When Should I Use My Roofing Warranty Instead Of Filling A Homeowner Insurance Claim?

Are you confused about whether to use a roofing warranty or homeowner's insurance? Let's make this clear: which claim is suitable for which situation? The difference between a warranty and insurance is that a warranty handles issues with the product or installer, like some defects in your roofing, whereas insurance handles unpredictable disasters. Filing an insurance claim might lead to high premiums, while warranty claims can affect your home insurance rates. You should use a roofing warranty for issues involving manufacturing defects or poor labour work, like improper installation. In contrast to this, you should file homeowners' insurance claims for sudden, accidental damage caused by external forces like storms. Let's discuss in detail the proper usage of warranty and insurance according to different circumstances in this blog.

When to use a roofing warranty

• Workmanship: If you see any defects in the workmanship, you should get a roofing warranty claim. The defects include improperly installed roofs such as improper nailing which causes leads. This warranty is offered for one to ten years by the installer.


• Manufacturer defect: When the shingles or roof tiles are curling, cracking or losing granules prematurely, it is a manufacturing defect, and in this case, the roofing warranty can be applied.


• Persistent leaks: When you have newly installed the roofing, but you are getting persistent leaks even after a little rainstorm, you are eligible for a warranty claim. In this, you are getting repairment failures, which means even after repairing it many times, the issue persists. You can claim the roofing warranty.

When to Use Homeowners Insurance

• Storm damage: The insurance can be claimed only for the damage caused by a natural disaster, such as damage from a thunderstorm, extremely heavy rain or falling trees.


• Sudden accidental event: In case of any of the sudden accidents like fire and explosions, the homeowner's insurance is applicable. This is applicable only when there are some external sources responsible for the damage, not when there is an issue due to poor labour.

When neither of these will apply

There are some situations in which both of the claims cannot be applicable, and that includes:

• Wear and tear: if the roofing is extremely old and the wear and tear is caused by this issue, then neither the warranty nor the insurance will be applicable.


• Neglecting maintenance: the roofing requires proper annual maintenance, and if the damage is caused by the lack of proper maintenance from the roofing installer contractor, neither insurance nor warranty will be applicable.

Conclusion

It has become a lot clearer where you can use your warranties and insurance, and when both are not applicable. When you choose a warranty, it avoids a deductible and prevents insurance premium hikes. The main things you should consider for choosing the right claim method include the age of the roof. If your roof has been damaged in less than ten years, it is a warranty loss, not an insurance claim. The other ways include checking the cause of the damage; if it is caused by natural calamities, the insurance claims are applicable, not the warranty. In case of neglect none of these will be applicable. You need to get maintenance for the repair of the damage. It is always recommended to choose a reputable roofing company in Surrey for these repairs. By choosing Mainstreet Roofing, you ensure the most effective service and full security for any warranty claims from our company under the guidance of our expert.

FAQs

1. Will my insurance pay for an old roof that leaks?

No. insurance policy only covers the damage from an accidental situation like the damage from storms, trees falling on the roof or situations like fire. A roof that is worn out with age should be maintained by the homeowner.

2. How do I know if I have a workmanship warranty or a manufacturer's warranty?

To know about which warranty you have from both of these, you should view your original contract for labour coverage and the product documentation for the material defects. Workmanship warranties cover installation errors by the contractor, which usually last for one to ten years, whereas manufacturer warranties cover defective products that often last for a lifetime.

3. I have newly installed my roof, and it is failing just after one year of installation. What should I do next?

If your roof is failing after only one year it happens likely due to the improper installation rather than the materials defect and for this the contractor holds the accountability. You should act immediately by documenting all the photos and videos for reviewing your contract for a workmanship warranty.