What Might Surprise You about Your Roof Warranty

Posted November 5, 2016

For most homeowners—especially those who live in Oklahoma and weather severe storms—it’s not a matter of whether you’ll need to replace your roof, but rather, when.

But while you likely obtained a limited lifetime warranty in the event of needing new roofing materials within the first ten years of installation, it is important to note that there are usually warranty limitations in place, such as the fact that the manufacturer’s warranty usually doesn’t cover the labor required for the installation. In fact, the company providing the installation usually offers what’s known as a “workmanship warranty,” a separate policy which must be purchased and which usually lasts for five or so years. And even with that, most people find that they need roof protection that lasts at least 25 years when it comes to installation-related issues, thus, there are complications, in general, when it comes to roof warranties.

Roof Warranty Litigation

Lawsuits have been previously filed against companies for failing to perform adequate tests on their roofing products when determining the length of their warranty periods; specifically, that the warranties offer “woefully inadequate” compensation, which does not fully cover the cost of replacement shingles, disposal, or labor. Claimants have also alleged that the company made submitting a warranty claim overly burdensome, as it required all of the following information to be submitted with any and all claims:

•      proof of purchase product indicating the type of shingle and quantity;
•      proof that the claimant owns the home;
•      the date and number of shingles applied;
•      the number of shingles involved in the claim;
•      the type of roof deck & number of layers of shingles on said deck;
•      the slope of the roof deck;
•      the number of vents on the roof;
•      photographs of the roof (cannot be taken with a digital camera; and
•      two full shingle samples (requiring a roofing professional to carefully remove the in-service shingles from the claimant’s roof).

In addition, some class action lawsuits have been settled, allowing for all members of the Class to file a claim for more compensation than that provided by the warranties they were given if their products were, in fact, defective.  

Protect Yourself

If you have a roof warranty, ensure that you have read the fine print on the document. For example, some homeowners who decide they’d like to place solar panels on their roofs may find that this change affects their warranty. To make the change and still be covered, the solar company must contact the roofing company in advance and provide details concerning where the solar installation will be placed. For any areas not covered by solar panels, the original warranty is still in place.

Bad Faith Insurance Attorneys

For so many, precisely when they need to use their homeowner’s insurance coverage to repair or replace their roof, that’s when they’re told that the cost far exceeds what the homeowner insurance provider is offering to pay.

At the The Bennett Law Firm, we have represented hundreds of Oklahoma homeowners whose homeowner insurance carrier refused to deal fairly with them. Contact us today and find out how we can help you.