FLAT ROOF INSURANCE
Quick to buy online
- Up to 100% of roof area can be flat.
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
- Cover for all ages of flat roof.
More information
Insurance for Flat Roofs
What is a flat roof?
A flat roof is a roof with a slightly sloped surface of 10 degrees or less. A flat roof must:
- Be fully waterproofed with drainpipes and guttering to ensure proper water drainage. The waterproofing should extend up adjacent walls by at least six inches.
- Have a thermal layer of fibreglass, polystyrene or other insulating material inserted above the roof decking. ‘Warm’ roofs require a robust vapour control layer (VCL). ‘Cold roofs’ must include adequate ventilation.
- Be constructed to resist wind forces and be protected from sun damage.
WHY IS IT HARD TO INSURE A FLAT ROOF?
A roof that is entirely flat may suffer from pooling of water in wet weather causing damp and leaks that lead to water damage in the property. And, in some cases, flat roofs can put you at a greater risk of burglary as it is easier for thieves to gain entry to your home by standing on the roof to access windows.
This is why many home insurance providers won’t cover flat roofs and you need to get a quote for flat roof insurance from a specialist like us.
Get Flat Roof Cover Online
Usually, if under 30% of your roof is flat then you should be able to source cover without any real issues. Even so, getting home insurance for flat roofs doesn’t need to be difficult. Homeprotect can provide flat roof home insurance online.
Having a few facts to hand will make getting a quote that much quicker:
- Approximate percentage of the roof that is flat: 34-50% vs 51-75% vs 76-100%..
- The material with which the flat roof is covered.
- The year that the flat roof was last inspected.
- Rebuild cost of the property.
- Approximate year that the property was built.
- Property history, such as flooding, structural movement, subsidence and underpinning.
MAINTAINING A FLAT ROOF
Regular maintenance is the key with a flat roof. Start by making your own regular spot checks, especially after a period of wet weather, to catch problems before they set in and then call in a flat roof expert every few years.
Some providers of flat roof house insurance require proof of regular inspections to demonstrate that the roof has been kept in a good state of repair, so remember to ask for documentation. You could need this if you make a claim for water damage.
specialist Home Insurance Reviews
Get a home insurance quote online
Get a quote online in less than 10 minutes*
What’s covered by BUILDINGS & contents insurance?
Home insurance provides financial protection if you need to repair your home or replace your belongings after they’ve been stolen, damaged or destroyed.
It comes in two parts: buildings insurance (cover against damage to the property itself) and contents insurance (for damaged or stolen items within the home). These can be combined or bought separately, so the first step is deciding which option is better for you.
What we offer
Quick home emergency response times
Have a home emergency, such as electricity failure, faulty locks or vermin infestation? With the 24/7 Home Emergency cover, which we provide as standard, you can typically get an engineer at your home within four hours. And if you’re worried about an uncontrollable leak in your home, we aim to have an emergency plumber to you within two hours.
Extreme weather conditions may extend response time. Policy terms and claim limits apply.
5 star rated buildings cover
Our building insurance has been given the highest rating by independent financial research companies, Defaqto and Moneyfacts.
Repair guarantee
Any buildings work we undertake is guaranteed for 24 months following a claim and any contents repair work we undertake is guaranteed for 12 months.
New for old
Where we replace an item, we will do our best to meet the original specification on a ‘new for old’ basis. If we can’t find an exact replacement, we’ll offer you a suitable alternative, or a full cash settlement.
Legal advice
We provide Legal Protection cover as standard, giving you access to telephone legal advice on any personal legal issue, under the laws of the UK, any European Union country, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Switzerland and Norway.
What isn’t included?
Damage cause gradually, or by wear and tear, or by failure to fix a known issue.
Faulty design or poor workmanship.
Damage caused by pets.
The cost of repairing or replacing items following a mechanical or electrical fault.
