Short answer: Often yes for storm damage, but maybe not in full. Many insurers pay only the depreciated value on older roofs, use a roof payment schedule that shrinks payouts with age, or refuse to renew older roofs. Wear and tear on an aging roof is never covered. Check your declarations page for roof terms.
Will insurance cover an old roof?
For sudden damage, usually yes. For old age, no. A standard HO-3 policy covers a roof against covered events such as wind, hail, and falling objects, whether the roof is new or twenty years old. What changes with age is how much the insurer pays and, in some cases, whether it will insure the roof at all. And the policy never pays for a roof that is simply worn out. Wear and tear, deterioration, and lack of maintenance are excluded.
So the question hides three different ones. Will the policy respond to storm damage on an older roof? Often. Will it pay what a new roof costs? Maybe not, if the policy pays actual cash value or uses a schedule that reduces payments with age. And will the insurer keep covering the house? That depends on its underwriting rules. For the broader coverage framework, see our plain-English guide to what homeowners insurance covers.
What is the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value on a roof?
Homeowners policies generally settle losses on one of two bases. Replacement cost pays what it costs to repair or replace the damaged property with similar new materials, without deducting for age. Actual cash value (ACV) pays replacement cost minus depreciation, which is a reduction for the age and condition of what was damaged. Many policies pay replacement cost on the dwelling but treat roofs differently, applying ACV to roof claims or switching to ACV once the roof reaches a certain age. The difference can be thousands of dollars.
Here is how it plays out with made-up numbers, to show the mechanism. The depreciation percentages are illustrative; real ones vary by insurer, material, and condition.
The storm is the same. The covered cause is the same. The payment is not. Check whether your policy pays replacement cost or ACV on the roof, and whether that changes as the roof ages. Our guide to filing a homeowners claim explains how recoverable depreciation works when a policy pays replacement cost in two steps.
What is a roof payment schedule?
Some insurers use a payment schedule for roofs, an endorsement or policy provision that pays a smaller share of the cost as the roof gets older. In concept, a young roof might be paid at or near full replacement cost, and the percentage steps down with each year of age or at set ages. The details, including the names, the percentages, the materials covered, and the ages at which the steps happen, differ by insurer and state. If your policy has one, it is usually on the declarations page, in an endorsement, or in a roof-specific section of the policy. Look for terms like “roof surfacing,” “roof payment schedule,” or “actual cash value for roofs,” and ask your agent to explain how the schedule works with your roof’s age.
A related term is the cosmetic damage exclusion. Some policies, particularly in hail-prone areas and on metal roofs, exclude cosmetic damage such as dents that do not affect how the roof works. If your policy has it, the insurer may not pay for hail marks that do not let water in. Neither a payment schedule nor a cosmetic exclusion is part of every policy, so read yours.
When is an older roof covered?
| Situation | Possible outcome | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wind or hail damages the shingles on an 18-year-old roof | Depends | The cause is covered, but the payment may be actual cash value or follow a roof schedule, so the amount can be much lower than a new roof. |
| A tree falls on an older roof and breaks through | Usually covered | Falling objects are covered perils. The roof portion of the payment still depends on how your policy values the roof. |
| Shingles curl, crack, and lose granules from age | Not covered | Wear and tear and deterioration are excluded. Insurance does not pay to replace a roof that wore out. |
| A leak from a roof that has not been maintained or repaired | Depends | Resulting interior water damage can still be covered if sudden, but a long-neglected roof can look like a maintenance problem to the insurer. |
| Hail leaves only dents on a metal roof | Depends | Some policies exclude cosmetic damage that does not affect function. Check for that exclusion. |
| Weight of ice or snow damages the roof | Usually covered | A covered cause, subject to roof valuation. See our ice dam guide for how winter leaks are treated. |
For roof problems that start in winter, see our guide on ice dams, and for a tree that hits a roof, see the guide on a neighbor’s tree falling on a house.
Can an insurer refuse to renew because of roof age?
Yes, in many places. An insurer may decline to write a new policy on a house with an older roof, ask for a roof inspection, require repairs or replacement as a condition of staying on, or change how it pays roof claims. Rules vary by state, including what notice an insurer must give before it declines to renew and what it must tell you about the reason. We are not citing state rules here because we could not verify them against an official source, so check your state insurance department’s website or ask them.
If you get a notice, read it closely. Look for the reason, the roof age or condition it cites, any deadline to fix the problem, and what the insurer would accept as proof, such as an inspection report or a repair invoice. Ask for the roof rule in writing. Often a roofer’s inspection that shows the roof has useful life left, or a targeted repair, is enough to resolve it.
How long do roofs last, and when does age matter?
Roofing materials differ a great deal in how long they serve. Asphalt shingles, metal, tile, and slate age differently, and climate, installation quality, ventilation, and maintenance all change the picture. We are not printing life spans because we could not tie figures to a source we can verify, and roofing contractors’ own marketing pages are not a good basis for numbers. What matters for insurance is the insurer’s rule for your material and region and the roof’s actual condition. A well-kept roof past a nominal age can be sound, and a poorly kept younger roof can be a problem. Get a licensed roofer’s written assessment instead of guessing from age alone.
