Weight of ice and snow insurance

Winter is here. Depending on where you live in that can mean wind and rain or wind and snow. And often, lots of it. That light fluffy snow can become a very weighty problem when it piles up on your roof. That’s why it’s important your home insurance policy covers damage from the weight of ice and snow.

There are many steps you can take to prevent weight of ice and snow damage. That said, the only way to financially protect your family and home against weight of ice and snow damage is to buy home insurance. In North America, most home insurance providers give you the option of adding ice and snow damage insurance to your policy. At Square One Insurance Services, we automatically include weight of ice and snow insurance in all our policies. No paying extra. To learn more about weight of ice and snow insurance, review the information provided below.

Does home insurance cover damage caused by the weight of ice and snow?

Your roof can collapse if ice and snow build up to a dangerous weight. This type of loss is generally covered by your home insurance. However, if your roof is nearing its life expectancy, or is in poor repair, your settlement could be limited. Often home insurance providers will limit coverage to the depreciated value of the roof, rather than the replacement cost.

The resultant damage to the inside of your home will also be covered by most home insurance policies.

Protection against damage caused by the weight of ice and snow is included in all home insurance policies offered by Square One. No paying extra.

And if you have to move out while your home is being repaired, your additional living expense insurance will come into play. This is sometimes included in policies, and other times can be added as an additional rider, allowing you to choose the amount of coverage you need.

At Square One, you get to choose how much additional living expense coverage you need. That means you only pay for what you need.

What can I do to prevent damage occurring?

There are several things you can do to prevent damage from the weight of ice and snow. Here are the top 3:

Keep your roof in good repair. Do some maintenance, particularly in the fall. Clean the gutters. Water can get trapped in clogged gutters and can form ice dams in the winter. This can prevent any melting snow from flowing away, and may cause it to flow into your house instead.
Hire a professional to remove snow piling up on your roof. Snowy roofs are slippery, and you don’t want to end up with an injury from falling off the roof.
Make sure your attic is properly insulated to prevent heat from leaking out through the roof. This will not only keep heating costs down, but it will prevent any accumulated snow from melting too quickly, possibly causing water to enter your home. Or from melting and refreezing, adding additional weight, and causing even more accumulation.

What is the deductible for damage caused by the weight of ice and snow?

Any damage caused by the weight of ice and snow should be subject to your base policy deductible, which usually ranges from $500 to $5,000. This is another good reason to make sure your roof is well maintained, and kept clear of snow. Selecting a high deductible is a great way to keep your premiums low, but it’s also a good incentive to prevent a loss from happening.