Roof damaged by hail? Your homeowner insurance company may no longer pay to replace it.

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Homeowner Insurance tip from Hometown Realty

If you live where hail happens most often — basically everywhere in the country east of the line of states running south from Montana — you know it can knock the life out of your roof, making it unlikely to survive into old age the way it would in some place like Rio.

Homeowner insurance companies have figured that out, too, and they’re looking to cut their losses by limiting your roof coverage. Hail-related claims increased 84% between 2010 and 2012, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

How to Know if Your Insurer is Out to Cut Hail Claims

  • Look for changes like these in your renewal policy:
  • Refusing to cover roofs over a certain age (like 10 years).
  • Adding a separate hail deductible that’s subtracted from what you’re paid on a hail claim.
  • Excluding cosmetic damage like dents in metal roofs, siding, or copper trim.
  • Doing roof inspections that note the condition and age of your roof before issuing a policy.
  • Not covering roofs made from obsolete shingles. (You can’t buy replacement shingles for patches.)
  • Doing partial roof repairs instead of replacing your whole roof (possibly leaving you with a patch that’s a different color than your original roof).

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