Insurance andyour Texas roof
Texas homeowners insurance generally covers a roof that a storm or a falling tree damaged, but not one that is only old or worn out.1 Your policy sets the payout, so ask your insurer. Our insurance claim documentation is a record of the damage and a written estimate, and we don't discuss coverage.
What a Texas policypays for on a roof
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says you can file a claim if a storm, a tree, or something else damaged your roof.1 That means a sudden event, such as wind or hail. Our guide to wind and hail damage in El Paso shows what that looks like on a roof.
TDI also says your insurance company won't pay for a new roof just because it's old or worn out.1 If a roof is in poor condition, your company might not cover it at all. TDI adds that companies should tell you when they change your coverage.1
In El Paso County, TDI's loss file shows homeowners policies paid $654.2 million from 2019 through 2025. Wind accounted for $367.9 million of it, or 56.2 percent. The file doesn't say whether hail is counted separately.15
Short version. A storm can be a claim, and age alone isn't one. Your policy and your insurer decide the rest.
Replacement cost andactual cash value
Some policies pay up to the full cost to repair your roof at current prices. TDI calls this replacement cost coverage.1 Other policies pay less if the roof is older or showing wear, which TDI calls actual cash value coverage.1
As roofs age, some companies switch to actual cash value. TDI says to check for changes at each renewal.1
What is recoverable depreciation?
With replacement cost coverage, TDI says the company pays with two checks. The first is a partial payment, and the rest comes after you've started repairs.1 Texas law calls the held-back part withheld recoverable depreciation or a replacement cost holdback.8
The same law lets an insurer hold that money until it has reasonable proof you paid your deductible. Proof includes a canceled check, a money order receipt, a credit card statement, or a signed installment plan or financing contract.8
The deductiblecomes off first
A deductible may be a dollar amount or a percentage. TDI says to know what a percentage works out to in dollars.2 It also says to ask your agent whether the wind and hail deductible differs from the deductible for other damage.1
TDI's example uses homes insured for $150,000. With a $500 deductible and a $6,500 hail repair, the policy pays $6,000. With a 5 percent deductible, which is $7,500, the same repair pays nothing.2 On home policies the deductible applies to each claim.2
Can a roofer waive it?
No. Texas law says a person insured under a property insurance policy shall pay any deductible on a claim.7 TDI says it's illegal for a contractor to offer to waive, rebate, or absorb it.3 Lifetime Roofing of El Paso makes no offer on a deductible.
Business and Commerce Code 27.02 also makes it an offense to advertise or promise to pay, waive, absorb, or rebate a deductible without the insurer's consent.9 TDI points readers to the Texas Attorney General at 800-621-0508 to report an offer like that.3
Roof age androof discounts
On September 29, 2026, TDI announced it is clarifying its rule that companies can't decline or not renew a home policy based on the age of a house or its roof. Companies may still base decisions on the physical condition of the roofing, wiring, plumbing, and other parts.4 That rule is about declining or not renewing a policy.
Your insurer inspects the roof when you apply, and TDI says it may charge you more or refuse to insure you based on what it sees.1 TDI also says to confirm your policy lists the correct roof age and material, and to tell the insurer when you replace the roof so it can update the age.6
Metal roofs and cosmetic damage
TDI says coverage on many policies shrinks as a roof ages, and usually more slowly for metal roofs than for shingles.5 A metal-roof discount might come with an exclusion for cosmetic damage. If hail changes only how the roof looks and it still works, that insurance won't pay to fix it.5
Impact-resistant roofs are rated Class 1 to 4 under the UL 2218 test, and TDI says a Class 4 roof covering would receive the highest premium credit. Each insurance company sets the amount of the discount.10 Our guide to Class 4 impact-resistant shingles covers the shingle side.
Who to ask andwhat insurers owe
TDI lists questions to put to your insurer or agent, ideally in writing:6
- Are my roof's age and material correct on my policy?
- How much will my policy pay for roof damage, and what is my deductible?
- Will you cover my roof if it's in poor condition?
- Can I get a discount for wind-, hail-, or fire-resistant materials?
- If only part of my roof is damaged, will you replace the entire roof?
Texas law sets the insurer's clock. It must accept or reject a claim in writing by the 15th business day after it receives all the items, statements, and forms it required.12 If it needs more time, it must say why in that period and then decide within 45 days.12 A rejection must state the reasons.12
Payment is due by the fifth business day after the insurer says it will pay.13 After a weather-related catastrophe the commissioner has defined, these deadlines extend another 15 days.14
If you disagree with your insurer, TDI says to start with the company, then call the TDI Help Line at 800-252-3439, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central. TDI can't settle disputes over facts, such as whether storm damage or normal wear caused a problem. It also doesn't handle complaints against roofers.11
Lifetime Roofing of El Paso is family owned and has worked in El Paso since 2019. Its inspection and written estimate are free, and the estimate comes within 48 hours of the inspection. What your policy pays is for your insurer to say.
Questions people askabout roof insurance
Will insurance pay for a new roof because mine is old?
No. TDI says an insurance company won't pay for a new roof just because it's old or worn out. Storm damage can be a claim; age alone isn't. Your policy and your insurer decide what yours pays.
What is the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?
Replacement cost pays more. It pays up to the full cost to repair the roof at current prices. Actual cash value pays less if the roof is older or showing wear, TDI says. Your policy states which one you have.
Do I have to pay my deductible, and can a roofer waive it?
You pay it. Texas law requires it, and TDI says contractors can't offer to waive, rebate, or absorb it. Lifetime Roofing of El Paso makes no offer on a deductible.
Is the wind and hail deductible different?
It can be. TDI says it's often more than the deductible for other damage, and it may be a percentage. In TDI's example, a 5 percent deductible on a $150,000 home is $7,500, so a $6,500 repair pays nothing.
Can my insurer drop me because my roof is old?
Not for age alone. On September 29, 2026, TDI announced it is clarifying that companies can't decline or not renew a policy because a roof is older. They may still look at its physical condition.
Who do I call if I disagree with my insurer?
Your insurer first. Then call the TDI Help Line at 800-252-3439. TDI can't settle disputes over whether storm damage or normal wear caused a problem, and it doesn't handle complaints against roofers.
Where these factscome from
- Texas Department of Insurance, Replacing your roof, last updated April 1, 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Deductibles, last updated October 14, 2024, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Roofing and insurance: know the law, last updated March 24, 2025, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, News release of September 29, 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Metal roofs and home insurance: 4 key facts for homeowners, August 10, 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, What to know about replacing your roof with insurance, March 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Insurance Code, Section 707.002, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Insurance Code, Section 707.004, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Business and Commerce Code, Section 27.02, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Roofing discounts, as of February 24, 2023, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Homeowners and renters insurance complaints, last updated September 23, 2026, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Insurance Code, Section 542.056, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Insurance Code, Section 542.057, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Insurance Code, Section 542.059, read November 1, 2026.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Homeowners insurance losses by county (El Paso County, 2019 to 2025; page last updated June 22, 2026), read November 1, 2026.
More fromthe guides
- Wind and Hail Damage on El Paso Roofs
What wind and hail damage look like on shingle, tile, metal, and foam roofs.
- What to Do When Your Roof Leaks
What to do in the first hour of a roof leak, and who to call
- What a Roofing Estimate Should Say
What a roofing estimate should list, how many quotes to get, and what to pay first.
Call Lifetime Roofing of El Paso
(915) 353-3934
Get a free roof inspection
Based at 8900 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79907