Aging Roofs and Homeowners Insurance in North Carolina

Homeowners insurance in North Carolina has gotten tighter over the last few years. Premiums have climbed, and some carriers have pulled back on who they'll cover.

The roof is one of the first things underwriters look at. An old or worn roof is more likely to leak or fail in a storm, and storms drive a lot of claims. So as a roof ages, many carriers look at it harder. How hard depends on the company. Some ask for an inspection. Some want recent photos. Some set limits on coverage for roofs past a certain age.

Some don't call at all. They look at aerial or satellite photos of your roof. In 2024, The News & Observer reported on a Boone homeowner whose carrier decided not to renew his policy based on aerial photos. The photos showed discoloration and streaking on the roof. He had a local roofer put in writing that it posed no risk, and he ended up finding coverage with another company.

Your roof's condition is on record whether you know it or not. It pays to know what it looks like from above.

Every carrier is different, but these come up a lot:

• Roof age. Usually the year the roof was put on. Dig out your records if you have them.
• Roof type. Asphalt shingle, metal, tile and so on.
• Visible condition. Missing or curled shingles, granule loss, black streaks, debris and moss.
• Signs of damage. Hail hits, storm damage, sagging.
• Maintenance records. Proof that someone has kept up with the roof.

If a letter comes asking about your roof, read it closely. It will usually say what the carrier wants and by when. Call your agent right away. Waiting until the week before renewal leaves you very few options.

Also ask how your policy pays on the roof. Some policies pay a depreciated value on an older roof instead of the full cost to replace it. Your agent can tell you which kind you have.

Some roofs get flagged for wear that can be fixed. Loose shingles. A tired seal at the chimney. Dry, faded shingles shedding grit into the gutters. Those are the problems a tune-up and treatment go after.

Here's how it can help:

• Small defects get fixed. The tune-up secures lifted shingles, fixes nail pops and reseals flashing. Those are things an inspector may write down.
• The shingles get treated. APEX-1132 is a soy-based treatment made to slow the aging of asphalt shingles. In lab testing it improved granule adhesion and helped shingles pass a pliability test at 55°F. The lab results page walks through the numbers.
• Ask for a record. Ask us for a written record of the work for your insurance agent. Each treatment also comes with a 5-year transferable warranty, and we give you the written terms before work starts.

That record is something you can hand to your agent. Whether it changes anything is the carrier's call.

Sometimes the honest answer is that the roof needs replacing. If we find soft decking, cracking across most of the roof, or shingles worn down to bare asphalt, we'll say so. A treatment on that roof wastes your money, and it isn't likely to change an insurer's mind.

We don't sell new roofs, so we have no stake in which way you go. Our side-by-side on rejuvenation vs. replacement can help you weigh it, and the free roof assessment will tell you where your roof stands.