Wind Damage vs Normal Wear and Tear: Will Your Insurance Cover It?
Sky Ridge Team
Utah Roofing Experts
I got a call from Jennifer in Draper last September that I hear way too often. "Mike, my insurance company says the shingles that blew off are from wear and tear, not the windstorm. They're denying my claim. What do I do?"
Here's the brutal truth: insurance adjusters are trained to look for reasons to deny claims. And the easiest denial? "That's not storm damage, that's normal wear and tear." I've seen this happen to homeowners with legitimate wind damage--shingles ripped off by 70 mph gusts, ridge caps torn away, entire sections of roofing peeled back like a tin can.
But here's the thing. If you know what to look for and how to document it, you can prove wind damage even when adjusters are skeptical. I've been doing this for 15+ years in Utah, and I've helped hundreds of homeowners get claims approved that were initially denied on "wear and tear" grounds.
Let me show you exactly how to tell the difference between wind damage and normal aging, what documentation wins these battles, and how to handle insurance adjusters who try to lowball or deny your claim. Because knowing this difference can mean the gap between a $15,000 check and a $15,000 bill.
Key Takeaways
- Wind damage is sudden and acute--specific damage from a specific storm event
- Common wind damage: missing shingles, lifted shingles, torn ridge caps, damaged flashing
- Age alone doesn't make damage "wear and tear"--focus on proving NEW damage from the storm
- Document the weather event (wind speeds, dates, storm reports)
- Compare pre-storm photos to post-storm damage if possible
What Actually Counts as Wind Damage in Utah?
Alright, let's start with the basics. Insurance policies cover "sudden and accidental" damage from wind. That means a specific wind event--a storm, a gust, a weather incident--caused new damage to your roof. It doesn't mean your roof slowly deteriorated over 20 years and finally gave out during a breeze.
Utah gets serious wind events. We see spring windstorms with gusts hitting 60-80 mph along the Wasatch Front. Fall brings those crazy canyon winds that funnel down from the mountains. These aren't gentle breezes--they're roof-damaging events that insurance absolutely should cover.
Clear Wind Damage Examples
Missing shingles. If a windstorm lifts and tears away shingles, that's wind damage. Period. I've seen entire sections of roofing stripped away in Ogden during a spring storm--that's undeniable.
Lifted or creased shingles. When wind gets under shingles and lifts them, it breaks the seal and creases the material. Even if the shingle didn't blow off completely, that lifting action is wind damage. The shingle is compromised and will leak.
Torn ridge caps. Ridge caps are the most vulnerable part of your roof in wind events. They sit at the peak where wind hits hardest. I've worked neighborhoods in Sandy where every house lost ridge caps in a single storm. That's wind damage, not wear and tear.
Damaged flashing. Wind doesn't just affect shingles. It can tear up flashing around chimneys, vents, and roof edges. If flashing is bent, lifted, or torn away after a windstorm, that's covered damage.
What Insurance Tries to Call "Wear and Tear"
Here's where it gets tricky. Insurance adjusters look for any sign of aging and use it to deny the entire claim. Old shingles with some granule loss? "Wear and tear." A few curled edges? "Wear and tear." Roof is 15 years old? "Wear and tear."
But here's what they don't tell you: age doesn't automatically make damage "wear and tear." A 15-year-old roof can absolutely sustain new, acute wind damage. The question isn't how old your roof is--it's whether the storm caused NEW damage.
Last fall, I fought an adjuster who tried to deny a claim on a 12-year-old roof in West Jordan. He pointed to minor granule loss as "pre-existing wear." I pointed to the 30 missing shingles from the documented 75 mph windstorm three days earlier. We won. The key was proving the wind event caused new damage, regardless of the roof's age.
Final Thoughts
Look, I get it. Fighting with insurance companies over wind damage vs. wear and tear is exhausting. You've got a damaged roof, you're stressed about costs, and now you're arguing with adjusters who seem determined to deny your claim.
But here's what I want you to remember: if you have legitimate wind damage from a documented storm, you deserve to have it covered. Insurance companies count on homeowners giving up after the first denial. Don't give up.
Document everything. Prove the storm happened. Show the damage is acute and new. Differentiate it from normal aging. And if they deny you? Appeal. Get a professional on your side. File complaints if needed. These claims can be won.
If you're in Utah and dealing with wind damage--or if your claim was denied and you need help--call Sky Ridge Roofing. We'll inspect your roof, document the damage properly, and help you fight for what you're owed. We've won hundreds of these battles, and we know exactly what insurance adjusters need to see.
Because at the end of the day, your roof protects everything you own. And if a windstorm damaged it, you shouldn't have to pay out of pocket when you've been paying insurance premiums for exactly this situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about wind damage vs normal wear and tear: will your insurance cover it?
How can I tell if my roof damage is from wind or just old age?
Wind damage is acute and localized--you'll see specific damage like missing shingles in patterns that match the storm. Wear and tear is gradual and widespread. The key is proving damage appeared suddenly after a documented wind event.
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