This is the subject with the most misunderstandings, and the one that gives people the biggest shock afterwards. The short version: your insurance often pays for the wet ceiling, but not for the tile that had come off.
That feels illogical, but there is reasoning behind it. Insurance covers sudden, unexpected events. Maintaining your roof is not an event, it is your job as the owner. I am not an insurance adviser, so always read your own policy, but in practice I see it work out the same way every time.
What is usually covered
Consequential damage inside the home. A soaked ceiling, damaged plasterwork, a wet floor, ruined contents. That is damage from a sudden leak and in most policies it falls under buildings or contents insurance.
Structural damage caused by the event. If a branch comes through your roof, repairing the structure is part of the damage, not part of maintenance.
Costs of limiting further damage. Emergency measures to close up the roof are often covered, precisely because your policy expects you to limit the damage.
“Almost every policy asks you to limit the damage. So waiting with a leak is not only more expensive, it can affect your cover.”
Fouad, owner of Astrodak Service
What is usually not covered
Repairing the leak itself. New tiles, new lead, a repaired valley gutter: that is maintenance of your home and you pay for it yourself. Also not covered: damage from neglected maintenance, from wear or from a construction fault. And damage you could have prevented, for example a roof window left open during a storm or a leak you left for six months.
That last one is where it most often goes wrong in practice. Someone sees a stain in October, waits until spring, and then there is not only more damage but also an insurer asking why nothing was done sooner.
A leak? Do not let it spread.
A leak you leave for a season usually costs ten times as much in follow-on damage. Call or send a message: you will get an answer today, from me personally, not from a scheduler.
What to record before anyone comes
Dated photos. Of the stain, of the attic, of the spot on the roof if it is visible from the ground. Several photos taken at different times show that it got worse.
The weather. With storm damage, the date and the wind force matter. A screenshot of that day's weather forecast is good supporting evidence.
When you reported it. Report it to your insurer as soon as you know, even if you do not yet know what it is. The date of reporting matters more later than you think now.
A report from the roofer. We put in writing what we saw and what the cause was. That is exactly the document a loss adjuster asks for.
Maintenance is your best policy
It sounds like a cliché, but it is the practical result of all the above. An insurer covers the unexpected. Anything you saw coming and did not deal with falls outside that. A roof that is checked regularly, with invoices to show for it, gives you a much stronger position if something does happen.
What belongs in a damage report
A loss adjuster wants to know four things: what was found, what the cause was, whether it was a sudden event or wear, and what was done to limit further damage. A report that covers those four points, with photos, is useful.
What does not work is an invoice that just says roof repair. Then the adjuster has to reconstruct what happened, and if in doubt, that will not go in your favour. So always ask for a description of the cause, not just of the work carried out.
Frequently asked questions about insurance and roof leaks
