-driven rain enters with no opening created | May be denied, especially for damaged belongings | Coverage C Windstorm Or Hail: opening must be caused by wind or hail |
| Cracked pipe boot or worn flashing from age | Generally excluded | A.2.c.(6)(a) wear and tear, deterioration |
| Slow leak that causes rot or mold over months | Often excluded | A.2.c.(5) mold, fungus or wet rot; A.2.c.(6)(c) dry rot; any seepage endorsement |
| Ice dam backs water under shingles | Varies by carrier, form, and state | Check for ice dam or water exclusions in your endorsements |
What is a cosmetic damage exclusion?
A cosmetic damage exclusion is an endorsement that removes coverage for damage affecting only appearance, not function. It shows up most often on metal roofs, where hail can leave dents that look bad but do not compromise the roof’s ability to shed water. With this exclusion in place, the insurer will not pay to replace a functionally sound roof over cosmetic marks.
Cosmetic exclusions are increasingly common as a condition of writing metal-roof policies in hail-prone states. Check your declarations page for the endorsement before a storm, not after. The line between cosmetic and functional damage is contested on many metal-roof claims, which our page on metal roof hail damage covers in detail.
Deductibles and what you pay out of pocket
Every covered roof claim is reduced by your deductible. Most policies use one flat dollar deductible for all perils, but a separate deductible may apply by peril, typically wind and hail, hurricane, or named storm, rather than by roof component. Those peril deductibles are often a percentage of the home’s insured value, which typically ranges from 1% to 5%, per the Insurance Information Institute, and can be higher in some coastal areas.
State law sets some of these terms. In Florida, before issuing a homeowners policy an insurer must offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2%, 5%, and 10% of the policy dwelling limits (Fla. Stat. 627.701(3)(a)). Your declarations page shows which deductible applies to which peril.
A percentage deductible matters more than most owners expect. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2% wind or hail deductible is $8,000 out of pocket before the policy pays a dollar. On an ACV roof, that deductible plus unrecovered depreciation can leave a large gap between the payout and a new roof.
In a condo or townhome community, the roof may sit under the association’s master policy and its deductible rather than your own policy. For how that split works, see our guide to condo master policy vs HO-6 coverage for roofs.
Matching: when undamaged shingles no longer match
When a repair uses new shingles that do not match the old ones, the question is whether the insurer must pay to replace undamaged areas too. The policy form alone rarely answers it; state rules do, and they vary. Florida is one example. When a homeowners policy settles on a repair or replacement cost basis, Florida law provides that “when a loss requires replacement of items and the replaced items do not match in quality, color, or size, the insurer shall make reasonable repairs or replacement of items in adjoining areas” (Fla. Stat. 626.9744(2)). The statute lets the insurer weigh cost, the uniformity achievable, and remaining useful life, so it does not guarantee a full roof.
Several states base their claim-handling rules on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Unfair Property/Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation. Its Section 9.A(2) says that when replaced items “do not match in quality, color or size, the insurer shall replace all items in the area so as to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance” (NAIC Model Regulation 902). A model regulation has no force until a state adopts it, and adopting states often change the wording. Ohio, for example, requires the insurer to “replace as much of the item as to result in a reasonably comparable appearance” when a replaced item does not match the quality, color or size of the damaged one (Ohio Adm. Code 3901-1-54(I)(1)(b)). Both apply to policies that settle on a replacement cost basis.
Other states handle matching by regulation, bulletin, or not at all. For how contractors document a mismatch and the line-of-sight argument, see our guide on how to get insurance to pay for a roof replacement. Siding raises the same question after a hailstorm; see our guide to siding matching rules and how hail damage to the rest of the house is settled.
Ordinance or law: paying for code upgrades on a re-roof
A covered re-roof often triggers code work the old roof never had. The standard HO 3 includes a limited allowance for it. Additional Coverage E.11 of HO 00 03 05 11 states: “You may use up to 10% of the limit of liability that applies to Coverage A for the increased costs you incur due to the enforcement of any ordinance or law” that regulates the repair of the damaged part of the building. On a home with $300,000 of dwelling coverage, that allowance is up to $30,000, and it does not apply to code work on parts of the house the covered loss did not damage, except in the situations the clause lists. The HO 00 03 03 22 edition moves this allowance to Additional Coverage E.10 and keeps it at 10% of the Coverage A limit.
Many carriers sell an ordinance or law endorsement that raises the percentage. On roofs, the allowance commonly comes into play for underlayment, an ice barrier at the eaves where the local code requires one, or added deck fastening when the old deck is re-nailed to current code. Our guides to IRC roof deck fastening requirements and the ice dam protection membrane code explain when those items are required. Ask the adjuster to list code items separately so they are not dropped from the estimate.
Your duty to prevent further damage
A policy also puts duties on you after a loss. Under Section I Conditions, the HO 3 requires you to “Protect the property from further damage. If repairs to the property are required, you must: a. Make reasonable and necessary repairs to protect the property; and b. Keep an accurate record of repair expenses”. The Reasonable Repairs additional coverage (E.2) pays “the reasonable cost incurred by you for the necessary measures taken solely to protect covered property that is damaged by a Peril Insured Against from further damage.” It does not raise your policy limit.
