Storm damage and roof insurance claims

After a bad storm, it's natural to assume any roof problem discovered straight afterwards must be storm damage and therefore covered by insurance. Insurers look at it more carefully than that, and understanding how they draw the line before you file a roof insurance claim saves a lot of frustration.

What to do first

1. Photograph everything before anything is touched. Wide shots showing the damage in context, and close shots of the specific damage itself, both from the ground and, once it's safe, from a proper inspection
2. Make the property safe. If there's a hole letting water in, or debris that could fall, get it made safe. Insurers expect reasonable steps to prevent further damage, this doesn't mean a full repair before they've assessed it, just stopping the problem getting worse
3. Get a written report from a roofer. A proper written assessment, with photographs, describing what's damaged and how it likely happened, is far stronger evidence than a verbal description when you call your insurer
4. Contact your insurer promptly. Most policies expect damage to be reported within a reasonable time of discovery, not weeks later

What insurers usually want to see

• Clear photographs of the damage, ideally from before any repair work started
• A written report describing the damage and its likely cause
• Confirmation of when the damage was discovered, ideally tied to a specific storm or weather event
• In some cases, evidence the roof was in reasonable condition beforehand, which is harder to provide if there's no record of previous maintenance

Storm damage versus gradual wear and tear

This is the distinction that decides most claims. Storm damage is sudden and traceable to a specific event, tiles ripped off in high winds, a chimney pot dislodged, a branch coming down on the roof during a named storm. Gradual wear and tear is a roof covering, flashing or fixing simply reaching the end of its working life over years, which is a maintenance issue rather than an insurable event, even if the failure happens to become obvious shortly after a storm.

Why "wear and tear" is the usual reason a claim gets refused

Insurance is designed to cover the unexpected, not the inevitable. A roof covering has a known working life, felt lasts 20 to 25 years, concrete tile 40 to 60, and so on. A roof failing at or beyond that age, in a way consistent with normal ageing rather than a specific violent event, is treated as a maintenance issue the homeowner is expected to have planned for, not a sudden loss.

Does house insurance cover roof leaks in the UK?

Where the leak was caused by storm damage or another sudden, specific event, generally yes, depending on your policy's own terms. Where the leak developed gradually as flashing, felt or fixings aged and failed, insurers usually treat it as wear and tear and decline the claim. See our signs of a roof leak guide for how to spot which you're dealing with.

Is a flat roof leak covered by my home insurance?

The same principle applies. A flat roof torn or punctured by storm debris is a matter for your insurer. A felt or EPDM covering that's simply worn out and started to fail with age isn't, regardless of how dramatic the resulting leak looks.

Can you claim for a new roof on your house insurance?

Only where the damage justifying a full replacement was caused by a specific, sudden event covered by your policy, rather than the roof reaching the end of its natural lifespan. A roof that's simply old, even if badly so, isn't itself an insurable event. Our new roof cost guide covers pricing for a replacement paid for directly rather than through insurance.

Should I get the roof fixed before or after the insurer inspects it?

Make it safe immediately if there's an active risk, water coming in or debris that could fall, but avoid a full repair before the insurer has had the chance to see the damage or review your photographs and written report. Repairing it fully first can leave you with nothing for the insurer to actually assess.

Timeframes for reporting damage

Most policies expect storm or accidental damage to be reported within a reasonable period of it being discovered, not weeks or months after the fact. If a roof is damaged during a storm but the damage isn't spotted until much later, that gap can itself become a point insurers question, so it's worth checking the roof, or having it checked, after any severe weather rather than waiting until a leak forces the issue.

Getting quotes while a claim is in progress

It's reasonable to get a repair quote while a claim is being assessed, and having one ready can actually help move things along, since it gives the insurer a concrete figure and scope of work to consider. Just hold off on carrying out the repair itself until the insurer has confirmed how they want to proceed, particularly if there's any chance they'll want to send their own assessor first.

How Swift Roofing helps with a claim

Our storm damage service includes a proper inspection with photographs and a written report describing exactly what's happened and why, which you can pass straight to your insurer. We cover Wisbech, King's Lynn, Peterborough and Norwich, with same-day callout, 8am to 6pm, seven days, to make a damaged roof safe as quickly as possible.