Lost items.
buildings & Contents Insurance Cover Levels
Our home insurance is designed to protect your home against insured events such as fire, storm, flood, escape of water, theft, malicious damage, subsidence, landslip or heave.
Buildings cover
Covers the main structure of your home, including attached garages and conservatories, if you need to rebuild or repair it following an insured loss. Also covers permanent outdoor structures such as driveways, patios and boundary walls.
£1 million
(more cover available if you need it)
Contents cover
Covering the value of the possessions you could take with you when moving home, such as furniture, clothing, valuables, appliances, fittings, entertainment equipment, gadgets and bikes, following an insured loss. Cover provided on a new for old basis.
from £25,000
Alternative accommodation
Covers the cost of alternative accommodation for you and your pets, together with reasonable expenses (e.g. travel, food, laundry) if you can’t live in your home (or where you’ve been advised to evacuate) due to an insured loss.
up to £85,000
Home emergency
Covers sudden, unexpected emergencies, such as uncontrollable water leaks, that require immediate corrective action to prevent or limit damage to your home, or make your home secure. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £500
Family legal protection
Covers legal costs following an insured loss. There must be reasonable prospects of winning and the incident must have occurred during the policy term. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £25,000
Trace and access
Covers the cost of detecting the source of a water or oil leak to your home or outbuildings. Includes reinstating any wall, floor, ceiling, drive, fence or path removed or damaged during the search (up to the claim limit).
up to £10,000
Outbuildings cover
Covers rebuild or repair of your outbuildings (e.g. detached garages, greenhouses, sheds and summerhouses) that are within the boundary or a communal area you’re legally responsible for, if you need to rebuild or repair them following an insured loss.
from £20,000
Liability cover
Covers damages and claimants’ costs and expenses for your legal liability in the event of accidental death, injury or illness to a third party, or damage to property belonging to a third party.
up to £5 million
Personal possessions
Covers items likely to be worn, carried or used by you away from your home (e.g. bags, clothes and sports equipment) in the event of physical damage or theft. Cover provided anywhere in the world.
Optional
Gadgets, bikes and valuables away from the home
Cover for electronic gadgets (e.g. mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc), bikes (including electrically assisted bikes), valuables (e.g. watches and jewellery), equipment (e.g. hearing aids) and other expensive or high risk items that you take out of your home.
Optional
Accidental damage
Covers sudden, unexpected and unforeseen events around the house (e.g. spillages or breakages) that result in physical damage and which was caused by you, your guests, a third party or wild animals. Two levels of cover are available.
Optional
New Customer?
If you’re deciding on whether to buy home insurance with us, you can use our latest policy booklets as a guide.
Existing Customer?
Find answers to some of your questions here. Your latest policy documents are also available to view and download.
Your Questions Answered
It’s important that you tell your home insurance provider that you have a new extension and that the roof is flat as it may affect the cover available under your policy. The Homeprotect policy will cover you for flat roof damage and any resulting damage to the room and belongings housed beneath the flat roof, just as long as you have told us about the flat roof, and that it is regularly checked and maintained.
It is recommended to get your flat roof inspected by a professional every 5 years. You can have the survey carried out by a qualified builder, roofer or surveyor. You will need to provide documented proof of the inspection and any repair works in the event of a claim.
Flat roofs have a tendency to leak. This is particularly the case when flat roofs are not laid correctly or when they have been neglected for some time. Regular maintenance of flat roofs is often a condition of your insurance policy.
If you have recently purchased a property with a flat roof then you should be able to find out how much of it is flat by referring to the home buyer’s survey for specific measurements.
Alternatively, you can have a survey carried out by a qualified builder, roofer or surveyor and ask them to calculate the percentage of the roof that is flat. It’s important to have this information to hand when taking out a quote so as to be able to secure accurate cover for your property. To get a quote, you need to know which bracket your flat roof fits in to: 0-33%, 34-50%, 51-75% or 76-100%.
Prefer to SPEAK WITH us?
Our insurance experts are on hand if you have any questions.