If you’re a homeowner, you probably know how quickly insurance premiums can add up. Whether it’s your homeowners insurance, car insurance, or even health insurance—it seems like there’s always something to keep paying for. But what if I told you that something as simple as your roof could help you save on your home insurance? That’s right, by upgrading to a Class 4 impact-resistant roof, you could see significant savings on your premium. In this blog post, we’re going to dive into the world of roofing insurance discounts, explain why Class 3 and Class 4 roofs are so important to insurance providers, and even share a few real-world examples of homeowners who’ve saved big just by upgrading their roof.

What Is a Class 4 Roof and Why Does It Matter?

Let’s start with the basics: what exactly is a Class 4 roof? In simple terms, Class 4 roofing Refers to materials that have been rated for class 4 impact-resistant shingles. This means the materials have been tested to withstand the kind of hail, wind, and debris that would normally cause significant damage to your roof. Class 4 is the highest rating, meaning it’s the best at preventing damage, and it usually applies to shingles, tiles, or metal roofs designed to take a beating.

The rating is based on tests that simulate the effects of hail storms and other severe weather events. The higher the rating (Class 3 or Class 4), the more durable the material is. The Class 3 roof, while not as resistant as Class 4, still provides superior Durability is crucial when selecting roofing materials like class 4 impact-resistant shingles compared to standard roofing options like 3-tab shingles.

But why does this matter for your homeowner’s insurance? Well, insurance underwriters are all about risk management. The more likely a roof is to sustain damage in a storm, the more it costs for the insurance firm to replace it, especially with class 3 or 4 ratings. When your roof can withstand extreme weather, the risk of damage is significantly reduced, and as a result, your insurance rates can be much lower. A Class 4 roof can help reduce the likelihood of costly claims, which is why insurance providers are eager to offer discounts for homeowners who have one.

How Class 4 Roofs and Class 3 Roofs Can Lower Your Insurance Costs

Now let’s get into the numbers—how much can a roofing company save you? Class 4 roof How much can impact-resistant shingles actually save you? Insurance agencies are pretty specific about how they calculate premiums, and they love low-risk properties. According to several industry studies and insurance reports, homeowners with Class 4-rated roofs can see anywhere from 10% to 30% off their annual premium. That’s a big difference, especially considering that the average annual homeowners insurance premium is around $1,200. If you’re looking at a 30% savings, that’s $360 per year that could be staying in your pocket. Over the course of a few years, that could add up to a serious chunk of change.

So, what about Class 3 roofs? These roofs are a step down from Class 4 but still offer excellent protection. They typically provide class 4 shingles that enhance durability for hail resistance up to 1.75 inches in diameter. If you have a Class 3 roof, you could expect savings in the range of 5% to 15%. While this isn’t quite as high as a Class 4 roof’s discount, it’s still significant. So, even if you can’t quite swing the upgrade to a Class 4 roof, Class 3 is still a solid option for saving some money.

A Deeper Dive into the Insurance Industry’s Perspective on Roofing Material Durability

You might be asking yourself, “Why are Class 4 roofs such a big deal to insurers?” It all comes down to the potential for damage and the benefits of class 4 ratings durability and risk reduction. Insurance collectives are constantly trying to balance the cost of claims with the premium income they receive from homeowners. When a homeowner has a roof that’s less likely to sustain damage, it means the insurer is less likely to have to pay out a large claim.

Imagine this scenario: a hailstorm hits your area, and you’re lucky enough to have a Class 4 roof. Your roof might get a little dinged up, but because the materials are so durable, they can take the impact without cracking, breaking, or getting punctured. Your insurance company doesn’t have to pay for an entire roof replacement. That’s a win-win for them—and for you in the form of lower premiums.

On the flip side, if your roof is made of older, more vulnerable materials like 3-tab shingles, even small hailstones can cause serious damage to roof shingles, especially if they are not impact-resistant. In these cases, the insurance company will have to cover the cost of repairs or replacement, leading to higher premiums for you down the line. That’s why insurance companies are so eager to incentivize homeowners to install Class 3 and Class 4 roofing.

Real-Life Case Studies: Homeowners Who Saved Big on Their Premiums

Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of homeowners who upgraded to Class 4 roofing and enjoyed significant savings on their insurance premiums.

