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Why an Annual Roof Inspection Report is Required for Homeowners Insurance

Rich Walton • April 30, 2024

Do you know how to maintain a good homeowners insurance policy? Read here to learn why an annual roof inspection report is required for homeowners insurance.

There's a reason why the market for roofing services is expected to reach $33.57 billion by the year 2029. Typically, when we think about roofing services, we tend to think about repairs, maintenance, and replacements.

However, there's another important service that roofers provide: inspections. This service isn't just important for checking on the status of your roof, many homeowners insurance companies require an annual roof inspection report.

So why does your homeowner's insurance provider require this? And what can you expect from this type of inspection? In this guide, we'll answer these questions so you can keep your insurance premiums low.

How Does the Homeowners Insurance Claim Process Work?

Before we learn about insurers, we first need to know exactly how the homeowner's insurance claim process works. Let's say your roof is damaged by one of the hurricanes that cause nearly $93.1 billion in damage each year.

The insurance company will likely send out an inspector to look at the damage. Once the inspection is complete, the inspector will turn things over to an insurance adjuster.

This professional makes sure that your policy covers the damages caused to your roof.

Why Do Insurers Require an Annual Roof Inspection Report?

Homeowners insurance commercials would like you to believe that they're a friend who always has your back. Sadly, this can often not be the case. That's because an insurance company is a business and at the end of the day, businesses are out to make money.

Going back to the hurricane example, let's say your insurance adjuster looks at the inspection report. They see that the storm did cause damage. However, the report states that the damage likely could have been prevented if proper repairs and homeowners' insurance maintenance procedures had been followed.

This prevents a problem for insurance companies because they now need to provide an expensive payout for an issue that could have been avoided. That's why the overall condition of your roof will affect your homeowners' insurance policy.

Your insurance company might request a mandatory inspection to look at the current state of the roof. If there are significant problems with the roof, they might determine that it's no longer insurable.

That's why if you perform annual inspections yourself, you can catch potential problems early. This will also help keep your premiums low.

Are These Inspections Always Required?

Annual roof inspections aren't always required by an insurance company (though we'll see there are lots of benefits to doing them). Instead, inspections are typically triggered by certain events.

The first event is if your roof is old, typically over twenty years old. See, roofs tend to last around thirty years if they've been taken care of properly.

So once it starts getting old, insurers will want to inspect the status of it. Some other things that can trigger a mandatory annual roof inspection report include:

Changing to a different insurance company

You haven't had an inspection in years

They suspect you haven't been maintaining or repairing your roof

You've recently had a roof replacement

There's a specific condition in your insurance policy that allows them to inspect every year

Inspections will be required at your insurer's discretion. So the frequency with which they're required will depend on which homeowners insurance company you go with.

What Are the Other Benefits of Roof Inspections?

Even if your insurance company doesn't mandate you to get a roof inspection, it still makes sense to prioritize a regular roof inspection each year.

As we mentioned, if your roof is in good repair, then the inspection will help your premiums stay low. That's because there's a much smaller chance of your roof being damaged.

Roof inspections also help you catch minor problems before they turn into potentially disastrous ones. Remember that roof maintenance is always more affordable than roof repairs.

Roof inspections also help ensure that your roof is in good working order to protect you when natural disasters like hurricanes roll around. Inspected roofs can also have energy efficiency perks.

With proper insulation and no holes, it helps make sure that the cool air and heating from your HVAC system stays inside your home. Lastly, it helps keep any potential warranty you have on your roof from being voided.

What to Expect From This Type of Inspection

Roof inspections need to be comprehensive to be effective. That means the inspector needs to look at every aspect of your roofing system. This will include inspecting things like:

The roof layers

The drip edge

The condition of the roof decking

The roof material

Any roof penetrations, skylights, or chimneys

Roof flashing

Gutters and spouts

The attic space

Once the inspection is over, the professional will provide their recommendations regarding maintenance, repairs, or replacements.

Altogether, the job shouldn't take more than one to two hours. However, if it's a large job or complex repairs are identified, it could take much longer.

How to Find the Best Professional for Your Inspection Report

When looking for roof inspection services, the most important thing is to check if they're qualified. If the roofer doesn't have the proper license, then their report doesn't matter much.

Aside from being properly certified, you should choose a local roof inspector with years of experience on their side. However, you also can't underplay the value of good customer service.

After all, this person will need to enter and inspect your home. As such, they should treat it with respect.

Do a quick check of their online reviews to see what past clients have to say. This will give you a better idea of whether or not you can trust the company.

Need Help With Your Roof? Trust the Experts at Garner Roofing Inc.

We hope this guide helped you learn more about the connection between an annual roof inspection report and your homeowner's insurance. Here at Garner Roofing Inc., we know a good defense against roof problems is a solid offense.

And proper inspections are a vital part of this offensive process. Over our thirty years of family-run operation, we've had plenty of experience working with homeowners insurance providers. So if you're ready for your insurance roof inspection, get in touch with us today.

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