Wind Damage vs. Wear & Tear: What Insurance Covers

When you get to a point where you need roof repairs or a roof replacement at your home, you might find yourself wondering whether the upcoming project could be covered by your insurance policy. Of course, the answer is dependent on the reason behind your need for repairs or a replacement. Some homeowners might just assume their policy covers everything, but that’s not the case. To avoid one of the common reasons for a denied claim, it’s important to understand the difference between wind damage and wear and tear—and how insurance providers treat both issues. While both can have their impact on your home’s structural integrity—and especially your roof—they are looked at differently by most insurance companies. Let the experts at Lifetime Roofing walk you through the distinction so that you’re better prepared for your future roofing projects.

What Qualifies As Wind Damage?

Wind damage typically refers more to sudden and accidental damage caused by strong winds. Winds from thunderstorms, hurricanes, or other severe weather events can have major effects on your roof, and because these effects are unexpected and tied to a specific event, most insurance policies will cover it. Some examples of wind damage that tend to be covered by insurance include:

• Shingles lifted, cracked, or blown off your roof
• Trees or large branches falling onto your home
• Broken windows caused by flying debris
• Siding or gutters torn away due to high wind speeds

What differentiates wind damage, especially when it comes to insurance coverage, is its immediacy. You can point to what caused the damage, which makes it easy to identify and document for your claim. It’s important to note, though, that the extent of your wind damage coverage and the details surrounding it will depend on your specific policy. 

What Qualifies As Wear & Tear?

Whereas wind damage has immediacy to it, wear and tear refers to the gradual deterioration of your roof over time. This is naturally occurring damage that happens due to your roof aging, as well as its prolonged exposure to the elements. Some examples include:

• Aging shingles that are brittle, curled, or cracked
• Your roof fading in color and losing its visual luster
• Minor leaks caused by your roof’s age as opposed to a specific weather event
• Warped materials or weakened structural integrity 

Wear and tear happens slowly, and it’s a normal part of your roof’s lifespan. As a result, insurance companies will view it as a maintenance issue rather than an event covered under insurance. So, any roof repairs or replacements needed because of your systems age are generally going to be your responsibility.

How Insurance Companies Will Determine the Difference & Decide On Your Claim’s Approval or Denial

In the event that you have filed a claim with your insurance company in hopes of getting coverage for roof damage, you can expect your provider to send an adjuster to your home to assess the damage. The job of the adjuster is to determine the cause of the damage, and in this case, determine whether it was a sudden event (wind damage) or long-term deterioration (wear and tear). They’ll usually take a look at:

Their Own Inspection Findings

The insurance adjuster will complete an inspection of your roof, looking for signs of impact vs. signs of age. For example, they’ll be able to tell whether a roof’s shingles have been freshly torn or impacted by weather or if they’re brittle and cracking due to regular aging.

Weather Data

You can also expect your adjuster to cross-reference their own findings with recent weather data. If a storm or major weather event didn’t actually occur on the date you reported that your roof was damaged, that’s grounds for an easy claim denial.

Documentation

You’ll want to be sure you have any photos, maintenance records, and inspection reports that support your insurance claim together to share with your adjuster. A well-documented history of roof maintenance and upkeep can work in your favor.

Signs of Neglect

On the opposite side, if you don’t have records of roof maintenance and/or your adjuster notices red flags like longstanding water stains, mold growth, or layers of deterioration—all of which can be signs of neglect—that can lead to disqualification from coverage as well.

Enlist the Help of Your Local Roofing Company When Filing Your Insurance Claim

If a storm has recently rolled through the area and impacted the roof of your Michigan home—whether in terms of wind damage or other damage from the elements—you’ll want to call your go-to roofing company and schedule an inspection. When you have a professional you trust take a look at your roof independently from the adjuster your insurance company sends to your home, you can feel greater peace of mind that you’re getting a fair assessment and receiving the level of coverage you’re rightfully owed under your policy.

Michigan homeowners love turning to Lifetime Roofing for their roof inspections not just because of our expertise and the overall customer experience we provide, but also because we offer reliable assistance with insurance claims. We want to make sure you get what you’re owed, plus we’d love to ease the stress you may be facing in the aftermath of a severe weather event. In other words, we have your best interests at heart.

Reach Out Today

If you’re ready to have Lifetime Roofing visit your home to assess the damage to your roof and help with the insurance claims process, we’re just a click or call away. Contact us today to schedule an inspection as soon as possible.