Wind mitigation discounts and credits can help reduce your homeowners’ insurance costs, but before your insurer will apply any discounts, they’ll ask you to have an inspection performed. One of the items an inspector looks at is the shape of the roof — if it’s a hip roof, you’ll automatically qualify for a percentage off the wind coverage portion of your insurance premium.
Why Do Hip Roofs Cost Less to Insure?
You can save money on your insurance with a hip roof because it stands up better to hurricane-force winds than other roof styles. To help you understand why having a hip roof makes a difference, let’s compare it to the more common gable roof.
A hip roof slopes from the peak down to the fascia on all four sides at a moderate angle. With this type of design, high winds get diverted up and over the structure so there’s less chance of the roof getting lifted off or damaged.
- A gable roof slopes down on just two sides, which leaves triangular end walls on the other two sides. These “gable ends” channel the wind, which makes the entire roof more vulnerable to lifting or being blown off in a storm. High winds lifting the roof can trigger a domino effect of damage, where the gables collapse and rows of framing members get knocked down.
How Hip Roof Qualification is Calculated
Some homes have complete hip roofs, while others have a combination of roof styles. The main structure may be hipped, with a gabled section over a garage or a flat roof on a porch. To qualify for a wind mitigation discount, the roof shape must be at least 90 percent hipped, which means that gabled or flat roofs can’t account for more than 10 percent of the total perimeter measurement. Flat or gabled roofs that are only attached at the fascia and don’t cover enclosed living spaces don’t count.
Benefits of Installing a Hip Roof
Saving money on your homeowner’s insurance is just one of the advantages of having a hip roof. Because it’s hurricane-resistant, a hip roof offers better protection for you and your family and lessens the likelihood of serious structural or water damage to your home and its contents.
If you’re planning a roof replacement and you’d like to learn more about having a hip roof installed, contact us today at Kelly Roofing.