The short answer
Not automatically. A new roof can improve your position with an insurer, because it removes a common source of claims, but there is no rule that premiums drop and no standard percentage. Some insurers ask about the age and condition of the roof, others do not, and many price on the postcode and the rebuild cost. Tell your insurer about the work, keep the documents, and ask for a fresh quote at renewal.
What insurers actually look at
Home insurers price a policy on a set of factors: the address and its flood and theft history, the rebuild cost, the construction type, claims history and the excess you choose. Roof condition is rarely a line on its own, but it sits behind several of them. A roof in poor repair makes storm damage and water ingress claims more likely, and some insurers ask whether the property is in good repair when you buy the policy.
So a new roof does not carry a published discount. What it can do is support your case. If your existing insurer has loaded the price because of an old roof, or if a new insurer asks about the roof's age, being able to say it was replaced recently, with paperwork, helps. We cannot say what any individual insurer will do, and we would be wary of anyone who promises a saving.
You should tell your insurer
Work on the structure of the home is a change to the property, and policies generally expect you to tell the insurer about material changes. A new roof usually counts as an improvement, not a risk, but the duty is to give fair and accurate answers at renewal. Read your policy wording for conditions about unoccupied property or building work, since a house under a strip and re-cover is in a state of change for a few days.
It is also worth asking whether the policy has a condition about maintenance or wear and tear. Most insurers do not pay for damage that comes from a roof simply wearing out, and they do cover sudden damage such as a storm lifting tiles. A recent re-roof with a written guarantee shows the roof was properly looked after. For how long you can expect a covering to last, see our page on how long a new roof lasts.
The documents that help
Gather the paperwork when the job finishes. That means the invoice listing the materials, the written guarantee, any building control completion certificate if the work was notifiable, and the photographs of the roof as it was built. If a claim ever comes up, those prove what was fitted and when. Our page on whether you get a certificate for a new roof explains which of them apply to your job.
Our guarantee covers the workmanship for ten years and is a promise from us in writing. It is not an insurance policy and it does not replace your buildings insurance. Storm damage, a fallen tree or a vehicle strike are insurance matters, and your own policy responds to them.
Claims, excess and the old roof
If a storm has damaged your roof, make a claim before you have the work done, and follow your insurer's instructions on temporary repairs and keeping evidence. They may send an assessor, who will want to see the damage and the roof's general state. Take photographs and keep any tiles that came down. An insurer may pay for the repair of storm damage but not for the replacement of a roof that was already worn out. We will make the roof safe first in an emergency, and our survey photos can show what was damaged and what was already ageing.
Insurance is also a reason to look at your roof sooner, not later. A loose ridge tile left through the winter can become a claim and a ceiling repair, and a roof repaired in good time may avoid one.
Flat roofs, extensions and unusual roofs
Not every roof is a pitched tile roof, and insurers ask different questions of different coverings. A flat-roofed extension, a thatched cottage or a house with a green roof may fall under special terms, and a replaced flat roof with a written guarantee can help your case. Say what the roof is made of when you get a quote, because an insurer who is told the wrong covering may refuse a claim later. Where you have a conservatory with a glazed or polycarbonate roof, ask whether it is covered under the buildings or the contents section.
Ask for quotes again
After the work, ask your current insurer to review the premium, and get one or two comparison quotes. Some price on the age of the property and ignore the roof, so you may see no change. Others will answer a question about roof age or condition, and that is where the new roof may help. Treat any saving as a possible bonus, not the reason to re-roof.
If you want to know what state your roof is really in before you speak to an insurer, our survey is free and comes with photographs. We say when a repair will do. The full service is described on our roof replacement page.
Every roof is different. A free survey with photos settles it for yours.
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