Does Homeowners Insurance Cover an Old Roof in Missouri?

If your roof is 10, 15, or even 20 years old, you may assume your homeowners insurance will pay for a new roof if the next Missouri hailstorm causes significant damage.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always that simple.

The age and condition of your roof can play a major role in how an insurance company evaluates coverage and calculates a claim. Some policies may provide replacement cost coverage for newer roofs but switch older roofs to Actual Cash Value (ACV). Other insurers may have their own age, condition, material, or underwriting requirements.

That doesn’t necessarily mean an old roof has no insurance coverage. It means Missouri homeowners need to understand exactly what their individual policy says before storm damage occurs.

Here’s what you should know.

Does Roof Age Determine Whether Insurance Will Cover Damage?

Not by itself.

Homeowners insurance is generally intended to cover sudden damage caused by covered events, such as hail, wind, falling objects, or other covered perils. It isn’t designed to pay for a roof simply because it has become old or worn out.

For example, if a 17-year-old roof is simply deteriorating from years of sun exposure and normal wear, homeowners insurance generally won’t pay to replace it solely because of its age.

But if that same roof is damaged during a severe hailstorm, there may be coverage for the storm-related damage depending on the terms of the policy.

The important distinction is the cause of the damage.

Even when the cause is covered, however, the age of the roof can still affect how much the insurance company pays.

Older Roofs May Be Covered Differently

One of the biggest things Missouri homeowners should understand is that not every insurance policy settles roof claims the same way.

Your policy may provide Replacement Cost Value (RCV), Actual Cash Value (ACV), or another form of loss settlement.

With Replacement Cost Value coverage, the policy generally pays the covered cost of repairing or replacing damaged property with materials of similar kind and quality without deducting for depreciation, subject to the terms of the policy and deductible.

Actual Cash Value coverage factors depreciation into the settlement.

That difference becomes increasingly important as a roof gets older.

An older roof has experienced years of weather exposure and normal aging. If the policy settles roof losses on an ACV basis, depreciation can substantially reduce the amount available from an insurance claim.

This can leave homeowners responsible for a much larger portion of the replacement cost than they anticipated.

Is There a Specific Age When a Roof Is No Longer Covered in Missouri?

There isn’t one universal age that applies to every Missouri homeowner or every insurance company.

Insurance carriers establish their own underwriting requirements and policy terms.

Some insurers may change the way a roof is covered once it reaches a certain age. Others may consider a combination of factors, including:

• Roof age
• Roofing material
• Overall condition
• Previous repairs
• Installation quality
• Number of roofing layers
• Signs of deterioration
• Prior claims

This is why two Missouri homeowners with roofs of the same age could have very different coverage.

One homeowner may still have replacement cost coverage while another may have an ACV roof endorsement that deducts depreciation from the settlement.

Your actual policy controls what coverage applies.

What Is the Difference Between Wear and Tear and Storm Damage?

This distinction is extremely important when dealing with an older roof.

Normal aging may include things such as gradual granule loss, weathering, deterioration, or other conditions that develop over time.

Insurance policies generally aren’t intended to cover ordinary wear and tear or maintenance issues.

Storm damage is different.

A hailstorm might create impact damage to shingles. High winds might crease, lift, or remove shingles. Falling debris could puncture part of the roofing system.

Those are sudden events rather than gradual deterioration.

However, an older roof can have both pre-existing wear and new storm damage at the same time.

That’s one reason a professional roof inspection and good documentation of roof damage can be especially valuable after a storm.

How Does Actual Cash Value Affect an Older Roof Claim?

Imagine that your roof needs to be replaced after a covered storm.

If you have Replacement Cost Value coverage, your policy may ultimately provide payment based on the covered replacement cost, subject to your deductible and policy terms.

With Actual Cash Value coverage, depreciation is deducted.

The older the roofing material is, the more depreciation may be applied.

That can create a significant gap between what it costs to install a new roof and what the insurance company pays.

For example, a homeowner might discover that replacing the roof will cost significantly more than the insurance settlement because the existing roof has already used much of its expected service life.

This is why homeowners with older roofs should understand the difference between Actual Cash Value and Replacement Cost before a storm occurs.

Check Your Policy Before You Need It

The worst time to discover how your roof is insured is after a major hailstorm.

Take some time to review your homeowners insurance policy now.