Case Study 1: The Johnson Family

The Johnsons had an older asphalt roof on their home, which had been in place for over 20 years. After a particularly rough hailstorm, they filed a claim and had to replace their roof entirely. And it was a very large roof. They decided to upgrade to Class 4 asphalt shingles, which promised to be more resistant to impact damage. After the installation was complete, they contacted their insurance provider to let them know about the new roof. The result? It impacts your home insurance costs significantly. Their annual premium dropped by 25%, which saved them around $750 per year. Over the next 5 years, that’s a savings of $3,750—not too shabby for an investment in a new roof!

Case Study 2: Sarah’s Tile Roof Upgrade to class 4 shingles.

Sarah owned a home with a concrete tile roof that was about 15 years old. While concrete tile roofs are generally durable, hers had started to show signs of wear. After learning about the potential for insurance discounts, Sarah decided to upgrade to a new Class 3-rated concrete tile roof. The insurance company offered her a 15% discount on her annual premium, which equaled a savings of about $350 per year. With the added bonus of better protection against hail and wind, Sarah felt confident in her investment.

Case Study 3: Mark’s Metal Roof

Mark had always been interested in upgrading to a metal roof but hesitated because of the upfront cost. After doing some research, he realized that not only would he get a long-lasting, durable roof, but he’d also be eligible for significant insurance discounts and save money in the long run. Mark installed a Class 4 metal roof and immediately saw a 25% reduction in his insurance premium. That’s a savings of over $500 a year!

In Conclusion: The Smart Choice for Homeowners

Upgrading to a Class 4 impact-resistant roof is more than just a smart move for protecting your home from severe weather—it’s also a financially savvy decision. With the potential to save up to 25 to 30% on your homeowner’s insurance, it’s an investment that pays off in multiple ways. Whether you’re dealing with hailstorms, heavy winds, or just the wear and tear of time, an upgraded Class 4 roof offers you peace of mind and substantial savings.

If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of upgrading your roof and saving money on your premiums, reach out to a trusted roofing professional to discuss your options. The sooner you make the switch, the sooner you can start saving!

Ready to Save on Your Insurance? Let’s Talk about upgrading to impact-resistant shingles!

At Denny’s Roofing, we specialize in helping homeowners upgrade to durable, impact-resistant roofs that not only protect your home but also save you money on insurance costs. These often impact your insurance coverage favorably, and you can confirm this with your own insurance adjuster. We are certified in all kinds of roofing materials, including class 4 shingles, and can help guide you based on your needs. Contact us today for a FREE roof inspection and/or to learn more about how a Class 4 roof can benefit you. Remember us – If you are making an insurance claim to replace your roof, and we can help you navigate home insurance policies to ensure you’re getting the best coverage and discounts for your roof!

Here are 7 options that you don’t know about!

An extreme weather front blows through your neighborhood. After the storm is over, you take a walk around your home to assess it, and you spot some property damage.  Is it enough to call your Insurance company to cover the losses? What’s my current deductible? This is why we buy Insurance… right?!

What do I do now?

What is the FIRST step?

You see damage on some or all of these areas around your home – your gutters, siding, paint, windows, patio furniture, sheds, and more.

Has your Roof been damaged?  Do you even know what to look for? Most homeowners don’t.

Relax, the FIRST thing you should do is call a reputable contractor like Denny’s Roofing to come out and put some professional eyes on it to assess the damage to your property and see if it is worth filing an Insurance claim. Meaning, is the damage a lot more than your current deductible? An honest contractor will give a quick assessment and give their opinion on the pros vs cons of calling Insurance to file a claim. If there is a little damage, calling your Insurance company might give you a “ding” to your policy that you don’t want to use if you don’t actually need it.

You see some damage. It’s there. Your Contractor acknowledges the damage. They feel that it’s worth calling your Insurance Company to get them to send out a “field adjuster” to take a look. You call and have your Contractor there at the meeting to represent you with the Insurance company. The process has started and is in motion.

Oftentimes, when the damage is obvious, there is no issue with your insurance carrier. They promptly cover the damages, sometimes cutting you a first check right on the spot, so that you can hire your chosen contractor like Denny’s Roofing to start the work. Great.  All is well when the system does what it’s supposed to.

