A homeowner is weighing whether to replace a roof installed just three years earlier after a hailstorm damaged its surface. With one insurance-funded replacement already behind them, the prospect of higher premiums — or losing coverage — complicated the decision.
Here's what to know
The roofing company recommended replacing the whole roof after reporting damage on every slope. The homeowner shared its inspection findings — fractured shingles, missing granules, and broken skylights — in a post on Reddit's r/Roofing community.
According to the homeowner, the roofers recorded more than 10 hail strikes in a 100-square-foot test area. The company had contacted the owner after the storm to offer an inspection. "Does this really warrant an entire roof replacement?" they asked.
More background
High premiums following an earlier claim were central to the homeowner's financial concerns about another replacement. That claim had paid for new roofing and skylights after a windstorm three years earlier, the owner said.
The attic was excluded from the roofers' repairs, according to the homeowner. About two years after installation, leaks appeared at one skylight and near an air-conditioning unit; the company repaired the sealing problem and the indoor drywall damage but would not work in the attic. That experience left the owner unsure about rehiring the same contractor.
What can be done?
Several commenters recommended filing an insurance claim and finding another roofer. But opinions differed on whether a claim could affect the homeowner's premiums.
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Some Reddit users said insurance prices were determined geographically rather than by individual claims, while another cautioned that protections vary by state. Those comments do not establish how this homeowner's insurer would respond.
"This can vary based on state regulations, but in many states, an 'act of God' claim can and will result in a premium increase. But yes, it's why you have insurance. Weigh the costs and file if right for you!" one commenter wrote.
Another suggested contacting a different roofing company if the homeowner was unhappy with the original contractor. A second assessment would give the homeowner an alternative to relying solely on the company that installed the roof and recommended replacing it.
One commenter said the reported damage stood out from other roofing concerns shared on the forum: "This is one of the first times I've seen actual good hail damage posted here. Nothing is ever easy to get approved but this is textbook hail damage."
Where can I learn more?
Other homeowners have run into trouble with roofing contractors and insurance coverage, too.
• Colorado homeowners signed over insurance checks before the BBB gave their roofer an F.
• In San Antonio, residents warned that free roof inspections could become sales pitches.
• A North Carolina roofer cashed an insurance check, then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
• A new homeowner lost insurance coverage over a tar roof a month after closing.
• Texas homeowners cannot be denied coverage on age alone for roofs, wiring, or HVAC.
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