When you think of roof design costs, you consider the cost of material, installation, and maintenance cost. You compare the cost of a simple design with a more elaborate one. But did you know this even applies to insurance costs? After all, it alters the risk of damage and any chance of claims.
As a homeowner, you must learn all about roof shapes for insurance rates. At Preferred Roofing, we have experience building roofs and offer insurance claim representation, which means we can tell you exactly how this works. Call us now for residential roofing services and insurance claim representatives.
Different Roof Shapes for Insurance
Down below, we’ll tackle each roof shape and how much your insurance company can charge you for it.
Gable Roof
A gable roof is one of the simplest and most common roof shapes, which is understandable considering its affordability. Its sloping sides meet at the top ridge, forming the classic triangular shape, and their steep pitch covers the whole house.
The gable roof design facilitates water drainage and maintenance and involves average wind resistance, which lowers their insurance premiums.
Still, gable roofs have various styles, which are as follows:
- Shed roof
- Cross-gable roof
- False-front gable roof
- Gable with curves
Hip Roof
Like gable roofs, hip roofs have sides with steep slopes, except they’re four instead of two slopes. Those sides give a hip roof a rectangular or square shape.
The presence of four sides distributes wind pressure nicely, which renders the hip roof highly resistant to wind and impressively stable. Accordingly, you don’t have to worry much about wind damage. And if you live in an area where hurricanes are a concern, installing hip roofs is the best choice you can make. This roof plays a great role in wind resistance, thanks to its design.
Although they cost more in construction, hip roofs come with lower insurance premiums than gable roofs. In fact, They may decrease your homeowner’s insurance premium by 32%! The downside is their ventilation systems, which aren’t good for hurricanes.
Gambrel Roof
A gambrel roof may fall under gable roofs. It’s a symmetrical two-sided roof. Each side features two slopes, and the upper slope is typically less steep than the bottom. This maximizes living space and attic space within your home.
If you live in an area with high winds, roof damage is likely to occur owing to the open design. You can expect some wind resistance and, accordingly, moderate insurance rates with gambrel roofs.
Mansard Roof
A mansard roof includes two slopes on both sides. The higher slope has a less steep angle, which gives you extra living space (like gambrel roofs) and makes it a good option for areas with a lot of snow. You’ll find mansard roofs in condos, apartments, and multi-story houses.
To get aesthetic appeal, this type of roof involves a complex construction process, which is costly. And it comes with a heightened risk of roofing damage, which explains the expensive insurance policy and pricey potential repairs.
Flat Roof
Flat roofs may have level planes or planes with a slight pitch. They’re common in industrial buildings, but some homes feature them. They give you maximum space—think rooftop gardens.
Flat roofs tend to have a supporting framework to keep them from caving in. Still, they’re prone to damage with heavy rains, ice and snowfall, debris buildup, and natural disasters (like hurricanes) because of the flat roof shape.
Accordingly, you should expect more leaks, water pooling, and roofing damage, which could entail high insurance rates.
Different Roof Materials for Insurance
Another factor that plays into the price of your home insurance policy is roofing material. Understanding this will help you choose the right roofing material or estimate home insurance rates more accurately.
Asphalt Shingles
The most common roof materials are asphalt shingles, thanks to their versatility and cost-effectiveness. They have an understandably short lifespan, which means that insurance companies charge you moderate rates ($1,300 to $1,500) for them.
Slate Roofing
Slate roofs are known for their beauty, durability, fire resistance, minimal maintenance, and long lifespans. As you’d expect, they involve low insurance rates of $1,100 to $1,500. Nonetheless, they have high installation costs.
Clay Tiles
Clay tiles are elegant and sophisticated roofing materials. They’re insect, rot, and fire-resistant. That’s why the cost of insurance coverage is low, ranging from $1,200 to $1,500. However, clay is one of the heavy roofing materials, which renders its labor costs high.
Metal Roofing
If you’re after the most durable materials, metal roofs last at least 50 years. They’re energy-efficient and fire-resistant. You may have to pay a lot for this roof type at first, but you’ll enjoy low long-term benefits. Not to mention, home insurance premiums maybe $1,200 to $1,400, which is affordable.
Wood Roof
Whether shingles or shakes, wood roofs have that rustic appeal and character. They are also wind-resistant, resilient, and long-lasting, with a 30 to 50-year lifespan.
Despite their durability, you must remember that wood is highly prone to fires, which explains why home insurance rates for it may be $1,400 to $1,600 and why it may not even qualify for homeowners insurance coverage.
Final Words
You can understand how roof shape affects insurance by evaluating the risk factor. Insurance companies certainly do, which enables them to determine the chances of roofing damage for each shape and type of roof. The more a roof type is prone to damage, the higher the insurance coverage will cost.
If you need to learn more, our insurance claim representatives can help. Contact us at Preferred Roofing, and we’ll be happy to help you with guidance and roofing services!
