Those little stains are like breadcrumbs... ignore them and you might end up with a much bigger headache down the line.
That’s the truth. I once followed a tiny ceiling stain in a ranch house, thinking it was just a minor drip. Ended up tracing it all the way to a cracked vent boot on the other side of the roof. Insurance almost denied the claim because the owner hadn’t done any maintenance in years. Sometimes it’s the smallest signs that save you from a world of trouble.
Sometimes it’s the smallest signs that save you from a world of trouble.
Right? I’ve seen folks ignore a tiny water spot, then months later they’re dealing with mold, rotten decking, and a full roof replacement. Out of curiosity—has anyone actually had an insurance claim go smoothly after skipping years of checkups? Or is that just a unicorn story?
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I haven’t heard of a single claim that went off without a hitch if there was a long gap in maintenance. My neighbor skipped his annual inspections and when he finally filed, the adjuster pointed out the obvious neglect—claim denied. Maybe it’s different in other regions or with certain policies? Has anyone actually had an insurer overlook deferred maintenance, or is that just wishful thinking?
- Haven’t seen a single person in my circle get a claim paid when they skipped maintenance, either.
- My inspector warned me during the buying process—insurance companies look for *any* reason to deny stuff, especially if there’s obvious neglect (missing shingles, moss, etc).
- I’m in the Midwest, so we get a lot of hail and wind. My neighbor’s adjuster actually asked for proof of regular checkups before they’d even look at his roof leak claim. He didn’t have any, and that was pretty much the end of it.
- Maybe some older policies are more forgiving? But all the new ones I read through had a “duty to maintain” clause.
- I get why people want to skip the hassle, but seems like wishful thinking to hope they’ll just let it slide.
- Not saying it’s fair—just seems like the reality. If anyone’s actually had luck with an insurer overlooking deferred maintenance, I’d be shocked.
- For me, I’m just keeping receipts and pics every year... not worth the risk.
Yeah, I learned this the hard way. Had a minor leak last spring and figured I’d just patch it up myself, skip the paperwork. Fast forward to a gnarly storm, and suddenly half my ceiling’s stained. Insurance guy came out, took one look at the moss on the roof and basically shrugged. Didn’t matter that the storm made it worse—he said “maintenance issue.” Since then I keep a folder of photos and receipts... not fun, but way easier than fighting with them later.