In practice that means tarping an opened roof quickly, photographing the damage before and after, and keeping every receipt. Holding off on permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen the roof is usually wise, unless waiting would let the damage spread. Our roof tarping cost guide covers what emergency protection typically costs. Heavy snow raises the same question of what counts as a reasonable protective measure, and our roof snow removal guide explains whether insurance pays for roof snow removal.
When not to file a roof claim
| Situation | Why a claim may not make sense | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| Repair estimate is below or near your deductible | The policy pays nothing until the loss exceeds the deductible | Pay for the repair and keep the records |
| Damage is wear only: granule loss, curling, cracked boots | Wear and tear is excluded under A.2.c.(6)(a) | Plan a repair or replacement budget |
| Cosmetic-only dents where a cosmetic exclusion applies | The endorsement removes coverage for appearance-only damage | Confirm the endorsement and get a functional-damage opinion first |
| Small claim on an older roof in a high non-renewal state | A paid or even reported claim may affect renewal or premium, depending on the carrier and state | Ask your agent how claims are rated before filing |
| Not sure the damage is from a storm | An unsupported claim may be denied and still be recorded | Get an independent inspection tied to a storm date |
None of this means you should skip a real covered loss. Large covered damage usually justifies a claim; the point is to check the numbers and the cause first.
How a roof claim usually unfolds
- Notice. Report the loss promptly and protect the roof from further damage.
- Adjuster inspection. The insurer’s adjuster inspects the roof and attic and documents the cause. Our guide to the insurance adjuster roof inspection explains what they check.
- Estimate. The adjuster writes a line-item scope; your contractor can submit supplements for missed or code-required items.
- First payment. On a replacement cost policy, many insurers pay the actual cash value first.
- Recoverable depreciation. After the work is done and invoiced, the withheld depreciation is released, where the policy provides for it.
For the full step-by-step, see our guide to filing an insurance claim for roof damage.
When it varies: policy, insurer, and state
None of the above is universal. Coverage terms, age thresholds, valuation defaults, cosmetic exclusions, and deductible structures are set by each insurer, regulated at the state level, and written into your specific policy. Two neighbors with the same roof can have very different coverage depending on carrier, form, endorsements, and when the policy was written. Read your own declarations page and endorsements, and confirm details with your agent or carrier.
Insurers are described here neutrally. Applying exclusions and valuation schedules is standard practice across the industry, not a sign of bad faith, and the terms are disclosed in the policy you agreed to. The goal is to know where your coverage stands before a storm, so a denial or a depreciated payout is not a surprise.
Frequently asked questions
Does homeowners insurance cover a full roof replacement?
It can, when a covered peril damages the roof beyond repair and your policy carries replacement cost coverage. Insurance pays the replacement cost minus your deductible. If your roof is on actual cash value terms, usually because of its age, the payout is reduced by depreciation and may cover only part of a new roof. It varies by policy and insurer.
Does home insurance cover roof repairs?
Yes, when a covered peril such as wind, hail, or a falling tree caused the damage. Many covered roof claims are paid as repairs, minus the deductible, and a full replacement is paid only when the covered damage cannot reasonably be repaired. Repairs needed because of age, wear, or deferred maintenance are generally excluded. Policy language controls, so check your declarations page.
Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks?
It depends on the cause. A leak from a covered peril, such as wind or hail damage, is usually covered, along with the resulting interior water damage. A leak from age, worn flashing, a failed pipe boot, or deferred maintenance is generally excluded as wear and tear. The cause of the leak, not the visible water damage, decides coverage.
Why would an insurer deny a roof claim?
The most common reason is that the damage is attributed to wear, age, or neglect rather than a sudden covered peril. Other reasons include filing after the claim window, a cosmetic-only loss under an exclusion, damage below the deductible, or insufficient documentation tying the damage to a specific event. Many denials can be appealed with a roofer’s report and photos.
What is the difference between ACV and replacement cost on a roof?
Replacement cost value (RCV) pays what a new roof costs today, minus your deductible. Actual cash value (ACV) pays that amount minus depreciation for the roof’s age and wear. On an older roof the ACV payout can be far smaller. Many RCV policies release withheld depreciation after you complete the work and submit receipts.
Does insurance cover cosmetic hail dents on a metal roof?
Often not. Many metal-roof policies carry a cosmetic damage exclusion, so hail dents that mar appearance but do not affect how the roof sheds water are not paid. If the dents cause functional damage, coverage may apply. Check your declarations page for a cosmetic exclusion endorsement, since it is increasingly common in hail-prone states.
Does homeowners insurance cover a leak from wind-driven rain?
It depends on whether the wind or hail created an opening. The standard HO 3 form says the Windstorm Or Hail peril does not cover rain damage to belongings inside the building unless the direct force of wind or hail damages the building and causes an opening in a roof or wall that the rain enters through. A leak with no storm-created opening may be denied. Check your own policy form and endorsements.
Reviewed by The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: October 2026.