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Has your roof been stressed by the recent harsh weather?  The heavy December and January snow storms might have caused damage to your roof already, and winter is not over yet. For some Minneapolis and St. Paul residents, their homeowners insurance MAY provide coverage, but don't assume that is the case for you.

Do you know what your insurance policy covers regarding storm damage to your roof?

Being prepared is always a good thing to think about when it comes to any type of damage that is done to your home by storms that come and go here in Minnesota. With the winter bearing down on us all, it is important to take note of what your insurance will and will not cover concerning these roofing repairs, so you know what to expect if it will come out of your pocket or the insurance company's.

Home insurance policies usually cover the cost of any functional damages that were done to the roof such as those caused by vandalism, storms or other accidental damages that were outside your control at the time. Functional damages are also known as those that decrease the life span of the roof that you have and prevent it from being able to rid itself of water or protect the inside of your home. In a lot of cases, the company will cover damages to the roof associated with:

  • Hail
  • Collapsed roof from snow
  • Damage done by trees falling
  • Ice damming (maybe)
  • Wind damage
  • Power outages that might have frozen the pipes and led them to break
Often the insurance company will cover the total repair costs that are needed to put it back in functioning order. Sometimes though, they may just pay for the lost value. Depending on the policy, one or the other might be the case. Taking a close look at your policy to see whether it covers current value or replacement cost can help.  Understanding how the claim process works is also something worth noting when it comes to having a damaged roof from snow storms or any other storms that come your way. We'll explain more about this in the upcoming Part 2 of this post.

Coverages that insurance companies tend to not cover include:

  • Flood damage that is caused due to the melting snow in the area or on the roof. If the roof collapses due to the weight from the snow being on the roof, this is covered; when snow simply melts and causes more problems, the cost to fix this is on you unless you added something like this to your policy.
  • Improper installation is also something that they will not cover. If something goes wrong with the roof and it is due to poor installation, then it is not going to be covered. The warranty that you have for the roofing should cover any defects in the materials, and the roofing contractor should also provided some sort of warranty for the work.
With the harsh storms we often get here in the Minneapolis area, it's a good idea to have the number of a roofing storm damage repair contractor handy, because whether you have insurance or not, getting your roof back in working order after a storm is critical.   We'll be happy to work with your insurance company on your behalf.  Call our roofing repair professionals here at Quarve for more information on how we can help with the roof storm repair that you're in need of at 763.785.1472.