Get a New Roof Without Paying Your Insurance Deductible? (It’s a Gimmick)

How to Get a New Roof Without Paying Your Insurance Deductible? It is important to pay the deductible for a roof replacement as required by insurance. Attempting to avoid it can lead to legal and ethical issues, including potential fraud and penalties.

Roofers offering to waive deductibles or promising a “free roof” should be avoided.

IT’S A GIMMICK!

This practice can lead to legal consequences and substandard work, and it is advisable to work with reputable contractors and pay the full deductible to ensure a smooth and ethical roof replacement process.

Key Ways to Avoid Your Roof Replacement Deductible

Shop for supplemental roof warranty coverage to cover your deductible.
Negotiate deductible payment into loan terms if financing a new roof.
Explore state, local, and utility rebate and grant programs to offset deductible costs.
Discuss waiving the deductible with your insurance adjuster and roofer.
Add to next roof maintenance fund instead of paying deductible now.
See if bundling policies qualify you for the waived deductible.

Understanding Your Insurance Deductible

The deductible is the out-of-pocket amount on an insurance claim before coverage. It’s meant to discourage small claims and reduce premiums. For roofs, deductibles often run $500 – $2,000 or more. Below are some key factors:

Deductible Amount

Set when you obtain a policy. It can be raised to lower premiums or vice versa.

Applies Per Claim

A deductible amount applies each time you file a roof replacement claim.

Percentage Option

Some policies allow choosing deductible as a percentage (2-5%) of the coverage limit instead of the fixed dollar amount.

May Vary by Peril

Policies may set different deductibles depending on the cause of loss, such as hurricane vs wear/tear.

Understanding how your deductible works is step one. Next, explore ways to avoid that outlay.

Purchasing Supplemental Roof Warranty Coverage

Many roof shingle and metal roof manufacturers offer supplemental coverage after the original warranty expires.

For a yearly fee, these act as extended warranties that provide additional coverage for labor, materials, leaks, etc. Some options:

Manufacturer Extended Warranties

Companies like GAF, CertainTeed, and Decra offer 5-50 year extended coverage options, sometimes including deductible.

Third-Party Warranties

Companies like HomeServe, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, and Choice Home Warranty provide additional roof warranty coverage.

Coverage Varies

Read terms closely. Some include deductible payments, and others provide service coverage only.

Purchasing supplemental roof warranty coverage before issues arise can be one way to cover all or part of your eventual deductible expense.

Warranty Option	Deductible Coverage	Length	Cost
GAF Lifetime limited warranty	No	Up to 50 years	$300 one time
CertainTeed 5-Star Coverage	Yes, $1000 max	5 years	$200 per year
Choice Home Warranty	No	1 year	$500 per year

Financing Your New Roof

Rather than paying your deductible lump sum when your roof claim is settled, you can opt to fold the deductible into financing for a new roof via:

Contractor Financing

Many reputable roofers offer low-interest financing, which could include deductible payoff over the loan term.

Home Equity Loan/Line

Deductibles can be paid via affordable home equity loans or lines of credit.

Personal Loan

Unsecured personal loans through banks, credit unions, or online lenders offer flexible use of funds like a deductible payoff.

Just ensure repayment terms align with your budget. Financing turns deductibles from a single hit into manageable payments over time.

Claiming Rebates and Tax Credits

One option to offset some or all of your roof replacement deductible is tapping into available rebates, incentives, and tax credits, such as:

Manufacturer Rebates

Many shingle/metal companies offer $25-$100 rebates per square purchased. File paperwork to claim.

Utility Energy Efficiency Rebates

Some utilities offer roof replacement rebates if choosing cool/reflective shingle colors.

State/Local Property Tax Credits

Your area may have property improvement tax credits applicable to a roof replacement and deductible amount.

Energy Tax Credits

Roofs with reflective shingles may qualify for federal energy efficiency tax credits up to $500.

Free money through rebates and credits helps compensate for deductible outlays. Maximize all opportunities.

Negotiating Deductible Waivers

Another option is attempting to negotiate out of paying your deductible altogether. Here are two potential paths:

Insurance Adjuster

Get a roofer quote detailing damage, code upgrades, and total cost. Demonstrate paying deductible would cause hardship. Ask the adjuster to waive the deductible.

Roofer Discount

Discuss waiving the deductible with your roofer. They may discount labor costs equal to the deductible to win your business.

You may agree to reduce or waive the deductible payment if you get quotes from competitors demonstrating financial hardship. It doesn’t hurt to ask kindly!

Self Funding for Future Roof Savings

Rather than paying your roof deductible now, consider self-funding that amount for future roof needs.

Open a high-yield savings account
Auto deposit deductible amount monthly
Let it grow over time
Withdraw to pay next roof deductible in 15-30 years

This plan ensures you’ll have a full deductible amount saved when future roof replacement is needed. Skip paying now.

Policy Bundling Discounts

Some insurance companies offer waived deductibles if you bundle multiple policies with them, such as:

Auto and home insurance
Mortgage and home insurance
Umbrella liability with home insurance

Adding policies to create a bundle can sometimes qualify you for a waived roof replacement deductible. Check with carriers.

Bottom Line

Replacing your roof is inevitable. And insurance deductibles are painful. But utilizing the strategies in this guide can help you legally avoid paying some or all of your roof replacement deductible.

Get creative and explore all options before forking over your hard-earned money!