“the real ‘discount’ is not having to shell out for repairs every couple of years.”
That hits home. I remember when my uncle upgraded to impact shingles after a hailstorm trashed his old roof. He was hoping for a big drop in his insurance, but like you, the premium barely moved. He grumbled about it at first, but then the next storm season rolled around and his roof was totally fine—meanwhile, two houses down, they were tarping up again.
I get why it’s frustrating, though. You spend all that extra cash thinking it’ll pay off right away, but insurance companies seem to play it safe with discounts. Still, seeing less debris in the yard and not having to climb up there to patch leaks every spring? That’s worth something, even if it’s not a line item on the bill.
One thing I noticed—some insurers want proof the shingles are actually impact-rated (like the UL 2218 cert), or they won’t even consider a discount. If you haven’t already, double-check your paperwork. Sometimes it’s just a box they forgot to tick... happened to my neighbor and he got a small rebate after sending in the docs. Not a game-changer, but hey, every bit helps.
Funny you mention paperwork—last year I had a client who swore up and down their roof was impact-rated, but when we dug through the files, nothing. Had to chase the contractor for weeks to get the cert. Got a tiny discount in the end, but it made me wonder: has anyone actually seen a big drop in premiums after upgrading? Or is it just peace of mind and fewer headaches?
I’ve wondered the same thing, honestly. We upgraded to impact-resistant shingles after a hailstorm a couple years back, and my agent made it sound like we’d see a big drop in premiums. In reality, it was maybe $100 a year? Not nothing, but not what I expected. I guess it’s more about avoiding the deductible if there’s another storm. Still, I do sleep better knowing the roof’s tougher, but I keep questioning if the upfront cost was really worth it. Anyone else feel like the “discount” is mostly just a marketing thing?
That’s pretty much what I’ve seen too—folks expect a big premium drop, but it’s usually not as dramatic as the sales pitch. I’m curious, did your insurer actually inspect the new shingles or just take your word for it? Sometimes they want photos or proof before applying any discount, and I’ve seen cases where people didn’t get the full credit because of paperwork. Also, have you noticed if your neighbors with regular shingles have had more repairs since then, or is it all about peace of mind?
Sometimes they want photos or proof before applying any discount, and I’ve seen cases where people didn’t get the full credit because of paperwork.
That’s exactly what happened to my uncle last year. He put on impact-resistant shingles after a hail storm, and his agent said he’d get a break on premiums. But the insurance company wanted a ton of photos—close-ups, wide shots, even a copy of the invoice from the roofer. He missed one document and they only gave him half the discount until he chased them for months. It’s definitely not as simple as just telling them you upgraded.
As for neighbors, I’ve noticed the ones with regular shingles are always patching up after storms. We had a big wind event last spring and two houses down lost a bunch of tabs, while my uncle’s new roof was fine. I think it’s partly peace of mind, but there’s some real difference in repairs too. Still, the premium drop isn’t huge—maybe enough to cover a pizza night every month, not much more.
