Short answer: Yes, homeowners insurance usually pays to replace a roof when a covered event such as hail, wind, fire or a falling tree damages it, minus your deductible. It won’t pay to replace a roof that is simply old or worn out. How much you get depends on whether your policy pays replacement cost, actual cash value or a roof payment schedule.
So does insurance cover roof replacement on your house? Only when the damage is sudden, comes from a covered peril and is bad enough that repair isn’t practical. Below you’ll find the real math on a $15,000 hail claim under three settlement types, how percentage deductibles work, and what to do if the claim is denied.
Updated September 2026. General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy wording and your state’s rules decide your claim.
Does insurance cover roof replacement? When it pays and when it doesn’t
A standard homeowners policy covers your roof as part of the house itself. Insurers such as Mercury and Allstate list fire, lightning, wind, hail and a tree or branch falling on the roof as typical covered causes. If that damage is widespread, the insurer may pay for a full replacement instead of a patch.
What policies don’t cover is age. Westfield Insurance says its roof coverage excludes cosmetic damage and damage from wear and tear, poor maintenance or improper installation. Mercury adds that damage that got worse because repairs weren’t made is usually excluded, and floods and earthquakes need separate coverage.
Insurers have tightened roof coverage for a reason. Verisk reported that U.S. roof claim costs reached nearly $31 billion in 2024, up about 30% since 2022, and that roof line items made up more than a quarter of all residential claim value. That is why many policies now pay older roofs on a depreciated basis.
Covered vs. not covered
| Situation | Usually covered? | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Hail damage | Usually yes | A separate wind/hail deductible may apply; some policies exclude cosmetic hail marks |
| Wind damage (missing or lifted shingles) | Usually yes | Wind/hail deductible can be a percentage of your dwelling coverage |
| Tree or branch falls on the roof | Usually yes | Covered when the fall is caused by a covered peril such as a windstorm |
| Fire or lightning | Yes | Standard covered peril |
| Old, worn-out roof | No | Wear and tear and gradual deterioration are excluded |
| Leak from lack of maintenance | No | Neglect and damage that worsened because repairs weren’t made are excluded |
| Bad installation or defective shingles | No | Look to the contractor’s workmanship warranty or the manufacturer’s warranty |
| Flood or earthquake | No | Needs a separate flood or earthquake policy |
| Wind or hail in a policy with a windstorm exclusion | No | Some policies, often in coastal areas, exclude windstorm and hail entirely |
ACV vs. RCV: worked payout example
Your policy settles roof claims in one of three main ways. Which one you have matters more than almost anything else in the claim.
- Replacement cost value (RCV): pays to repair or replace with new material of like kind and quality, without subtracting depreciation. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) explains that you usually get two checks: the first after the inspection, minus depreciation and your deductible, and a second for the depreciation once you send in the repair bills.
- Actual cash value (ACV): pays replacement cost minus depreciation. TDI’s own example: a 10-year-old roof that costs $10,000 to replace might have an actual cash value of $7,000.
- Roof payment schedule: pays a set percentage of the repair or replacement cost based on the roof’s age and material. Westfield calls this limited loss settlement and says a roof more than 20 years old may qualify for 25% to 40% of the cost.
One timing trap on RCV policies: the Ohio Department of Insurance notes an insurer may limit payment to ACV if repairs aren’t finished within a reasonable time, typically 180 days from the loss. Check the deadline in your policy before you schedule the work.
Worked example: A hailstorm damages a 10-year-old asphalt shingle roof on a home with $300,000 of dwelling coverage. The adjuster’s replacement estimate is $15,000 (inside Angi’s 2026 range of $5,800 to $20,000 for asphalt shingles). Depreciation uses TDI’s example ratio (a 10-year-old roof worth 70% of new): $15,000 × 30% = $4,500. The 1% wind/hail deductible is $300,000 × 1% = $3,000.
RCV: first check $15,000 − $4,500 − $3,000 = $7,500; second check $4,500 after the work is done; total $12,000. You pay $3,000.
ACV: $15,000 − $4,500 − $3,000 = $7,500 total. You pay $7,500.
Payment schedule at 80%: $15,000 × 0.80 = $12,000 − $3,000 = $9,000. You pay $6,000. (This assumes the deductible comes off after the percentage; check how your policy orders it.)
What a $15,000 hail claim pays (1% wind/hail deductible on a $300,000 home)
Replacement cost (RCV), after the work is done: $12,000
Roof payment schedule, 10-year-old shingles (80%): $9,000
Actual cash value (ACV), 10-year-old roof: $7,500
Roof payment schedule, 20-year-old shingles (60%): $6,000
Scale: $0 to $15,000. RoofToYard math using TDI’s depreciation example (10-year-old roof worth 70% of new), Farm Bureau’s 2026 wind/hail roof payment schedule and Triple-I’s percentage-deductible method. Your policy may differ.
