Our 20-year-old home sheds siding, on occasion. I’ve been able to replace one piece, but it’s recently shrugged off a decorative piece, beneath one of the gables, and I just want to get all new stuff. At what point does insurance take care of this?
Do I first contact a contractor, or my insurance company?
When a natural disaster comes and rips it all off lol. Insurance doesn’t cover regular maintenance—claiming too often could raise your rates or make you uninsurable.
Sloan said:
When a natural disaster comes and rips it all off lol. Insurance doesn’t cover regular maintenance—claiming too often could raise your rates or make you uninsurable.
So it’s not like a roof that only needs a little damage to get covered?
@Reeve
Most roofing insurance claims are borderline scams, and most companies will raise your rates after a claim.
Sloan said:
@Reeve
Most roofing insurance claims are borderline scams, and most companies will raise your rates after a claim.
Yeah, I wouldn’t expect anything less from an insurance company, honestly.
This sounds more like regular maintenance, which is part of homeownership.
Sloan said:
This sounds more like regular maintenance, which is part of homeownership.
Not always. If wind or hail messes up your siding, it can be a valid claim. Think about it like your car. You wouldn’t just ignore hail damage, you’d file an auto claim.
@Cody
But when it’s 20 years old, no, they’re not replacing all of it just because.
Sloan said:
@Cody
But when it’s 20 years old, no, they’re not replacing all of it just because.
Actually, they often do if it can’t be matched. If the material is outdated and they can’t repair it to match the rest of the house, insurance could cover a full replacement. I deal with this all the time as a siding contractor.
@Cody
Alright, sure thing, bud 
Sloan said:
@Cody
Alright, sure thing, bud
You sound incredibly uneducated on the subject.
Before you contact a contractor, you should probably get a better understanding of what insurance covers.
Jade said:
Before you contact a contractor, you should probably get a better understanding of what insurance covers.
I thought it covered things like weather damage or other uncontrollable forces breaking stuff. Am I missing something?
@Reeve
Insurance typically has a deductible (mine’s $500), so even if they cover the damage, you pay that first. If a few pieces of siding fall off, it might not exceed your deductible. And yeah, your rates might go up just for filing the claim. Insurance is a bit of a scam, until you really need it.
Why would insurance pay for your siding replacement? What’s the claim for?
Valeriehawk said:
Why would insurance pay for your siding replacement? What’s the claim for?
Wind damage. I didn’t mention it before, but yeah, the wind has been blowing it off.
It depends on whether they can repair it to look like it did before. If they can’t find a matching product, insurance may have to replace all of it with something close. In some areas, like where I am, wind causes a lot of damage to vinyl siding. Since vinyl fades, matching old siding can be hard, which works in the homeowner’s favor. Insurance will usually try to repair first, but if it can’t be done, they may offer a full replacement.
Also, insurance companies usually ask for 3 quotes. They’ll pick the lowest one and give you a check. At that point, you can spend the money on any siding you want. If you want to upgrade, you just pay the difference.
Don’t listen to the people saying this is a maintenance issue—if the damage is from a storm, it’s just like hail damage to a car. Insurance is supposed to make it look like new again.
@Cody
Thanks, this is exactly the info I needed!