The short answer
That depends on the cause and on your policy wording, and nobody can guarantee a result. Home insurance is aimed at sudden events like a storm, and policies often exclude gradual damage and general wear. If a storm did the harm, speak to your insurer before arranging repairs, and keep dated photographs and receipts.
Storm damage against wear and tear
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) settles disputes between consumers and insurers, and it publishes how it weighs a roof complaint. It works through three points: a storm occurring, damage that matches one, and a storm that was the chief cause. Where the roof had already deteriorated, or the weather merely exposed an old fault, the FOS says it is unlikely to side with the policyholder.
That line explains most of the disappointment. Slipped tiles, tired flashings and cracked slates that built up over the years count as wear. A sudden break, such as tiles torn off in a gale, is closer to what cover exists for.
The FOS lists gradual damage and wear among the usual exclusions. Under a policy that excludes them, an old roof reaching the end of its life does not normally turn into a new one at the insurer's expense.
Whether a claim succeeds is for the insurer to decide, and we have no say in it. We can survey the roof, photograph what is there and describe in everyday language what we think caused it, which gives you a clear record to put in front of the insurer.
What your policy means by a storm
Your own policy's definition is the one that counts, so read it through. The FOS describes how it treats the word: its description centres on violent wind, usually with wet or icy weather, though it accepts that very heavy precipitation can qualify when the wind is light.
For wind it weighs the Beaufort Scale, a measure of wind strength, and it notes that certain insurers count only winds beyond a set point on that scale. For rain, hail and snow, the test is a very large amount in a short time, or a fall that is extreme.
Treat any wind-speed number you read online with caution. Insurers set their own thresholds, and a figure quoted for one company may not match your wording.
Which? reported that only 32% of storm-related claims made in 2024 resulted in a payout. That is a reason to prepare carefully, not a forecast for yours.
If the insurer says no, keep its final response letter and your policy summary. Those two documents, together with the dates, set the time limits for any complaint to the FOS.
Steps when you suspect storm damage
Ring your insurer before you commission anything permanent. Stop further water coming in with a temporary repair, and keep each receipt for it. Safety comes first for us too; a tarpaulin or a few replaced tiles can limit the harm while the claim is looked at.
According to the Institution of Structural Engineers, pictures are vital because they show the damage itself. Capture the roof from ground level or a bedroom window, then the ceiling below and any water marks, and keep the dates. Take every shot from solid ground or from inside the house.
Keep any fallen pieces, provided collecting them is safe, and write down when you spotted the problem and what the weather was doing.
Wait for the insurer to say what it will accept before ordering a full re-roof. If only part of a claim is paid, a written repair scope priced as one total gives you something definite to put forward.
MyJobQuote (Oct 2026) says storm repairs start at around £300, with extensive storm repairs at £1,200 or more. Our roof repairs page explains the make-safe visit.
If the insurer says no
A refusal can be challenged. Request the decision in writing with the reasons behind it, and take your disagreement to the insurer's complaints team first. Once eight weeks go by without a final response, or if you reject the one you get, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at the case. Its helpline is 0800 023 4567 and its service is free. You then have 6 months from the date on the final response letter.
If the roof has simply worn out, the realistic route is to plan and fund a replacement yourself. No national grant exists to pay for a new roof. Separate schemes cover insulation and home adaptations, and eligibility turns on your circumstances, so read the official pages before assuming anything.
What it costs turns on the roof itself; our answer on new roof cost sets out national typical ranges, while signs you need a new roof helps you judge repair against replacement.
On the roof replacement page you can see how we survey first and write the price afterwards, as one total.
