The roof of your home protects your possessions from wind, rain, snow, ice, hail, and fire. Roofing constitutes about 7% of the total building cost of the home with the roof covering accounting for ½ of that amount or 3.5% of the cost. This is a big-ticket item when it needs to be replaced, so choosing the right material is essential for your safety. Shingle roofs constitute the majority of residential roofs.
Insurance and shingle roofs
The insurance industry has a love / hate relationship with roofs. They love it when the roof does what it is designed to do and prevent a loss. They hate it when there are roof problems that allow water intrusion, wind uplift, ice dam formation, collapse from snow loads and allow fire spread.
Insurance company roofing related actions
Roofs represent a major loss source for insurance carriers, and they are taking steps to control their exposure to loss. The use of aerial imagery that is reviewed by an artificial intelligence program to score your roofs condition is now common. Every insurance company has their own internal processes to evaluate this data. Your score from this process can determine the deductible offered and if coverage is extended at all. There may be an age-related factor that will be considered in the decision-making process. If you do not know the age of your roof, you are at the mercy of the third party estimate of age.
Insurance companies are frequently applying a percentage deductible or a higher dollar deductible to roof and wind claims. The percentage deductible is based on total building value, so it can be a substantial amount for a deductible.
Another direction for handling roof exposures is to apply Actual Cash Value (ACV) on roofs over a specific age or that meet a certain scoring threshold in the third-party evaluation.
Appealing the insurance company decision
Since the roof evaluation is automated, the person handling your account may have no input on the decision reached. Overruling the third-party data may require a lot of documentation about your roof. This data should include date of installation, installer, name of shingle manufacturer, name of shingle product to allow verification of properties for this product. Many homeowners cannot produce this level of documentation on demand.
Evaluating roofing shingles for your home
The first consideration for roofing materials deals with appearance. Shingles are available in flat three-tab, architectural shingles that have an additional layer of material and architectural shingles that are intended to mimic the appearance of a wood shake roof or a slate roof. Based on the desired appearance, you move into varying price points for the shingles.
A review of literature from a major shingle roofing manufacturer and the distinct types of shingles they offer and the variation in warranty, wind uplift, hail resistance and styles available are shown below.
A previous article on roofing warranties discussed the typical terms in these warranties and how it impacts insurance claim handling. Many warranties depend on the roofer using all products from the manufacturer of the shingle. This can include underlayment, starter strips, hip, and ridge shingles. Warranties can also require a certified installer. Warranty terms may vary based on the price point of the shingle selected.
Wind uplift is a significant performance point for your roof. The higher the roof uplift rating, the better your roof can resist shingle loss in a storm. While the building code has minimum requirements, a code review may not be conducted. Many roofing projects are considered maintenance, so no building permit and related inspections and reviews are performed.
Your agreement with the roofer may shift the responsibility of securing any needed permits to the owner. If this is the case, check with your local code official for their regulations.
If there is no code review by the building official, you should ask for the highest wind uplift that is available for your chosen product. A higher wind uplift rating may be available using a six nail per shingle installation versus a four nail per shingle installation. Some shingles show two uplift speeds depending on installation processes. Ohio has a base wind uplift speed of 90 MPH.
If you live in an area that is prone to hailstorms, we recommend installing impact-resistant shingles that are designed to withstand greater levels of impact. Impact-resistant shingles are evaluated and classified using the Underwriters Laboratory 2218 (UL 2218) steel ball test where a steel ball is dropped from a specified height onto an installed roofing shingle and inspected for any breaks or cracks. The highest possible rating is Class 4. To receive a Class 4 rating, a roofing shingle must withstand having a 2-inch steel ball dropped multiple times from a height of 20 feet. Using Class 4 impact resistant shingles helps to prevent or reduce the amount of damage from hail or other debris.
Product | Warranty | Wind uplift | Hail resistance | Style |
Economy – 3 choices | 25 year Limited | 60 MPH | Not specified | Three tab |
Affordable – 6 choices | Limited lifetime | 110/130 MPH | Not specified | Architectural |
Midrange – 24 choices | Limited lifetime | 130 MPH | Class 3 | Architectural – three tab – slate look |
Premium – 16 choices | Limited lifetime | 130 MPH | Class 4 | Architectural – three tab – slate look |
Top of the line – 5 choices | Limited lifetime | 130 MPH | Not specified | Architectural – three tab – slate look |
Color Matching
One common issue when a roof claim is being adjusted is the availability of shingles that are dimensionally and color consistent with the existing roofing.
A best practice is to secure a supply of the original roofing shingles and retain them for future repairs. You can specify a specific quantity such as 2 bundles in the bid for your roof. Having some additional shingles could make repair much easier in the future. Ask the shingle manufacturer about any shelf-life restrictions for their product and storage requirements.
Different states have different rules regarding matching of exterior finishes. Some insurance carriers may offer a specific endorsement to provide funds for exterior matching of materials in the event of a claim.
Documentation to be collected and retained
There is a lot more to a shingle roof than appearance. You need to document and retain the following:
Material specifications for all roofing components. This includes shingles, underlayment, starter strips, ridge and hip shingles, ventilators, and flashing.
Date of installation
Name of the installer and any certifications they hold in relation to your roofing materials.
Proof of warranty registration
You may need these details to appeal a third-party evaluation of your roof.
The Driehaus Difference
We track the underwriting and inspection practices of our insurance companies. We can help you select a company that will work with your specific roofing situation. We can also helps gather the data needed to get the best treatment from the insurance company for your roof.
We can also assist in reviewing any contracts you may be considering for a roofing installation. We are focused on providing feedback on risk transfer and any insurance-related needs that may arise.
Call us at 513-977-6860 or contact us via our website at www.driehausins.com . We want to be your insurance provider.