The Storm Took Half Our Roof and the Insurer Says It Isn’t Covered

A reader writes:

I don’t really know where else to ask this, so forgive me if it is long.

My husband and I are both in our sixties. We have lived in our house for twenty-six years and we have always kept insurance on it, even the years when money was very tight, because my father lost his house in a hurricane when I was a girl and I promised myself that would never happen to us.

Last month a storm came through. Not even a named hurricane, just very strong wind and rain for most of a night. In the morning about half the zinc on the back of the house was gone, along with some of the rafters, and the ceiling in two bedrooms came down with the water. We have a tarpaulin over it now that my nephew put up, and we are sleeping in the living room.

We made the claim straight away. The adjuster came, took pictures, was polite. Then last week we got a letter saying the claim is declined because the damage was due to “wear and tear and lack of maintenance” and that is excluded. I read it three times. I cried. My husband went outside and didn’t talk for the rest of the day.

I will be honest, the roof was not new. It was put on about fifteen years ago. There was a small leak in one corner that we had patched. But it was not falling down. It came off because of the storm. Our neighbours’ roofs were damaged too.

We don’t have the money to replace the roof ourselves, not all at once. Our children are abroad and they help when they can but they have their own families. I feel like we did everything right for twenty-six years and when we finally needed it, it wasn’t there. I am angry and I am ashamed of being angry, and I am frightened of what happens when the rains come again.

What can we do? Is there any point fighting it?

— Beverley, St Thomas

Our response

Beverley, thank you for writing, and we are so sorry. Sleeping in the living room under a borrowed tarpaulin after twenty-six years of faithful premiums is a hard place to be, and your anger is not something to be ashamed of. Scripture is full of people who brought their anger honestly to God. Bring it to him, and then let us think through the practical steps together.

First, a decline letter is not always the last word. Insurers do refuse claims on grounds such as wear and tear or poor maintenance, and sometimes that is correct under the policy. But there is often room to question how those terms were applied, especially where a storm was clearly the event that caused the damage.

Some steps to consider:

1. Ask for the reasons in writing, in detail. Request a copy of the adjuster’s report and photographs, and ask the insurer to point to the exact policy wording they are relying on.
2. Read the policy yourselves. Look for the sections on windstorm, the definitions of wear and tear, and any exclusions or excesses. If the language is unclear, ask someone you trust to read it with you.
3. Gather your own evidence. Photos of the damage and of the roof before the storm if you have any, receipts for past repairs, weather reports for that night, and notes from neighbours whose roofs were also damaged.
4. Consider an independent opinion. A qualified roofer, engineer or independent loss assessor may be able to give a written view on whether the storm, rather than age, was the main cause.
5. Use the insurer’s complaints process. Most insurers have a formal internal review. Put your case in writing, calmly, with your evidence attached, and keep copies of everything.
6. Look beyond the insurer. If that fails, your country’s insurance regulator or financial services commission may be able to explain what further avenues exist. An attorney-at-law can advise whether you have grounds to take things further.

Second, protect the house now. Whatever happens with the claim, the rains will not wait. Ask a roofer to make the tarpaulin as secure as possible and check whether water is reaching the wiring. Keep receipts for this emergency work; if the claim is later accepted, some of it may be recoverable.

Third, think about how to fund the repair if the answer stays no. Options families sometimes weigh include:

• Repairing in stages: the bedrooms and rafters first, the rest later.
• A conversation with the children abroad about a shared, clearly agreed contribution rather than ad hoc help.
• Asking whether any government, parish or disaster relief assistance is available for storm-affected homes in your area.
• Speaking to your church. Many congregations have members with building skills, and some have benevolence funds for exactly this kind of need.
• A home improvement loan, but only after careful thought and advice about what you can realistically repay on your income.

When the new roof goes on, consider asking the roofer about hurricane straps and proper fixings, and keep a record of the work. It may help with future cover and give you more peace of mind.

Finally, Beverley, your faithfulness over twenty-six years was not wasted. You protected your household the best way you knew how, and you honoured a promise made as a frightened child. The outcome of this claim does not undo that. Paul wrote that we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8). We pray you will find people around you, in the church, among neighbours and in your family, to share this weight until the roof is whole again.

This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.

Reader letters may be edited for length and clarity, and names and identifying details are changed.

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