Need Advice: State Farm Wants Us To Replace Roof

[Colorado S14]

My wife and I just moved into a 1942 tudor in the Denver area. The house had the roof replaced around 10 years ago and when we had the inspection they found that it currently had the maximum number of layers allowed currently on the roof. Our inspector notified us that this would result in higher replacement costs should we ever need to do it but that otherwise it appeared to be in great shape, it uses quality asphalt shingles.

Well fast forward a few months and the inspection that State Farm does comes back with the same prognosis, roof in good shape but multiple layers. We get a letter that states that due to the multiple layers the replacement cost will be outside their acceptable range and that we will need to replace the roof at our cost or they will drop us.

This is clearly a dilemma for new homeowners who do not have the $14,500 sitting around right after buying a house. Also, it seems a bit funny that the previous owners who purchased the home in 2008 did not have this problem as they did not put a new roof on and would have had to have homeowners coverage. So, the question is, what are our options?

Can we fight this? We have 100% of our insurance through State Farm and have been happy thus far. Do we have a cash value option, it seems to me that if the cost of our roof is $14.5k but for the same roof without the multiple layers is say $12.5k could we get a cash value replacement for $12.5 and then be on the hook for the difference should it be damaged and we make a claim going forward? Is this just a State Farm thing? How did the previous owners have coverage and now we run into this?

Thank you so much for the wisdom!

 

[xrac]

Shop your policy with the independents SF is not the only or best option available.

 

[cottonland]

Contact the previous owner & find out where they had their coverage. That would be a starting point.

 

[Josh]

Many carriers want this done, but you might want to call an independent agent.

 

[Newby]

Why do people cling to a brand of insurance? State Farm needs to try to compete for YOUR business. Shop them against other companies. They have never proven to be a reasonable company to me. Do other companies make the same demand? Find out.

 

[benk622]

A 10 year old roof in good shape should not be on a cash value basis at least among my companies. Talk to an independent agent.

 

[jemelton]

Call Aaron Rogers, maybe he can help you. If he can't maybe the geco can. If he can't maybe you could call a caveman. If those don't work, I would try an independent agent.

 

[StateFarmStinks]

That sounds like State Farm. I had hail damage a few years ago and it was handled as I thought it should be. They replaced my roof. Then a few years later we had another hail storm. My neighbor had his roof replaced (Farm Bureau Insurance). State Farm would only replace part of my roof. And the shingle that was on the house was now out of production and the nearest shingle was either much lighter or darker in color. So I was going to have a two tone house. Also my siding was damaged. We had aluminum siding and it also was not available any longer so would have a house with two different color shingles and two different widths of siding. I argued with them for a while but finally just paid the difference to have the shingles and siding all the same. I don't remember the cost but it was over $5,000. Also they would not allow the old shingles to be removed. They said that because the shingles that were on the house were new, they would provide a good base for the replacement shingles. I am surprised that they didn't come back and tell me I had too many layers on my roof.

I also have a story about their life insurance but that is for another time.

 

[xrac]

That sounds like State Farm. I had hail damage a few years ago and it was handled as I thought it should be. They replaced my roof. Then a few years later we had another hail storm. My neighbor had his roof replaced (Farm Bureau Insurance). State Farm would only replace part of my roof. And the shingle that was on the house was now out of production and the nearest shingle was either much lighter or darker in color. So I was going to have a two tone house. Also my siding was damaged. We had aluminum siding and it also was not available any longer so would have a house with two different color shingles and two different widths of siding. I argued with them for a while but finally just paid the difference to have the shingles and siding all the same. I don't remember the cost but it was over $5,000. Also they would not allow the old shingles to be removed. They said that because the shingles that were on the house were new, they would provide a good base for the replacement shingles. I am surprised that they didn't come back and tell me I had too many layers on my roof.

I also have a story about their life insurance but that is for another time.

Hopefully you are no longer insured by SF?

 

[KPIA]

I don't get it, how does multiple layers increase the replacement cost of the home? Surely they're not gonna put 2 roofs on in the event the roof had to be replaced due to a total loss.