Now change the deductible. The same $15,000 claim pays very differently with a flat $1,000 deductible than with a 2% wind/hail deductible:
| Settlement type | $1,000 flat deductible | 1% wind/hail ($3,000) | 2% wind/hail ($6,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCV (both checks) | $14,000 | $12,000 | $9,000 |
| Payment schedule at 80% | $11,000 | $9,000 | $6,000 |
| ACV (30% depreciation) | $9,500 | $7,500 | $4,500 |
Roof-age limits and payment schedules
Here is what a real 2026 schedule looks like. Farm Bureau Financial Services publishes a wind/hail roof payment schedule that pays a percentage of the estimate by roof age and material. The same insurer says roofs 15 years or newer may qualify for full replacement cost coverage, so which terms apply depends on the policy you choose.
| Roof age | Standard asphalt (composition) shingles | Class 3 or 4 impact-resistant | Metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 5 years | 90% | 92% | 95% |
| 10 years | 80% | 82% | 90% |
| 15 years | 70% | 72% | 85% |
| 20 years | 60% | 60.5% | 80% |
| 25 years | 50% | 50% | 75% |
| 30 years | 40% | 40% | 75% |
| 35+ years | 25% | 40% | 75% |
Roof age also affects whether you can get or keep coverage. In Florida, state law (F.S. 627.7011) bars insurers from refusing or nonrenewing a policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old, and a roof 15 years or older can stay eligible with an inspection showing at least five years of remaining useful life. Verisk’s data shows why age matters: roofs in hail-prone states last about 15 years on average, versus 22 years in western states.
How roof deductibles work (flat vs. % wind/hail)
Many policies have two deductibles: an all-other-perils deductible (often a flat dollar amount) and a separate wind/hail deductible. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) says percentage deductibles typically range from 1% to 5% of the home’s insured value.
The key point: the percentage is taken from your dwelling coverage, not from the damage. Triple-I’s example is a $300,000 home with a 5% deductible, where the first $15,000 of a claim comes out of the owner’s pocket. In our example above, that would wipe out the entire $15,000 roof claim.
| Wind/hail deductible | $300,000 dwelling coverage | $450,000 dwelling coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $3,000 | $4,500 |
| 2% | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| 5% | $15,000 | $22,500 |
Triple-I also notes that 19 states plus Washington, D.C., use separate hurricane deductibles, which can apply instead of the wind/hail deductible when a named storm hits. Look at your declarations page for the words wind, hail, windstorm or hurricane next to the deductible line.
How to get insurance to pay for roof replacement
Safety first: Don’t climb onto a storm-damaged roof. Shingles can be loose and the decking weakened, and a fall is far more costly than any claim. Take photos from the ground or a window, and let a licensed roofer or the adjuster do the up-close inspection.
Document the damage
Photograph and video the roof, gutters, siding and any ceiling stains as soon as it is safe. Mercury recommends making temporary repairs such as tarps or buckets to prevent more damage, keeping every receipt, and contacting the insurer before any major repair. Write down the storm date and time.
File the claim
Report the damage promptly. TDI says to tell your company as soon as possible and notes most policies have a one-year deadline to file. Texas also sets insurer deadlines: acknowledge your claim within 15 days, accept or deny within 15 business days of getting everything it asked for, and pay within 5 business days of approval. Other states have their own rules.
The adjuster visit
Be home for the inspection, and have your roofer there if you’ve already chosen one. Point out every area you documented, and report only real damage; inflating a claim is insurance fraud. Afterward, ask for a line-item estimate and ask which settlement type (RCV, ACV or schedule) and which deductible were applied.
Contractor estimate and supplements
Get more than one written estimate, as the Ohio Department of Insurance and NICB both advise, and compare them line by line with the adjuster’s. You can sanity-check totals with our roof replacement cost calculator. If the roofer finds hidden damage after tear-off, such as rotted decking, have it photographed and send the insurer a supplemental estimate before assuming it’s covered.
Most full replacements also need a building permit, which a good contractor pulls before work starts. See whether your roof job needs a permit and what it costs.
