How Roof Age Affects Home Insurance Rates in North Carolina
If you're a homeowner in North Carolina and you've been shopping for home insurance — or wondering why your rates keep climbing — there's one factor that matters more than almost anything else: the age of your roof.
North Carolina insurers pay closer attention to roof age than carriers in most other states. Here's why that matters for Durham homeowners and what you can do about it.
Why Insurance Companies Care So Much About Your Roof
Your roof is your home's first line of defense against the elements. In North Carolina, that means protecting against heavy rain, hail storms, high winds, and the occasional hurricane remnant that pushes inland through the Triangle area. When a roof fails, the damage can be catastrophic — water intrusion, structural damage, mold, and destroyed belongings.
From an insurance carrier's perspective, an older roof represents a much higher risk of claims. A 5 year old roof in good condition is unlikely to fail during a storm. A 20 year old roof with worn shingles and aging flashing is a much bigger gamble. Carriers price their policies accordingly.
The 15 Year Rule in North Carolina
Here's what every Durham homeowner needs to know: most insurance carriers in North Carolina use 15 years as a critical threshold for roof age.
Homes with roofs 15 years old or newer typically qualify for the best available rates and the most coverage options. Carriers are confident the roof will perform well and are willing to compete aggressively for your business.
As your roof approaches and passes that 15 year mark, things start to change. Some carriers will only offer actual cash value coverage on an aging roof rather than full replacement cost — meaning if your roof is damaged they'll pay you the depreciated value of your old roof rather than what it actually costs to replace it. Other carriers may decline to write a new policy altogether on homes with older roofs, and some will charge significantly higher premiums to offset the increased risk.
The newer your roof, the better your rates. A roof replaced in the last 1-5 years will almost always qualify for the absolute best pricing available.
What Happens If Your Roof Is Over 15 Years Old?
If your roof is getting up there in age, you may notice your home insurance options becoming more limited and more expensive. Here's what typically happens as a roof ages past 15 years in North Carolina:
Your current carrier may require a roof inspection before renewing your policy. Some carriers will non-renew your policy entirely if they deem the roof too old or in poor condition. New carriers may be unwilling to write a policy or will only offer limited coverage. Your premium may increase significantly at renewal even if you haven't filed any claims.
This doesn't mean you're uninsurable — but your options narrow and your costs go up.
Should You Replace Your Roof to Get Better Insurance Rates?
This is a question we get from Durham homeowners regularly and the answer is often yes — it depends on the numbers.
A new roof typically costs between $8,000 and $15,000 for an average Durham home depending on size, materials, and contractor. That sounds like a lot, but consider the full picture. A new roof can lower your annual home insurance premium by hundreds of dollars per year, dramatically expands your options when shopping carriers, qualifies you for replacement cost coverage instead of actual cash value, increases your home's resale value, and reduces the risk of a costly claim from a roof failure.
In many cases a new roof pays for itself in insurance savings over 5-7 years — before even factoring in the value it adds to your home. If your roof is approaching 15 years and you're planning to stay in your home, replacing it sooner rather than later is often a very smart financial decision.
How to Find Out How Old Your Roof Is
Not sure when your roof was last replaced? Here are a few ways to find out. Check your home inspection report from when you purchased the home, look through your records for any roofing permits or receipts, ask your neighbors when they replaced their roofs since many neighborhoods get re-roofed around the same time after a major storm, or have a roofer do a quick inspection — many will do this for free or at low cost.
Get a Better Rate With a Newer Roof
At Triangle Insurance Alliance we work with homeowners throughout Durham and the Triangle area every day. One of the most common ways we help clients save significant money on their home insurance is by re-shopping their policy after they've replaced their roof.
If you have a roof that is 15 years old or newer — especially if it was recently replaced — there's a strong chance we can find you a significantly better rate than you're currently paying. We shop 18 A-rated carriers simultaneously to make sure you're getting the absolute best deal available.
Call us today at 919-322-3640 or get a free quote online.