When filing a roof damage claim in Louisiana, understanding your homeowner’s insurance policy is crucial especially when it comes to something known as “matching exclusions.” These exclusions can significantly impact how much your insurer will pay for repairs and whether you’ll be able to restore your roof to its original appearance.
What Are Matching Exclusions?
A matching exclusion is a clause in an insurance policy that limits the insurer’s obligation to replace or repair undamaged materials to ensure they match the damaged ones. In other words, if your roof sustains damage during a storm, the insurance company may only agree to repair or replace the damaged portion without matching the rest of the roof.
So, if a severe storm damages half of your roof, but the shingles on the undamaged part are no longer available due to age or manufacturer discontinuation, with a matching exclusion in your policy, your insurer may refuse to pay for replacing the entire roof, in which case you’ll be left with a mismatched appearance (unless you pay for the rest of the roof yourself).
How Do Matching Exclusions Affect Roof Claims in Louisiana?
Given Louisiana’s susceptibility to hurricanes, windstorms and hail, roof damage is a common issue for homeowners. When you file a roof damage claim, matching exclusions can have a major impact on your settlement.
Here’s how they can affect your claim:
- Partial repairs vs. full replacement – If your roof has an older style shingle or material that’s no longer available, matching exclusions may allow your insurer to only replace the damaged portion. This can result in a patchwork effect with newer materials in one area and aged, worn materials in others. Without a matching provision, the insurer isn’t required to cover the cost of replacing the entire roof to ensure consistency.
- Aesthetic vs. functional damage – Louisiana law typically requires insurance companies to cover functional damage. This is damage that affects the structural integrity or waterproofing of the roof. However, aesthetic issues, such as mismatched shingles, may not be covered under policies with matching exclusions. If your roof is structurally sound but visually unappealing due to mismatched repairs, you may be left covering the cost of matching on your own.
- Increased out-of-pocket expenses – If your insurance policy includes a matching exclusion, you might be forced to pay for a full roof replacement yourself to ensure your roof is visually consistent. This can add thousands of dollars to your repair costs, depending on the size of your roof and the materials used.
Review your Insurance Policy Closely
Insurance policies will vary in their exclusions, so it’s critical to review your policy closely and ask questions about areas you don’t understand. Ambiguous policy language can lead to contention between insurers and their insured.
For help understanding your Louisiana homeowner’s insurance policy and to ensure you receive the rightful claim payout amount you are legally entitled to for your storm damage to your roof, contact our team at Kandell, Kandell & Petrie Law Firm for insurance claim representation in the greater New Orleans area and throughout Louisiana.
