How Your Roof Age Affects Your Homeowners Insurance
Your roof's age can change your insurance premium, your coverage type, and whether you can even get coverage at all. Here's what every homeowner should know.
Most homeowners don't think about their roof and their insurance policy in the same breath, until something goes wrong. But the age of your roof plays a huge role in what kind of coverage you have, how much you're paying, and whether your insurance company will even renew your policy. We've watched this become a bigger deal over the past few years, especially in Kansas where storm claims are so common.
The 20-year cutoff is real
Here's something that catches a lot of people off guard. Many insurance companies in Kansas are now refusing to write or renew policies on homes with roofs older than 20 years. Some draw the line at 15. It depends on the insurer and the material, but we've had homeowners call us in a panic because they got a letter saying their policy won't be renewed unless the roof is replaced. That's not a scare tactic. It's happening more and more.
What changes as an asphalt roof ages
- Healthy · year 0 to 10
- Normal upkeep
- Watch it · year 10 to 15
- Annual inspections
- Coverage shifts · year 15 to 20
- Insurers move to ACV
- Plan to replace · year 20+
- Budget the project
The moment worth circling is roughly year 15. A hail claim on a 16 year old roof can pay out thousands less than the same claim at year 12.
ACV vs. RCV. This matters more than you think
There are two ways insurance companies value your roof. Replacement Cost Value (RCV) means they'll pay to replace your roof at today's prices, minus your deductible. Actual Cash Value (ACV) means they factor in depreciation, so a 15-year-old roof that was originally worth $12,000 might only be valued at $5,000 or $6,000 after depreciation. A lot of policies quietly switch from RCV to ACV once the roof hits a certain age. If you don't read the fine print, you might not realize your coverage dropped until you file a claim.
A new roof can actually lower your premium
The flip side of all this is that a new roof can save you money on insurance. A lot of carriers offer discounts for newer roofs, some as much as 10 to 20% off your annual premium. We've had customers tell us their premium dropped $300 to $400 a year after a replacement. Over the life of a 25-year roof, that adds up. It doesn't make a roof replacement free, obviously, but it's a factor most people don't think about when they're doing the math.
If your roof is getting up there in age, it's worth checking your policy. And if you're not sure what condition your roof is in, we'll come out and give you an honest assessment. No charge. Call us at (913) 954-4501.
Want a straight answer about your own roof?
Free inspection, written report, no sales pitch. We cover Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties.
