State Farm requiring new roof, what about my patio cover?

Seeking Advice
1

Hi, I got a notice from State Farm saying they’ll drop my policy if I don’t replace my roof by March. I’ve already replaced the main roof on my house, but the city won’t let me roof the attached patio cover because they can’t find a permit for it. I’ve submitted plans to get a retroactive permit, but that process could take months.

The patio cover is currently tarped. Will State Farm care about this, or are they only concerned about the main roof? Has anyone dealt with something similar, and what are my options?

2

Focus on the house roof for now. Send photos and the receipt showing it’s completed.

As for the patio cover, you might be able to deal with it later, especially if it’s not fully enclosed.

3

Shai said:
Focus on the house roof for now. Send photos and the receipt showing it’s completed.

As for the patio cover, you might be able to deal with it later, especially if it’s not fully enclosed.

The house roof is done, but the patio cover is attached to the house. It’s just tarped for now.

4

@Blakeley
The tarp might be a concern. Insurers often look at aerial photos, and tarps signal potential unrepaired damage. What’s under the tarp?

5

These requests are common, not unique to State Farm. They’re usually only worried about the main roof. Is the patio cover an enclosed space or just an overhang?

6

Parker said:
These requests are common, not unique to State Farm. They’re usually only worried about the main roof. Is the patio cover an enclosed space or just an overhang?

It’s just an overhang, open on all sides.

7

@Blakeley
In that case, I wouldn’t stress about the patio. Send photos of the new roof along with the receipt to your agent.

8

@Blakeley
If the tarp is visible in photos, I’d consider removing it before submitting pictures.

9

Are you confident the patio cover was built to code? Retroactive permits can be tricky, especially if the structure doesn’t meet current setback requirements or other regulations. If it’s not up to code, it might be faster to demo it, get the house signed off, and rebuild the patio later with proper permits.

10

@Dior
My family owns a construction business and says it’s built to code except for the setback. It used to be 4 feet but now it’s 5 feet. The property line wall is also technically on my side, built by previous owners.

11

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll wait for the city’s planning office to review my plans since I’ve already paid for it. If February rolls around with no updates, I might consider demoing the patio cover. It would be a shame, though, since it’s a nice structure. At least State Farm gave me advance notice to handle the roof. I’ve heard of people getting dropped with no time to fix anything.