And it seems like more and more insurance carriers are denying certain coverage or even refusing to cover you at all during the first go around with the adjuster when there is obvious damage. As Contractors, we are seeing this more and more to our dismay. For you the homeowner, it’s got to be very disappointing — you have been paying your premiums for years — you now need their help. What is going on? You have seen all the commercials and it’s drilled into your unconscious that a storm + damage = coverage. But not this time. Why?

It’s important to know that just because they have refused to cover certain items, it doesn’t mean that they WON’T in the end. It’s just going to take some time for your Contractor to get the coverage for you so that there are funds to fix the issues that are covered in your policy.  It’s not unusual for the initial “scope of work” from the Insurance company to come back a lot less than necessary to cover the damage.

Sometimes the Insurance company just refuses to cover certain damage because of an internal policy or leadership change, building code changes, or an adjuster that just digs their heels in and refuses to pay certain items based on internal company policy. It will feel a bit arbitrary. That can cause a big issue for the contractor to be able to complete the repairs. There are ways to work around it.

Ok… now what??

Well, here are a few things that you can do if this happens to you. Don’t get all worked up over it.  At least not yet. There are a number of things that your Contractor can help with – to get you coverage. We are just getting started!

1. If your claim gets refused or cuts short monetarily, you will get paperwork from your carrier explaining why.  There might just be an error in the date of the storm or some procedural glitch that needs to be addressed. This does happen and the algorithm makes a mistake.
2. Most insurance companies use an estimating software tool called Xactimate. It was developed by State Farm to equal the playing field for contractors and adjusters.  The average price for certain work to be done is in a drop-down menu and regularly updated that we all work abiding by.  It’s close to being accurate. It might be a little higher if it is a “bid” item that needs to be approved, and it just gives everyone a similar starting point to write a fair estimate.
3. You can also call out another “Field Adjuster” with the Insurance Company to come out for a 2nd opinion.  Adjusters are people. Some you get along with, and some you don’t.  The first adjuster might have been having a bad day when they wrote the first estimate and were dealing with a personal life circumstance, and so, their state of mind gave you a poor estimate. It’s totally within your rights to have a reinspect. And even a second one if necessary.
4. Once the reinspection is done, you can also get your Contractor to document the damage with lots of additional pictures and send them to the “desk adjuster” to look at.  What is a desk adjuster?  You have been assigned someone “in-house” that will look at the field adjuster’s determination and confirm it and also approve all of the “supplementation” that needs to be done after the first estimate. At this point, this person makes the decisions on coverage. They can be very reasonable. If you don’t connect with them, you can also speak to their Manager. The supplementation ends up adding between 5% to 35% or even more to the claim.  Some items on the claim need to be finished and documented before the insurance company will pay for them. And some items will be missed by the initial Adjuster.  This is common.
5. Ask your Insurance Agent to go to bat for you if they’re in agreement about the coverage issue. Agents usually don’t get involved in the “claims” aspect of the process, and the good ones will if they need to and you can explain your situation. Explain your situation and ask them to call the adjuster to see what the issue is. And then get back to you about it. They don’t have any direct pull with the claims department and when they call claims, it does seem to make a difference.
6. There is also the option of having a Public Appraiser or Public Adjuster take a look at it and see if there is a discrepancy between what the insurance carrier agrees to put into the claim versus what an impartial appraiser sees. Both sides bring in independent representation, and they make the decision. It’s a bit like arbitration. This is a bit of a longer process, and it can be a very useful tool in the end. We only invoke this when the insurance company is denying coverage.
7. If you are feeling mistreated by your carrier, the last resort – you can call D.O.R.A. – The Colorado Insurance regulatory agency. If your insurance company is just not treating you well and has broken certain “good faith” agreements, the folks at DORA will look into it. Insurance companies tend to move forward quickly when DORA gets involved.

The most important thing to remember is to be patient. Getting you covered so that your home can get put back into the same condition as it was before the storm can take time. We know that you would like to get your work done. We want to do it for you. And getting the Insurance companies to acknowledge their agreement to indemnify you is the core of your agreement with the Insurance company.  And hiring the right Contractor that also has the skill and patience to navigate you through that process is key. So, hire wisely.

Hang in there.  A little patience goes a long way. Especially if you have hired the right contractor to take you through it step-by-step.