Homeowners insurance may cover a roof leak if it is caused by a covered peril. Suppose your roof is damaged by fire, hail or wind. which results in a leak. In those cases, your homeowners policy may help pay to repair the roof leak (unless your policy has a wind or hail exclusion).

However, homeowners insurance generally does not cover damage resulting from lack of maintenance or wear and tear. Instead, it typically helps pay to repair sudden, accidental damage. So if its age or an unresolved maintenance issue are to blame for your leaking roof, homeowners insurance likely won't pay to repair the leak or the resulting damage. That's one reason why you may want to conduct regular roof inspections. If you're planning to buy a new home, you may want to learn about the roof's age and condition, too.