TULSA, Okla. — Many homeowners are surprised to learn their insurance policies may offer little to no coverage for aging roofs, leaving them with unexpected expenses when damage occurs.
Linda Thornton discovered this harsh reality after hail damaged the roof of her home of 28 years.
"I have a roof that is real old. And um now this last hail storm really has caused some problems and my insurance company isn't doing anything about it," Thornton said.
The cost to fix her roof came as a significant shock, "It was $17,000."
Like many homeowners, Thornton wasn't aware most insurance companies won't cover standard asphalt shingle roofs that are more than 20 years old. Even more concerning, after a roof reaches 10 years old, some homeowner's policies may offer little or no coverage.
"Some policies depreciate your roof over time, and that could be a pretty big surprise when it comes down to replacing your roof based off the age," Dalton Peck of Burggraf Roofing said.
Experts recommend checking your policy every year to understand the level of protection you have and how much coverage it offers.
For Oklahoma homeowners in specific zip codes, help may be available. The Oklahoma Insurance Department launched a pilot project offering grants to help with the cost of replacing roofs with more storm-resistant options.
"Our Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program is a great program that provides qualified homeowners up to $10,000 to fortify their roofs to the Insurance Institute Business and Home Safety fortified standards," Ashley said.
These fortified standards include the ability to withstand winds up to 120 miles per hour and hail up to 2 inches in diameter.
The pilot program is expanding eligibility into certain parts of Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, and other areas. Unfortunately for Thornton, her home is not in a currently eligible zip code.
Here's the list to see if you are included in the expanded zipcode list:
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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