Will Insurance Cover a 20-Year-Old Roof in Texas?

Replacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value

Replacement cost value (RCV) coverage pays what it costs to replace the roof today, minus your deductible. Actual cash value (ACV) pays the same replacement cost minus depreciation for the roof's age and wear. On a $14,000 architectural shingle roof with a 25-year expected life, a 15-year-old roof has lost roughly 60 percent of its value, so an ACV claim might pay $5,000 to $6,000 before the deductible. At 20 years, less.

Most Texas policies written or renewed in the last few years include an endorsement that converts the roof, and only the roof, from RCV to ACV once it reaches a stated age, commonly 10 or 15 years. The rest of the house stays on RCV. Your declarations page or the endorsement list will name it; look for "roof surfacing," "ACV roof," or a form number with "roof" in the title.

Roof Payment Schedules

The second approach is a schedule: a table that pays a fixed percentage of replacement cost based on roof age and material, regardless of condition. A typical schedule for architectural shingles might pay 100 percent under 5 years, 80 percent at 10, 60 percent at 15, and 40 percent at 20. Metal and tile schedules run longer. Schedules are simpler than ACV but can be harsher, because a well-maintained 18-year-old roof is paid the same as a neglected one.

Non-Renewal and Inspection Requirements

The third limit is eligibility. Carriers increasingly require a roof inspection or a roof age certification before writing or renewing a policy on a home with a roof past 15 years, and some non-renew at 20 or more. If you are shopping for coverage on an older roof, expect to be asked for the roof's installation date and possibly a condition report. A documented inspection from a roofing contractor, with photos and an estimated remaining life, is often enough to keep a policy in force.

Cosmetic Exclusions and the One-Year Window

Two more clauses affect older roofs in a hail claim. A cosmetic damage exclusion removes coverage for hail damage that affects appearance but not function, such as dents in metal vents or granule marks that do not bruise the mat. And most Texas policies now require hail and wind claims to be reported within one year of the storm date. On an older roof, where hail bruising may not leak for a year or two, that window can close before the damage is visible from inside.

How to Find Out What Your Policy Does

Three places to look, in order:

• The declarations page. It lists every endorsement by form number and title. Anything with "roof" in the name is what you are looking for.
• The endorsement itself. It will state the age at which the roof converts to ACV, or print the schedule.
• Your agent. Ask two questions: "At what roof age does my policy switch to actual cash value?" and "Is there a roof payment schedule on my policy?" Get the answer in writing.

What a Houston Homeowner Can Do About It

The options that actually change the outcome:

• Replace before the claim, not after. A new roof restores full replacement-cost coverage, usually lowers the premium, and resets the age clock. On a roof past 18 years in Houston heat, that is often the right financial call even without storm damage.
• Choose Class 4 impact-resistant shingles when you do. Most Texas carriers discount the wind and hail portion of the premium by 10 to 35 percent for UL 2218 Class 4 products, and the shingles bruise less in the next hailstorm.
• Get an inspection on record. A photographed inspection with an estimated remaining life supports a renewal and establishes the roof's condition before a storm.
• Shop the endorsement, not just the premium. Some carriers still offer RCV on roofs to 20 years or more; a slightly higher premium can be worth far more at claim time.
• After a storm, document and report inside the window. Even on an ACV roof, a documented claim pays something, and a supplement with photos can move the number.

Frequently Asked Questions