Does homeowners insurance cover roof replacement? When it pays, how much, and the claim
A home policy pays for a new roof when something it covers, such as wind, hail or fire, damages the roof badly enough to need replacing. It doesn't pay for a roof that has worn out: most policies don't cover wear and tear (Texas Department of Insurance). How much it pays depends on whether the policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value, minus your deductible.
Anthony Hicks30+ years in construction. Updated November 5, 2026.
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When it pays and when it doesn’t
The Texas Department of Insurance lists what most home policies cover. For a roof, that comes down to the cause:
| Most policies cover damage from | Most policies don’t cover |
|---|---|
| Windstorm, hurricane and hail | Wear and tear |
| Fire and lightning | Flooding |
| Aircraft and vehicles | Earthquakes or earth movement |
Coverages vary by company, and the policy’s own terms decide it. In Texas, a home on the coast, or in Harris County on Galveston Bay, might not have wind and hail coverage in its home policy; the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association sells that coverage there.
How much it pays
The same new roof pays very differently under the two kinds of policy. The Texas Department of Insurance’s example is a roof bought 10 years ago, $10,000 to replace today, with a $2,000 deductible:
| Replacement cost policy | Actual cash value policy | |
|---|---|---|
| What it pays toward | The new roof at today’s price | Today’s price minus depreciation, $7,000 in its example |
| Less the deductible | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| The insurer pays | $8,000 | $5,000 |
| You pay | $2,000 | $5,000 |
On a replacement cost policy, most companies pay with two checks: the estimated cost minus depreciation and the deductible first, then the depreciation once they get the bill for the finished roof. The actual cash value vs replacement cost guide and the recoverable depreciation guide work through both, and the roof replacement cost guide prices a new roof in your state.
The claim, step by step
The Texas Department of Insurance’s tips:
- Tell your insurance company as soon as possible. Most companies have deadlines to file a claim, and some policies give one year.
- Photograph the damage before any repairs.
- Make only temporary repairs, like a tarp over the damaged roof. Permanent repairs before the insurer sees the damage can get the claim denied.
- Be there when the adjuster looks at the roof, with your contractor if you can, to talk through the estimate.
Texas law then sets the insurer’s deadlines: acknowledge the claim within 15 days, accept or deny it within 15 business days of getting everything it needs, and pay within 5 business days of agreeing to; it can take 45 days to decide if it says why. Other states set their own.
The hail damage guide covers what an inspection looks at, and how long a roof lasts the age question.
If the estimate comes in low
The insurer pays from the adjuster’s estimate. When the damage turns out worse than first thought, you or your contractor can talk to the adjuster about raising it; a contractor sends the added lines as a supplement. If you still disagree on the amount, the Texas Department of Insurance describes the options:
- Appraisal, for disputes about the amount, not about whether the policy covers the loss. Each side hires an appraiser, the two choose an umpire, and the umpire’s decision on any difference binds both sides. You pay your appraiser and half the umpire.
- A complaint to the state’s department of insurance.
- Court.
Writing the roof estimate
An adjuster reads an estimate line by line against the roof. BluMatrix measures the roof from the address, takes the photos into a photo report on the visit, and writes the estimate line by line at current prices for the ZIP code, as a PDF or an ESX file that opens in Xactimate.
Common questions
Will homeowners insurance replace an old roof?
It pays when a covered risk such as wind or hail damages the roof, not for wear and tear (Texas Department of Insurance). On an actual cash value policy, an older roof’s depreciation comes off the check.
How do I get insurance to pay for a roof replacement?
The damage has to come from a covered risk. Report it quickly, photograph it, make only temporary repairs, and meet the adjuster with your contractor and a measured estimate.
Does insurance pay for the whole roof or just the damaged part?
It pays for the repair the covered damage needs, by the adjuster’s estimate and your policy’s terms. Whether that is a repair or a full replacement is what the inspection and the estimate settle.
What if the insurance company denies my roof claim?
In Texas the company must tell you why in writing. The Texas Department of Insurance’s advice is to tell the company why you disagree; after that come a complaint to the department or court, and appraisal where the dispute is about the amount.