How Roof Type Impacts Home Insurance
Roof materials and designs can influence your home insurance premium. The best way to keep costs low, regardless of the roof type, is to maintain it regularly and keep an eye out for damage.
How do roofs affect homeowners insurance?
Insurance companies will inquire about the state of your home’s roof, and it’s not difficult to figure out why — the roof is your dwelling’s first line of defense against external hazards like windstorms, hail, and other severe weather events typical of natural disasters.
An older roof may not withstand wear and tear as well as a newer one, and certain types of roofs and materials are more resilient than others. Insurers consider these details when underwriting policies and calculating rates.
While roof type and condition are usually not as important as your home's location and replacement cost, the liability of insuring an old roof concerns underwriters when the dwelling itself is also old. If a home inspection reveals that the roof is not in the best condition, the insurance company may refuse to offer coverage until it’s fixed or repaired.Â
Does Home Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?
Your home insurance coverage after a natural disaster depends on your location. Most natural disasters, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes are not covered by homeowners insurance.
What are the different types of roofs and materials?
Roofs come in all shapes and sizes, but the most common are essentially different iterations of the following roof designs.
| Roof materials | Roof types |
|---|---|
| ✅ Asphalt — Affordable but shorter lifespan. | ✅ Gable — Classic V-shape, wind-prone. |
| ✅ Concrete — Durable, long-lasting option. | ✅ Flat — Shorter lifespan, water risk. |
| ✅ Metal — Fire-resistant, can dent in hail. | ✅ Hip — Four-sided, weather-resistant. |
| ✅ Slate — Low maintenance but costly. | |
| ✅ Wood — Harder to insure unless treated. |
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How roofs impact home insurance rates
Concrete, asphalt, metal and slate roofs come with lower premiums due to their hardier properties. Wood roofs can cost an extra $149 a year.
Don’t know where to start in finding the best rate? Consult the table below to see average premiums from top home insurance companies, broken down by roof materials. See more about our rate-gathering methodology.
| Insurance Company | Asphalt | Concrete | Metal | Slate | Wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,591 | $1,557 | $1,538 | $1,578 | $1,654 |
| American Family | $2,250 | $1,990 | $2,168 | $1,986 | $2,245 |
| Farmers | $1,467 | $925 | $1,209 | $1,541 | $1,585 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,355 | $1,358 | $1,309 | $1,275 | $1,411 |
| Nationwide | $1,244 | $1,182 | $1,223 | $1,184 | $1,265 |
| State Farm | $1,356 | $1,359 | $1,372 | $1,356 | $1,392 |
| Travelers | $1,415 | $1,378 | $1,345 | $1,351 | $1,588 |
| USAA | $1,287 | $1,063 | $1,264 | $1,263 | $1,387 |
How to keep your roof in good condition
Proactive maintenance and regular upkeep of your home are expected of you by your insurer. This includes roof maintenance.
Roof repairs and roof replacements are notoriously expensive, and insurance coverage will not step in unless the roof damage was caused by a covered peril. There are some basic measures homeowners can take to ensure their roof is properly maintained.
💡Take photos of your roof to document its condition, especially if there’s a chance of damage, like an impending storm.
💡Clean gutters and remove debris from the roof regularly, as this can cause water to gather and seep into or under the roofing structure.
💡Get the roof inspected regularly by a professional. Doing this is integral in detecting issues before they become a larger, more expensive problem. Replacing shingles over time will be much cheaper than fixing the water damage that often comes with damaged or worn shingles.
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About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
- The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
- The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
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- The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.