When your roof sustains damage, there are times when the required roof replacement or repairs could be partially or entirely covered by your insurer - provided you have the applicable insurance policy, of course.

But as with many aspects of the insurance world, whether or not you will be covered - and the extent of the cover - can be dictated by a number of different factors. In this article, we discuss some of the important points to remember when it comes to insurance and your roof.

Roof damage and insurance

There can be a wide variety of factors to take into consideration depending on which insurance provider you are with. While roofing companies, Roo Roofing included, can assess the damage of your roof and provide you with information to give to your insurance provider to help make the claims process easier, all final decisions still ultimately come down to the insurance company itself. Policies and what's covered (and to what extend) differ between providers, and important determining factors could include:

• The extent of the damage - would your roof require a complete roof replacement or just some specific roof repairs?
  
  
• How old is your roof? - depending on the insurance company, they may limit their cover if your roof is already aged and more susceptible to being damaged. If you pay a higher premium or excess, they may be more extensive with the cover provided.
  
  
• Was the damage caused by a sudden event? - this is an important question for many insurers, because they're less likely to cover you (or at least provide the same payout) if the damage wasn't caused by a sudden event. Whether or not a risk could've been mitigated/prevented matters in the insurance world. So a sudden, intense freak storm causing mass damage to your roof is more likely to be covered than roof damage that occurred from general ageing/deterioration that could've easily been prevented.
  
  
• Where you live - the very area in which you live can influence an insurance company's cover. If you live near the ocean, for example, and your roof does not comprise materials that can withstand marine influences, your insurer could either a) make you pay more for your cover, or b) place exemptions on your cover.

Roo Roofing and insured roof replacements / repairs

If your roof has sustained damage that you feel could be claimed under your insurance policy, Roo Roofing can help. We can assess your roof and provide the necessary details for your respective insurance provider. And, of course, if approved, we can carry out the necessary replacement/repairs for your roof.

You can reach us on 1300 734 148.

As a final piece of advice, make sure you tell your insurance provider everything about your roof - its age, what materials it's made of, whether or not it's encountered previous issues (to your knowledge), prior repairs/restoration work, etc. Full disclosure means your insurer can give you the best possible cover and that they won't be able to refuse claims in the future due to any previously undisclosed information.