We bought a house built in 1942 back in 2014. It has a slate roof which we believe to be original. Recently we tried to get a new homeowners insurance quote (bundled with our auto insurance) and were told they can't quote us because of the roof.
If we were to have roof damage, we would not repair/ replace the slate and instead would use shingles. Is there a way to get that written into homeowners insurance so that we can get a different policy? Or are we stuck with the company we have now who has insured it until we replace it on our own? Explain it to me like I am 5 please.
Posted by tkandjsmom
5 Comments
What state are you in?
I’m in MA and there are thousands of slate roofed homes here, from mansions to 1200 sqft colonials and everything in between. Someone is underwriting them, probably more than a few.
Totally aside, slate has an incredible lifespan(over 100 years) and is relatively easy to repair(just cut new slates to replace damaged ones). If you can find a slate expert, you’ll save thousands by being able to maintain it vs ripping it all off and replacing it with another material.
Hire a slate roofing company to come inspect an repair any issues. Submit the roof inspection to any other companies you are seeking quotes from.
Use a broker or independent agent for best results.
Go with a broker to shop the market for you
So you want them to put in to your agreement with them that if your slate shingles get damaged, they will replace your roof with a shingle roof?
Let me know how that works out for you.