Top reasons roof claims are denied
| Denial reason | What it means | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Wear and tear or age | Adjuster says the roof failed from age, not the storm | Get a roofer’s written report tying damage to the storm date, with dated photos |
| Cosmetic damage exclusion | Hail dented or marked the roof but the policy excludes cosmetic damage | Check your policy for a cosmetic or marring exclusion; ask the adjuster to explain in writing why the damage is cosmetic |
| Neglect or poor maintenance | Damage blamed on missing upkeep or old leaks | Send maintenance receipts and past inspection reports |
| Bad installation or defective materials | Failure traced to workmanship or the product | Pursue the contractor’s or manufacturer’s warranty instead |
| Late reporting | Claim filed after the policy deadline or too late to verify | File as soon as possible; check your policy’s time limit |
| Excluded peril | Flood, earthquake, or wind/hail excluded on your policy | Check for a separate flood, earthquake or wind policy |
| Roof age exceeds policy limits | Older roof is paid on ACV or a schedule, or not at all | Review your roof endorsement and declarations page |
How to appeal a denied claim
A denial or a low offer isn’t always the final word. NerdWallet’s June 2026 guide and TDI outline this general order of steps:
- Get the reason in writing. Ask for the denial letter and the exact policy language it relies on.
- Compare it to your policy. Check the declarations page, the roof endorsement and the exclusions it cites.
- Gather evidence. Dated photos, maintenance receipts, a roofer’s written report and independent estimates.
- Request a reinspection. Ask for the adjuster to come back with your roofer present.
- Send a written appeal. Use certified mail and attach your documents.
- Use appraisal for amount disputes. If you agree the damage is covered but not on the price, many policies allow appraisal: each side hires an appraiser and an umpire settles disagreements, and the result can be binding.
- Complain to your state insurance department. Filing is free. In Texas, TDI takes complaints online or at 800-252-3439.
- Consider a public adjuster, mediation or an attorney for large disputes. A public adjuster works for you, not the insurer, and charges a fee.
Storm-chaser red flags
Big storms bring door-to-door roofers, and not all are honest. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) said in May 2026 that reported contractor fraud rose 38% from 2023 to 2025. Be wary of anyone who:
- Offers to pay, waive or rebate your deductible. That is illegal for contractors in Texas, and NICB notes your insurer will never ask you to pay the deductible upfront.
- Pressures you to sign today, or hands you an incomplete contract.
- Asks you to sign an assignment of benefits you don’t understand, or a power of attorney. The Ohio Department of Insurance says never give a contractor power of attorney.
- Promises to negotiate your claim for you. In Texas, a contractor can’t act as a public adjuster.
- Wants cash, or shows out-of-state licenses and plates. Pay by check or card and write down the salesperson’s driver’s license and plate numbers.
Roof shape matters for future storms too. If you’re rebuilding, our guide to gable roofs and wind risk explains why gable ends need bracing in high-wind areas.
Common questions
Will insurance pay for a 20-year-old roof?
It can, if a covered storm damaged it, but many policies pay older roofs on actual cash value or a payment schedule. One insurer’s 2026 schedule pays 60 percent of the estimate for 20-year-old asphalt shingles, and Westfield says roofs over 20 years may get 25 to 40 percent. Check your declarations page.
Does homeowners insurance cover a roof leak?
It usually covers a leak caused by a covered peril, such as wind tearing off shingles or a tree falling on the roof. It usually does not cover leaks caused by age, wear and tear or skipped maintenance.
How long do I have to file a roof claim?
Report damage as soon as possible. The Texas Department of Insurance says most policies have a one-year deadline to file a claim, but deadlines vary by policy and state, so check yours.
Can my roofer pay or waive my deductible?
No, not legally in Texas, where contractors may not waive, rebate or absorb a deductible. Anywhere else, treat the offer as a red flag, because the insurer expects you to pay your deductible.
What should I do if my roof claim is denied?
Ask for the reason in writing, compare it to your policy, gather photos and a roofer’s report, request a reinspection and send a written appeal. For price disputes, ask about appraisal, and you can file a free complaint with your state insurance department.
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance: Home insurance guide, 2026
- Texas Department of Insurance: Roofing and insurance, know the law, 2025
- Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I): Background on hurricane and windstorm deductibles
- Farm Bureau Financial Services: Roof payment schedule, 2026
- Westfield Insurance: Roof insurance explained, 2026
- Mercury Insurance: Does homeowners insurance cover a roof replacement, 2026
- Allstate: Does homeowners insurance cover roof repairs, 2025
- Ohio Department of Insurance: Roof insurance, repair and replacement (consumer page)
- United Policyholders: Hail and wind limits and exclusions
- NerdWallet: How to dispute a home insurance claim settlement or denial, 2026
- NICB: Contractor fraud continues to rise nationwide, 2026
- Verisk: U.S. roof claims costs reached over $30 billion in 2024, 2025
- GreatFlorida Insurance: Florida roof age rules (F.S. 627.7011), updated 2026
- Angi: How much does a new roof cost, 2026
More guides in Roofing.