The short answer
Usually not. Home insurance is written to cover sudden events, such as storm damage, not the slow ageing of a roof, so worn-out tiles, failed felt and general deterioration are normally left to the homeowner. A storm that damages a sound roof is a different story and may be covered. Your policy wording decides, so read the exclusions and ask your insurer before you book any repair.
Where insurers draw the line between a storm and plain ageing, what the words in your policy usually mean, and what to do first.
Sudden damage versus slow deterioration
Insurers separate two things. An insured event is something that happens: a gale lifts a run of tiles, a tree lands on the roof, or a heavy fall of snow breaks a rafter. Gradual deterioration is something that is simply happening over time: nails rust, battens soften, mortar crumbles, lead splits after years of expansion, and felt stiffens and tears.
The first group is what buildings cover is built for. The second is treated as maintenance, which is the owner's job. In the middle sits the awkward case: a storm that blows off tiles which were already loose. The insurer may ask whether the roof was sound beforehand, and a roofer's report with photographs can document the roof's earlier state.
None of this is a promise either way. Payment depends on your policy wording, what caused the damage, and the insurer's own assessment. Which? reported in November 2025 that Financial Conduct Authority figures showed only 32% of storm-related claims made in 2024 resulted in a payout. Take that as a reason to read the terms before you rely on them, not a forecast for your own claim.
How to read your policy
Find the buildings section of your policy booklet, not the summary. Look for the list of insured events, usually headed storm, flood, escape of water or falling trees, and then for the exclusions or general conditions. Words to watch for include wear and tear, gradual deterioration, lack of maintenance, faulty workmanship and defective materials. Each can lead to a refusal when the cause is not a sudden event.
Check the excess too. A small repair can cost less than the excess, which makes a claim pointless. Look for any condition about the age or condition of the roof, any requirement to keep the property in good repair and any limit on cover for outbuildings and flat roofs.
If the wording is unclear, ask the insurer in writing which exclusion would apply to your problem, and keep the answer. A phone call is easy to forget, while an email is a record. Should the insurer refuse a claim that you dispute, the Financial Ombudsman Service handles complaints about insurers once you have used the insurer's own complaints process.
What to do first when the roof is damaged
Tell your insurer first, before any repair beyond a temporary one. Make the roof safe so that no more damage occurs, and keep the evidence. Photographs are the evidence an insurer leans on, and the Institution of Structural Engineers describes them as vital for exactly that reason. Photograph from the ground and from inside the loft or ceiling, and keep receipts for everything you pay for.
Do not throw away damaged tiles or lead until the insurer has seen the photos or said you may. Do not agree a full repair price before the insurer has said what it will pay for, unless the leak cannot wait.
Our part is the roof itself: a leak is stopped from getting worse, and you receive photos of what was found, which you can pass to your insurer along with any receipts. Whether a claim succeeds is for the insurer to decide. The full process, from phone call to loss adjuster, is covered in our post on storm damage and roof insurance claims, and the question of who picks the roofer is answered on our page about choosing your own roofer for an insurance claim.
Paying for wear and tear yourself
When a roof has run out of useful life, the cost is yours. Lifespans differ widely by covering and by how well a roof has been looked after, so a survey tells you more than a single number. A roof nearing the end can often be kept going with repairs, while one failing across a whole slope usually needs replacing. Our home page sets out how we work out which one you have.
Planned maintenance is cheaper than emergency work. Clearing gutters, replacing a few tiles and renewing worn flashings now can delay a bigger bill and head off an insurer's questions about upkeep. Our roof maintenance checklist lists what to look at and when.
For a rough idea of the cost of replacement, see our roof work costs guide, which uses dated national figures. The price for your own roof follows a survey, as one written total. If you are weighing up a claim, photos of the slope, the loft and any stained ceiling are what we would ask for first.
More on this in Roofers in Crawley: the full guide
Two more insurance questions
Will my insurer pay if a storm damages an old roof?
It may, but it is not certain. An insurer will look at whether the storm caused the damage or whether the roof was already failing. Good photographs from before and after, a roofer's description of the fault and a record of maintenance all help. The decision and the amount are the insurer's, and they depend on your policy.
Should I hold off on repairs until the insurer replies?
Only for the permanent repair. Policies expect reasonable steps to stop further damage, and a leak worsens by the day. Photograph the damage, arrange a temporary fix and keep the receipt. Tell the insurer as soon as you can, and wait for their answer before ordering the lasting repair unless the roof is unsafe.