Canadian home insurance covers sudden, accidental damage to a roof (a windstorm, a fallen tree, a fire) and doesn't cover a roof that leaks because it's old or worn out. On roofs past about 15 to 20 years, many insurers pay claims on an actual cash value basis, meaning replacement cost minus depreciation, and some limit coverage sharply or ask for proof of condition before renewing. No universal age cutoff exists. Here's how roof age works in a policy, what a claim involves and how a new roof changes the conversation.
What's covered and what isn't
Usually covered: damage from named perils such as wind, hail, falling objects and fire, and the interior damage that follows, subject to your deductible. If a February outflow wind peels shingles off a Chilliwack roof and rain gets in, the roof repair and the ceiling are typically claimable.
Usually not covered: wear and tear, gradual deterioration, moss damage, rot, poor workmanship, lack of maintenance and anything the insurer considers preventable. A slow leak from a 22-year-old roof's cracked pipe boot is maintenance, not an insured loss, and the shingle deterioration itself is excluded under standard policies. Industry commentary in 2026 puts it plainly: insurance is designed for sudden, unexpected events, not long-term issues that could have been prevented.
The grey zone is interior damage from an uninsured cause. Some policies cover the wet ceiling even when they won't pay for the roof; read yours or ask your broker.
How roof age affects your policy
- Applications and renewals ask the roof's age. Guess wrong and a claim can be disputed. Keep the roofer's invoice.
- Premiums rise after about 15 years. Canadian comparison sites report insurers holding premiums steady until a roof is around 15 years old and raising them after; one Toronto dataset showed roofs 21 years and older paying about 7% more than roofs 11 to 20 years old.
- Actual cash value after about 15 to 20 years. Insurance trade press notes that in many markets roofs over 15 years are adjusted on an actual cash value basis. On a $15,000 replacement, depreciation on an old roof can take most of the payout; one broker's example had a five-year-old roof prorated 20%.
- Reduced or refused coverage past 20 years. Comparison sites describe insurers limiting roof coverage to a fraction (one cites as little as 25% of the cost) or declining to insure roofs over 20 years that need work. Some insurers ask for an inspection report or photos before renewing an older roof.
These are patterns across Canadian insurers, not rules. Your policy wording and your insurer's underwriting decide; ask your broker how your roof's age is treated before you need to know.
Replacement cost versus actual cash value
Replacement cost pays what it costs to replace the roof with comparable materials today, up to the policy limit. Actual cash value pays that amount less depreciation for age and condition. A 20-year-old architectural shingle roof with a 25-year expected life is 80% depreciated; on an ACV basis a $16,000 replacement might pay $3,200 less the deductible. Check which basis your policy applies to the roof specifically; some policies carry replacement cost on the house but an ACV schedule for the roof.
Making a roof claim
- Make it safe and stop the water. Tarping ($350 to $1,000) is a reasonable emergency expense and usually reimbursable; keep the receipt. See roof leaks: what to do.
- Document. Photos of the roof damage (from the ground or by the roofer), the interior damage, the debris, the date and the weather. Environment Canada's wind warnings for the day help.
- Call the insurer before authorising repairs beyond the emergency. Adjusters want to see the damage or the roofer's photos first.
- Get a roofer's written assessment of cause, scope and cost. Insurers prefer a repair estimate from a licensed, insured company. Our roof repair page explains what a proper assessment includes.
- Expect the depreciation conversation on an older roof, and the maintenance question. A record of inspections and moss treatment helps show the roof was looked after.
- Don't sign over the claim to a contractor who knocks on the door after a storm. Direct sales contracts signed at home in BC can be cancelled within 10 days, but it's simpler not to sign.
Can I just claim for a new roof because mine is old?
No. Age isn't a peril. But an old roof damaged in a storm sometimes ends up fully replaced when matching shingles are discontinued and the damaged area is large, with the insurer paying the depreciated value and the homeowner the difference. Ask the adjuster how matching is handled.
How a new roof changes things
A new roof with a documented install date and material resets the age clock, usually lowers or holds the premium, puts the roof back on replacement cost at most insurers, and removes the inspection demands. Class A fire-rated roofing (asphalt shingles, metal, tile, rated synthetic) is what FireSmart BC recommends near forest, and FireSmart notes some carriers discount premiums after a completed home assessment, though availability varies by insurer and location. Class 4 impact-rated shingles earn discounts in hail country, not generally in BC.
Tell your insurer when the roof is done and send the invoice. If you're deciding whether to replace, when to replace your roof covers the signs and the cost guide the budget.
We're a quote-matching service, not insurers or brokers; for your own policy, ask the people who wrote it.
Common questions
Will insurance pay to replace my 20-year-old roof?
Not because it's old. Insurance covers sudden damage (wind, trees, storms), not wear and tear. For storm damage on an older roof, many insurers pay actual cash value, which subtracts depreciation for age.
What is actual cash value on a roof?
The replacement cost minus depreciation for age and condition. On an old roof that can be a small fraction of the replacement price. Replacement cost coverage pays the full cost, and some insurers move older roofs to actual cash value.