Start with your declarations page and look for information regarding:

• Replacement Cost Value
• Actual Cash Value
• Roof endorsements
• Wind and hail deductibles
• Percentage-based deductibles
• Cosmetic damage exclusions
• Roof age limitations
• Special roof settlement provisions

If you’re unsure what something means, contact your insurance agent or carrier and ask them to explain how your roof would be covered if it were damaged by hail or wind.

A simple question can be extremely helpful:

“If my roof were damaged by hail today, would my roof be settled at replacement cost or actual cash value?”

You can also ask whether the age of your roof changes that answer.

What If You Don’t Know How Old Your Roof Is?

This is more common than you might think, especially if you purchased a home with an existing roof.

You may be able to determine the approximate age by reviewing:

• Home purchase documents
• Seller disclosures
• Previous inspection reports
• Roofing invoices or warranties
• Building permit records
• Insurance records

A professional roofing contractor can also evaluate the roof’s condition, although visual inspection alone may not establish the exact installation date.

Knowing the age of your roof can help you plan ahead for replacement and have a more informed conversation with your insurance provider.

What Happens If an Old Roof Is Damaged by Hail?

If a significant hailstorm affects your property, don’t assume your roof isn’t covered simply because it’s older.

Have the roof professionally inspected.

Hail damage can be difficult to identify from the ground, and an experienced roofing contractor can document the physical condition of the roofing system.

If storm-related damage is found, photographs, inspection documentation, and information about the date of the storm can be useful when communicating with your insurance company.

You can also use Advanced Restorations’ free Extreme Weather Report to review hail, wind, and severe weather events that may have affected your home’s address.

Ultimately, your insurance company determines whether the loss is covered according to your policy.

Our role is to help you understand the physical condition of your roof and document the damage we find.

What If Insurance Won’t Pay for the Full Roof Replacement?

This is where having a plan becomes especially important.

You may discover that your roof needs replacement but your insurance policy doesn’t provide enough coverage to pay for the entire project.

Maybe the damage is considered normal wear and tear.

Maybe your older roof is covered at Actual Cash Value and depreciation significantly reduces the insurance payment.

Maybe your wind or hail deductible leaves you responsible for more of the project than you expected.

Or maybe the roof has simply reached the end of its service life without experiencing a covered loss.

Whatever the reason, delaying a necessary roof replacement can eventually create much more expensive problems.

A deteriorating roof can lead to water intrusion, damaged decking, wet insulation, drywall damage, mold concerns, and other problems throughout the home.

Fortunately, insurance isn’t the only way to pay for a roof replacement.

Financing Can Help When Insurance Doesn’t Cover the Roof

At Advanced Restorations, we understand that most homeowners don’t plan to suddenly pay for an entire roof replacement out of pocket.

That’s why we offer flexible roof replacement financing options for qualifying homeowners.

Financing can be useful when:

• Insurance doesn’t cover the roof replacement
• An ACV settlement leaves a significant remaining balance
• A claim is underpaid or delayed
• The roof needs replacement because of age rather than storm damage
• You want to replace the roof before additional problems develop

Instead of waiting until leaks or structural damage force an emergency repair, financing can allow you to complete the project now and spread the cost over manageable payments.

Advanced Restorations partners with Service Finance to provide financing options for home improvement projects. The application process includes a soft credit check, and qualifying homeowners may receive multiple financing options to consider.

That means discovering your insurance won’t cover the entire roof doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put off protecting your home.

Start by Finding Out What Your Roof Actually Needs

Before worrying about insurance or financing, the first step is understanding the condition of your roof.

An older roof doesn’t automatically need replacement, and an old roof isn’t automatically excluded from insurance coverage.

Have the roof inspected, determine its condition, review your insurance policy, and understand your options.

From there, you can make an informed decision about whether you need repairs, replacement, an insurance claim, or another way to finance the project.

Schedule a Free Roof Inspection with Advanced Restorations

If you have an aging roof and aren’t sure how much life it has left, the Pink Shirt Roofers™ can help.

Advanced Restorations provides free roof inspections to help Missouri homeowners understand the condition of their roofing systems and identify signs of storm damage, deterioration, or other potential problems.

If insurance coverage applies, you’ll have documentation to help you communicate with your insurance company.

And if insurance doesn’t cover your roof replacement, we’ll help you understand the cost of the project and the financing options available to help you move forward.

Don’t wait until an aging roof becomes a leaking roof.

Call Advanced Restorations at 417-962-8844 today to schedule your FREE roof inspection and learn more about your roof replacement and financing options.