Tower Hill Home Insurance: Bait and Switch (Winter Park: house, purchase)

[scott4d]

We recently purchased a home in Winter Park. We're currently covered under Tower Hill; at the time of home purchase everything seem to fine. We had an independent inspection of the home before our 4-point inspection. No serious issues were raised.

Almost immediately after at the purchase, Tower Hill basically did an about face and told us they would not cover our roof and that we had X amount of time to "REPLACE THE ROOF" or our policy would not be renewed.

We've had a couple roofing companies come out and inspect the roof and they've all told us that the roof is fine. There was no permit pulled for the roof, but just about everybody from the inspectors to the roofing experts estimate the roof on our house was completely replaced in 2005. Representatives from various roofing companies have flat out told us that the roof doesn't need to be replaced and have stated that the roof has at least 5 - 7 years of life left in it.

Most of the roof is gable with asphalt composition shingles. There's secondary roof in the back where the house was extended, its not a very large section (200 square feet maybe). It's low sloped and is made of rolled asphalt composition.

So naturally, my question for Tower Hill is "WHY does the ENTIRE ROOF need to be replaced?". Because everybody but you says it's fine. I've been unable to extract any specific details from them; their representatives will not let me speak directly with the underwriter so I'm always relying on some third party to represent my interests. In short, the message we're receiving is "We don't want your business!"

Short of finding a different insurance carrier (which we're looking into now) what are my options at this point? Is there any kind of regulatory agency I can file a complaint with?

Any advice on this matter would be much appreciated.

[chopchop0]

Ask them for a premium refund (pro-rated) and go with someone else?

[theoldnorthstate]

Something has come out in the law or code having to do with the roof. My irrigation guy was telling me that the Insurance Companies now have to replace roofs completely rather than repair and if 25% of the roof needs repair it must be replaced.

Admit I put this in my think about it later pile.

So it is possible that the Insurance Company is getting out ahead on this or something else entirely.

But it would be worth listening to them to get the why and what and also talking to your realtor. someone who has more experience.

My irrigation guy thought it was in my best interest to take advantage of this but I am still not sold.

[scott4d]

Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate

Something has come out in the law or code having to do with the roof. My irrigation guy was telling me that the Insurance Companies now have to replace roofs completely rather than repair and if 25% of the roof needs repair it must be replaced.

Admit I put this in my think about it later pile.

So it is possible that the Insurance Company is getting out ahead on this or something else entirely.

But it would be worth listening to them to get the why and what and also talking to your realtor. someone who has more experience.

My irrigation guy thought it was in my best interest to take advantage of this but I am still not sold.

The WHY and WHAT part have been the biggest challenge. It's difficult to swallow an entire roof replacement without more explanation than "Because we said so".