Roofing Articles

Homeowners insurance generally pays to replace a roof damaged suddenly — by hail, wind, a fallen tree, fire. It generally does not pay for a roof that simply wore out. Not sure which category your roof falls into? See how long a roof should last and the signs it needs replacing.

That much most people know. What catches Chattanooga homeowners off guard is the rest: the first check arriving far smaller than the estimate, and the insurer offering to replace one slope of a roof when the shingles on it haven’t been made in twelve years.

Both of those have specific answers in Tennessee.

What insurance usually covers

Most policies treat these as covered perils:

• Hail — the most common roof claim in our area
• Wind — lifted, creased or missing shingles, and storm debris
• Fallen trees or limbs
• Fire and lightning
• Sudden accidental damage from something like a neighbor’s trampoline

What insurance usually doesn’t cover

• Age and normal wear. A 22-year-old roof at the end of its life is a maintenance expense, not a claim.
• Neglected maintenance. Damage that developed gradually from a problem you could have addressed.
• Manufacturing defects. That’s the shingle warranty’s job, not the insurer’s.
• Cosmetic-only damage, if your policy has a cosmetic damage exclusion. These have become more common and are worth checking for by name.

The line insurers draw is sudden versus gradual. An adjuster’s job on a roof claim is largely deciding which side of that line your damage falls on.

Why your first check is so much smaller than the estimate

This is the single most common phone call we get after a claim is approved, and it usually isn’t a problem at all.

Most policies pay roof claims in two parts:

The first check is Actual Cash Value (ACV). That’s the cost to replace your roof minus depreciation for the years of life it had already used, minus your deductible. On a 14-year-old roof, that can be dramatically less than the full replacement cost.

The second check is the recoverable depreciation. Once the work is finished and your contractor submits the final invoice, the insurer releases the rest — provided your policy is a Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policy.

So a $24,000 roof on an RCV policy with a $2,000 deductible might arrive as a first check of $13,000, then a second check of $9,000 after completion. You pay the $2,000.

The exception that matters: if your policy is ACV-only, there is no second check. Many policies switch older roofs — often past 15 or 20 years — to ACV-only, or apply a roof surface payment schedule that pays a declining percentage by age. Look for “roof surface” language in your declarations page. If you find it, you’ll be covering more of the cost yourself, and it’s worth knowing that before the storm, not after.

Tennessee’s matching rule, and why it matters on a partial claim

Here’s the part most homeowners have never heard of.

Say hail hits one slope of your roof. The insurer approves replacing that slope only. But your shingles were discontinued years ago, and the closest available match is visibly different in color. You’d end up with a two-tone roof.

Tennessee has a rule for this. Rule 0780-01-05-.10(1)(b), confirmed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Insurance and effective October 9, 2017, requires that when replacement cost coverage applies and replacement items deviate in quality, color or size, the insurer “shall replace items so as to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance.”

It explicitly covers exterior losses, not just interior ones — which was the point of the Commissioner clarifying it, since some insurers had been paying to repaint a whole interior wall while refusing to address a mismatched roof.

Two limits worth being honest about:

• It applies to replacement, not repair. If a damaged shingle can be repaired in place, no matching obligation is triggered.
• It works through your policy’s provisions, so replacement cost coverage has to apply in the first place.

This applies to siding as well as roofing. If a storm damages one elevation of your siding and the product line has been discontinued, the same reasoning is in play.

If you’re told you’re getting a partial replacement in a color that won’t match, that rule is worth raising by name with your adjuster.

What to do after a storm

1. Document it before anyone touches it. Photos from the ground, photos of interior staining, photos of debris and dented gutters or downspouts. Date-stamped.
2. Make temporary repairs and keep the receipts. Most policies require you to prevent further damage, and reimburse you for doing it. Don’t make permanent repairs before the adjuster visits.
3. Report it promptly. Policies require prompt notice, and many contain a time limit on filing suit that’s shorter than you’d expect. Read yours.
4. Get an independent inspection. A roofer who knows what hail bruising looks like versus blistering or foot traffic can tell you whether you have a claim worth filing. A denied claim still goes on your record.
5. Be present for the adjuster’s inspection, and have your contractor there. Not to argue — to make sure nothing is missed on slopes nobody walked.

What a contractor legally cannot do for you in Tennessee

This matters more than it sounds, and it’s how you tell a legitimate roofer from a storm chaser.

We cannot negotiate your claim for you. Under the Tennessee Public Adjuster Licensing Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-6-903), adjusting a claim on a homeowner’s behalf requires a public adjuster license. A roofing contractor without one can inspect your roof, document damage, provide an estimate, and meet the adjuster on site to walk the damage together. Negotiating the settlement on your behalf is a different activity and requires a license.

We cannot pay your deductible. Your deductible is your obligation under your policy. A contractor who offers to “cover it,” “eat it,” or “work it into the paperwork” is proposing to bill your insurer for money you never paid — that’s fraud, and it’s the homeowner’s name on the claim.

No one can promise you a full roof replacement before an inspection. Anyone knocking on your door after a storm promising approval hasn’t seen your roof or read your policy.

Common questions

Does filing a roof claim raise my premium?

It can, and a weather-related claim is treated differently by different carriers. A denied claim can still appear in your claims history. This is worth a direct conversation with your agent before filing a marginal claim.

How old is too old for a roof claim?

There’s no universal cutoff. What changes with age is how you’re paid — many policies move older roofs to ACV-only or a declining payment schedule. A 25-year-old roof with genuine hail damage may still be a valid claim; it just may not pay much.

The adjuster says there’s no damage. Is that final?

No. You can request a re-inspection, and most policies contain an appraisal clause for resolving disputes over the amount of a loss. If you believe damage was missed, a second set of eyes on the roof is reasonable.

Will insurance pay to upgrade my roof?

Insurance pays to restore what you had. If you want an upgrade — a better shingle line, a metal roof — you can generally apply the claim settlement toward it and pay the difference.

What if my shingles are discontinued?

That’s exactly what the matching rule above addresses. Raise it with your adjuster by name.

Should I sign a contract before my claim is approved?

Read carefully what you’re signing. Some post-storm agreements assign your claim benefits to the contractor or lock you in regardless of the outcome. A straightforward inspection doesn’t require you to sign anything binding.

This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Policies differ, and your coverage is determined by your specific policy language. For questions about your coverage, talk to your agent.