Does insurance cover wind damaged roofs?

Yes, high-velocity wind is a covered peril under standard homeowner policies. However, the carrier will only pay if you can prove the wind physically fractured the shingle (creating a crease) or forcefully tore it off. If the shingle is merely 'flapping' and unsealed, they will likely deny it as natural wear and tear.

What wind speed causes roof damage?

Brand new architectural shingles are tested to withstand 110 to 130 MPH winds. However, as the asphalt ages and the sealant dries out, a 15-year-old roof can suffer catastrophic wind-lift and creasing in gusts as low as 50 to 60 MPH.

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Covered Perils: Wind Damage Hub

A severe windstorm rarely rips the entire roof off your house. It breaks the sealant, snaps the fiberglass, and leaves the shingles laying flat, waiting for the next rainstorm. Learn how to prove the hidden damage.

Master Hub Author: Damage Verified Research Team • Target: Lifted Shingles & Blow-Offs

Wind Speed Vulnerability Matrix

Check your local weather data for the peak wind gusts during the storm, and cross-reference it with the age of your roof to predict your adjuster’s likely response.

1. What were the peak recorded wind gusts?

2. How old is the roofing system?

The Wind Index

1. The Illusion of the Flat Shingle
2. The Adjuster’s “Maintenance” Trap
3. The Wind Diagnostic Directory (Deep Dives)

1. The Illusion of the Flat Shingle

Unlike hail, which leaves a permanent physical dent in the roof, wind damage is often invisible from the ground. During a severe storm, negative air pressure (lift) catches the bottom edge of the shingle and pulls it upward.

If the wind breaks the manufacturer’s tar sealant strip, the shingle bends backward violently. Because asphalt is rigid, this hyperextension fractures the fiberglass mat inside. Once the wind stops, the shingle lays back down flat. To the untrained eye, the roof looks completely fine. But that shingle is structurally dead, and it will leak during the next rainstorm.

2. The Adjuster’s “Maintenance” Trap

“Unsealed” Does Not Mean “Damaged”

Insurance carriers instruct their field adjusters to look for unsealed shingles. If an adjuster lifts a flapping shingle and the underside is dry and smooth, they will deny the claim, stating the sealant simply “degraded due to age.” That is a maintenance issue. To prove it is storm damage, you must physically show the adjuster the crease mark on the top of the shingle or the sticky black “mat transfer” on the bottom, proving it was ripped apart violently.

Redacted engineer photo showing severe wind crease across the top third of an architectural shingle flap

3. The Wind Diagnostic Directory

To win a wind damage claim, you must arm yourself with physical proof to defeat the adjuster’s “wear and tear” argument. Select your deep-dive guide below:

Wind Creases vs. Natural Wear

The definitive guide to identifying functional wind creases and proving “mat transfer.” Learn how to use visual evidence to force the carrier to pay for flapping shingles.

Defeat the Sealant Excuse

Tree Fall Structural Deflection

If high winds brought a tree or large branch down on your roof, the puncture is only half the problem. Learn how to prove the trusses were crushed and force an engineer’s assessment.

Assess Hidden Deflection

The Brittle Test (Repair vs. Replace)

The adjuster authorized 12 replacement shingles for the ones that blew off. Learn how to use the Brittle Test to prove the remaining roof cannot be patched, forcing a total replacement.

Run the Math