What do insurers look at when they inspect an older roof?
Adjusters and underwriters look at condition more than at a birthday. On an inspection they commonly note missing, curled, cracked, or lifted shingles, exposed nails, worn or granule-bare areas, sagging, soft spots, damaged flashing around chimneys and vents, and old patches. They also look at whether damage matches the storm being claimed: fresh impact marks and a consistent pattern across slopes point toward hail or wind, while uniform wear across the whole roof points toward age. That distinction decides whether a payment is a storm payment or a wear-and-tear denial, which is why dated photographs from before the storm are so useful. If you disagree with what an inspector wrote, ask for the report and answer with your own roofer’s findings.
What do you do if your insurer says the roof is too old?
If your insurer says the roof is too old
- Ask for the roof rule and the notice in writing: the age or condition it cites, the deadline, and what it will accept to resolve it.
- Get a licensed roofer to inspect the roof and write a report on condition, remaining life, and any needed repairs, with dated photographs.
- Repair what is wrong, if anything, and keep invoices. A targeted repair can be enough for some insurers.
- Ask your agent whether another insurer would write the policy, and compare several quotes, including the roof terms and how each pays roof claims.
- Ask whether an endorsement can change how the roof is paid, and what it costs.
- Compare the cost of replacing the roof with the cost of higher premiums or a limited policy. Some owners decide to replace the roof; ask about any premium effect first.
- If you think the insurer is handling it unfairly, contact your state insurance department. Keep dates and copies of everything.
Should you file a claim on an older roof?
Run the numbers with the roof’s valuation in mind. The illustration above shows why: with a 20-year-old roof on an ACV basis, a covered storm might pay $2,500 against a $2,000 deductible. A small payout can still cost you premium in later years, and claims remain on your history. As an illustration with made-up numbers: if a claim pays $2,500 and your premium is $2,400 a year with an expected 10% increase for three years, the added premium is about $720, so the net gain is much smaller than the headline payout. If the damage is a few shingles, a repair out of pocket may make more sense. The claim calculator compares them with your numbers, and our guide on premiums after a claim explains the rest.
Do not let that discourage you from reporting a covered loss to find out what the policy pays. Call and ask how roof claims are valued before you decide, and read the claim steps in our guide to filing a claim.
Two real scenarios
The hail and the schedule. Hector’s 18-year-old asphalt roof is hit by hail. His insurer’s adjuster finds covered hail damage and applies a roof payment schedule that pays a fraction of replacement cost for a roof of that age. The check is far below the new-roof quote. Hector asks for the schedule in writing, reads the endorsement on his declarations page, and realizes he had accepted it at renewal. He cannot negotiate the schedule, but he asks the adjuster to confirm that every damaged slope was measured and included. Next year he shops for a policy with different roof terms.
The non-renewal letter. Linda receives a letter saying her insurer will not renew because her roof is over a certain age. She asks for the rule in writing, hires a roofer to inspect, and the roofer documents that the roof has remaining life and fixes a few damaged areas. She sends the report and invoices, and the insurer accepts them and renews. She also gets a quote from another insurer to know her options. A report and a paper trail solved a problem that age alone had created.
How do you protect yourself before a storm?
Know your roof’s age and material, and find where your policy states how roofs are paid. Photograph the roof and the ceilings below it once a year, with dates, so there is a record of condition before any storm. Keep invoices for repairs, inspections, and replacements, and note the date and scope of any past work. Fix small problems early, because maintenance records help separate sudden damage from wear. Ask your agent each year what the roof terms are, and what would change them.
If you are buying a home with an older roof, get a roofer’s inspection and an insurance quote before closing, so a surprise on the policy does not become a surprise on the budget. For more roof and structure topics, see our Roof & Structure category.
Frequently asked questions
How old can a roof be before insurance says it's too old?
There is no single age. It varies by insurer, roofing material, region, and the roof’s condition. Some insurers set an age threshold for new policies or renewals, require an inspection, or change how they pay claims once a roof passes a certain age. Ask your insurer or agent for the roof rule in writing.
What is the actual cash value of a 20-year-old roof?
It is the replacement cost minus depreciation, and how much is deducted depends on the insurer’s method and the roof’s material and condition. There is no standard figure. Ask the insurer how it calculates depreciation on roofs and whether your policy pays actual cash value or replacement cost for roof claims.
Should I replace my roof after 20 years?
Age alone does not answer it. Condition, material, local climate, and past repairs all matter. Have a licensed roofer inspect it and give you a written report, and ask your insurer whether replacement would change your coverage or premium before you decide.
Would you buy a house with a 20-year-old roof?
It can be fine if the roof is in good shape, but get a roofer’s inspection and an insurance quote before closing. An older roof can mean higher premiums, limited coverage, or difficulty finding a policy, and the cost of replacement is something to negotiate into the price.
Sources
- A Consumer Guide to Homeowners Insurance — Maryland Insurance Administration
- A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance — National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- Homeowners 3 — Special Form, ISO form HO 00 03 05 11 — Maine Bureau of Insurance
CoverClaro explains insurance. We do not sell insurance or give personal advice. Your policy and insurer determine your coverage.