A leaking roof can cause damage to your roof as well as create a mess in your home. It needs a significant amount to consider repairing a leaking roof. Therefore, many people search, “Does home insurance cover roof leaks in the UK?”
Are you one of those people who are suffering from the situation? You don’t need to worry about the answer to this question, and read this blog to clear your confusion. In this blog, you will have a detailed guide about this topic.
Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Leaks & Repairs?
The answer to this question isn’t straightforward, yes or no. You have to consider multiple factors to understand this, like the cause of leakage, the property/roof age, and a few others. In this section, we have discussed the answer in two major parts to let you know when you can apply for a claim for roof leaks and when you can’t do this.
When It covers?
Mostly, home insurance will cover roof leaks in accidental conditions, like due to a storm, a fallen tree, and others. These situations come under accidental damages that are covered by most house insurance policies.
Simply, you can say that roof leakage or damage in case of a natural disaster may come under the list of risks covered by your home insurance. You can check the list of such risks through your insurance manual and make sure that it covers the cause you are suffering from.
When It Doesn’t Cover?
Sometimes, you may think that your home insurance will help you repair the roof leakage and end up with no results. The reason is the cause behind the leakage that isn’t supported by your insurance claim. Here, we have discussed the major causes that won’t let you get insurance money.
- Poor Maintenance: If the roof leakage is because of poor maintenance and neglecting the repair of minor issues, you won’t be entitled to any money under your home insurance.
- Older Roofs: Another situation under which you won’t be given insurance money is older roofs. Your insurer may not approve the claim if your roof is older than 15 to 20 years.
Can I Claim for Insurance on Flat Roofs?
Normally, flat roofs have a poor reputation in the UK, which leaves them uncovered under the home insurance claims. However, some insurances also support this type of roof and allow their customers to claim for repairing expenses in case of a roof leakage.
You must consider contacting your dedicated insurer or company to learn more about this roof type and its insurance claim requirements.
Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Leaks in a Flat?
As not every flat is occupied by owners, it is important to discuss does home insurance covers roof leaks in a flat, through different perspectives. In this section, we have listed all three major perspectives that need to be discussed in this regard.
For Tenants
If you are living as a renter in a flat, the house insurance will be managed by your landlord. The entire process, from selecting the right plan to ensuring that roof leakage is covered or not, will be managed by them.
You only have to inform them about the roof leaks and let them handle the rest. However, you can also get some particular home insurance because some companies have launched it for rentals only. But it is not essential to get it when you are living in a flat on a rental basis.
For Leaseholders
To get an idea about who will manage the home insurance, you must consider checking your lease agreement. It is written in your agreement whether you have to complete the insurance responsibilities or if the other party has to do this.
For Solo Owners
As a solo owner of the flat, you must keep the above discussion in your mind to understand does home insurance covers roof leaks. It is important to follow the right steps for claiming the insurance or ask someone professional to do this for a high chance of securing funds.
Can I Claim Insurance for New Roof Installation?
Normally, you can’t claim insurance for a new roof installation. You can only ask for repairing funds to get rid of roof leaks and minor other damages. However, there are particular situations in which you will be given compensation for a new roof installation at your place.
You need to check the insurance manual and instructions to understand these situations.
Final Verdict
From this blog, you must have got an idea of does home insurance covers roof leaks or not in the UK. We have discussed this topic in detail to let everyone be comfortable and confident while struggling with this situation and considering claiming their insurance amount.