Stephanie is a Texas homeowner that lives in Abilene and was hit with an October hailstorm that she thought was unexpected. The truth of the matter is that Texas, and north Texas especially, has two hail or severe weather seasons. One in the spring and a second surge that occurs in the fall. For many Texans, this means that they get their entire roof replaced frequently which can be a drain on insurance companies and making those companies continue to raise rates on homeowners insurance premiums. But Stephanie has been able to avoid a claim for roof damage up to this point, and as a result, she had no idea how her insurance claim was going to go!
As Stephanie began the claims process for roof repairs due to the hail, she began to learn about an uncomfortable reality about how homeowners insurance covers roof replacement. If the roof inspection shows that only a portion of your roof has damage, you may not get your entire roof replaced during that claim. Which just seems wrong. Now that we have seen this many times over with different types of roof damage, we thought it might be a great idea to help you avoid the heartache that Stephanie experienced.
Why Is There Only A Partial Replacement On My Roof?
Over the last few years the hail claims for roof insurance have stacked in Texas, and the home insurance companies have looked for ways to reduce claim costs to make sure they don't go out of business. While that may sound like a far fetched statement, sadly it has become a reality for many different home insurance companies. One of the ways that they have tried to clamp down on the cost of these insurance claims is to add additional exclusions or limitations on a standard home insurance policy. We've talked extensively about how many Texas homeowners insurance policies now have language to not provide roof replacements using a marketing term called Roof Payment Schedules. But it gets worse. Hear us out.
These exclusions and conditions have produced additional headaches for Texas Homeowners. If you have a high wind event that causes either hail to come in at a very horizontal angle, it is possible that only one side of the main slope of your roof was damaged. In a more gentle home insurance environment, an entire roof replacement would not be a question. It would just be a matter of getting it done. Especially if the shingles on your roof were no longer available as replacement items. But all of that has changed.
The conditions and exclusions of many homeowners policies include language that dictates that the insurance provider is only responsible for replacing or repairing the damaged portion of the roof with "like kind product". No amount of screaming and yelling at the insurance adjuster is going to change that outcome from partial repairs to a full roof replacement claim. The insurance adjusters are bound by the contract that is your homeowners insurance policy. What can be done?
Standard Homeowners Insurance Policy Endorsements
Since homeowners aren't really keen on a two-tone roof, homeowners like Stephanie began to push the companies to provide some sort of roof replacement endorsement. As a result, several homeowners insurance companies have added optional coverage to policies that will allow for you to reverse this practice of like kind replacement only. The endorsements typically have a name of "Matching of Siding and Roofing Materials". It can have other names, but that is what most of the companies have gravitated towards. This guarantees that if you have partial damage to your roof that cannot be repaired with the exact same product or in a manner that requires you to have a two tone colored roof, that you will get that entire roof replacement.
In addition to that, there is an additional optional coverage that should be considered called "Marring Of Metal and Roof Materials". This is not applicable with all companies, but you need to ask the question about it. The home insurance companies have started excluding the replacement of items associated with your roof claim that have cosmetic damages only! Items associated with your roof like guttering can remain very functional while dented. The insurance companies have stated that guttering or siding that is dented without compromising the structural integrity of the item does not have to be replaced as part of a claim. That means your home may be stuck with dented gutters, siding, or soffit! That is you have to make sure that you understand what happens prior to talking to a roofing company about a roof insurance claim.
So How Do Texas Homeowners Fight This?
Fortunately for Texas homeowners, you have options. As an independent insurance agent, we have policies which allow us to protect you against these scenarios of two-tone roofs or dented materials. The key is to make sure that your agent covers the endorsements that cover this activity. The companies with exclusionary language have endorsements available to guarantee the replacement of roof materials or soft items like siding or guttering.
The agents at Insurance For Texans are equipped to provide you with TRUE Texas Home Insurance. This comes with a guarantee to extend to you replacement cost policies for roofs with either hail or wind damage. If you're worried about matching shingles or other gaps in your current Texas Homeowners Insurance policy, set a time to schedule a review with one of our agents. We work for you and not some big company. Click the button below to get started with our TRUE Texas Home Insurance Guarantee.
