Will Insurance Cover a 20-Year-Old Roof?

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

A commenter in a home-improvement thread about an old roof asked:

"Also under what circumstances will insurance cover a roof replacement? Are there particular clauses I should review on my insurance?"

Age alone will not earn you a new roof: in Texas, an insurer won't pay for a new roof just because it's old or worn out¹. Storm damage is a different question, because homeowners policies typically cover roof damage from a covered peril such as wind, hail or falling trees². What age changes is how a claim is paid, and the roof terms in your policy say how.

You can finish all three from the ground and your kitchen table before anyone talks about the roof's age.

Refused, paid less, or told it's wear: three different problems

People lump these together, but each has a different next step.

• Refused a policy. Some insurers decline to write policies for homes with older roofs², and when you apply for home insurance, most insurers require a roof over 20 years old to pass an inspection². If a non-renewal letter has already arrived, our guide to insurance cancelled because of the roof walks through it.
• Paid at actual cash value. That means depreciation, the value the roof has lost to age, is taken off your payout instead of paying the full replacement cost². In Texas, as roofs age, some companies switch to actual cash value, and a roof in poor condition might not be covered at all¹.
• Told it is wear and tear. Whether damage is old wear or came from a storm is the question your photos and an inspection help answer. If an adjuster says it is wear, ask them to write down which damage they mean and why, and keep a copy. If a claim was already denied, our guide to a denied roof insurance claim covers the next steps.

One reply in a homeowners thread put the belief this way: "I was under the impression that home insurance policies don't cover roof replacement for normal degradation?" Another asked: "So why do they care if the roof is old or not?" Insurers weigh age because roof age and condition are among the biggest factors in how an insurer pays for roof replacement².

How much can age take off a payout?

Depreciation comes off first and the deductible, the part of the loss you pay yourself, comes off next. Take a 12-year-old roof in Montana that costs $20,000 to replace: the policy pays actual cash value for roofs ten years or older, with a 2% hail deductible on a $250,000 policy⁶. With 50% depreciation the payout falls to $10,000, the $5,000 deductible is applied, and the homeowner pays $15,000 after insurance⁶. Your numbers will differ.

Clauses you should review in your policy

Find the roof terms; they decide whether age matters to your claim. Three places to look:

• A roof endorsement, an add-on page to the policy. In Iowa, an endorsement may replace replacement cost coverage with actual cash value and may set a specific amount of depreciation based on the roof's age and material⁷. That is the idea behind a roof payment schedule.
• Roof-age provisions. In Montana, some insurers include provisions in homeowner policies that change the way claims are paid out for older roofs⁶.
• The deductible. In Montana, a hail deductible can be 2% of the coverage limit⁶, so look at how yours is written.

If a storm hit the old roof: the order to follow

1. Stay safe and document. Photos or video first, then only temporary repairs; on the roof, that is a job for a roofer you choose, not a climb for you. If water is coming in, put a bucket under it and move belongings away. In Texas, if you may file a claim, keep damaged items until your adjuster has seen them⁴.
2. Prepare. Read the roof terms and the deductible in your policy. In Texas, if repairs cost about the same or less than your deductible, filing may not be worth it⁵. Out of pocket or insurance? A written estimate from a roofer you choose helps you decide.
3. Make the first contact. Contact your insurance company or a roofer you choose, not one who shows up uninvited⁸. If you file a claim, report the damage promptly, with your photos and questions ready. Is my roof paid on depreciated value or replacement cost? Does my policy have a roof endorsement or schedule? How is my deductible figured? If you only want to ask about coverage, say that is all you are asking. In Tennessee, insurers report to the CLUE claims database the files they set up for a possible claim⁹, so a claim file can exist even if nothing is paid.
4. Hold off on permanent repairs. If you file a claim, make none until the insurer has seen the damage. In Texas, the insurance company might deny your claim if you make permanent repairs before it sees the damage¹⁰.

Inspection, repair or replacement: which first?

Start with an inspection and written estimates: they show what is damaged and what each option costs. If there was no storm and the roof is simply worn, there may be no claim: in Texas, an insurer won't pay for a new roof just because it's old or worn out¹. Ask each roofer to price the repair and the full replacement as two options, with the price of each item and a signed change order before any extra work. Seeing both side by side shows whether a repair is enough. You can send this:

Please write up the repair and the full replacement as two options, with the price of each item. Please also tell me how much hidden damage could add before you need my signed change order, and send a photo of each problem you find.

If a roofer pushes you to sign today or won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against the bids that do.

Want the roof's condition on paper for your insurer? What a roof inspection for insurance will check.

Self-check before you call

• Your photos or video of the damage.
• The roof terms and the deductible, as your policy sets them.
• At least one written estimate to compare with it.
• The questions from the order above, written down.

Quick questions

How old can a roof be for insurance?

In Florida, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because of roof age if an authorized inspector finds the roof has 5 years or more of useful life remaining¹¹. Wherever you live, the roof terms in your policy are where age shows up.

What is the 25% rule for roofing?

It is a Florida building-code rule¹². A roof built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, with 25 percent or more repaired, replaced or recovered, needs only that portion to meet the code¹². Ask your roofer whether it applies to your job.

What not to say to home insurance?

Stick to what you saw and what your photos show. If you are unsure of the cause or the roof's age, say so and let the adjuster inspect rather than guessing.

Sources

1. Texas Department of Insurance, Insurance and your roof

2. Triple-I, How Your Roof Influences Your Home and Business Insurance

3. Triple-I, How to file a homeowners claim

4. Texas Department of Insurance, When are water damage and mold covered by insurance?

5. Texas Department of Insurance, Will my premium go up if I file a claim?

6. Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, Insurance may not cover a hail damaged roof

7. Iowa Insurance Division, Consumer Connection: Roof Coverage Options

8. North Carolina Department of Insurance, Avoiding predatory roofing scams

9. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, C.L.U.E

10. Texas Department of Insurance, Home insurance guide

11. The Florida Senate, Florida Statutes, Section 627.7011 (2026)

12. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes, section 553.844

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