Conservatory roof insurance
Does home insurance cover a conservatory roof?
The short answer
It depends on your policy, and the only reliable answer is in the policy documents. Cover differs between insurers, and damage that comes from age, wear or poor upkeep is normally excluded. After a storm, contact the insurer before anything else, secure the roof, take pictures and file every receipt. No claim should ever be assumed to succeed.
What to look for in a home insurance policy, what insurers treat as wear and tear, and the order to do things in after a storm.
Reading the policy for the conservatory
Home insurance is not one product. A buildings policy covers the structure of the house, a contents policy covers what is inside it, and where a conservatory fits is set by the wording of your own policy. Some name it as part of the building. Some list it as an extra, or limit what they pay for glass and plastic roofing.
Start with the policy schedule and the booklet. Look for the words conservatory, glass, outbuilding and roof, then check the excess, any limit on a single claim, and the list of exclusions, which is often where roofs of this kind are caught out. If the wording is unclear, ask the insurer in writing which section covers a conservatory roof and keep the reply.
Also tell the insurer if you have changed the conservatory, for example by fitting a solid roof or opening it into the house. A change that the insurer was never told about can complicate a later claim, so ask whether it affects the policy.
Sudden storm damage versus ageing
To an insurer, a sudden event and slow decline are different things. A branch that cracks a panel in a gale is a sudden event. A roof that has yellowed, split or leaked because it is old is wear and tear, and policies commonly exclude it. Which? gives the example of water coming in through a poorly maintained roof as something insurers treat that way.
Which? also quotes the Financial Conduct Authority: only 32 per cent of storm claims made in 2024 ended in a payout. That is no reason to skip a claim, but it is a reason to document everything and not to order a repair assuming the insurer will pay.
Upkeep therefore counts. A conservatory roof with sound seals and clear gutters is easier to show as looked after, and our guide to a leaking conservatory roof lists the faults to deal with before they become claims.
What to do first after damage
Safety comes before paperwork. Keep everyone out of the room if glass has broken or the roof has shifted, and resist the urge to climb up for a look. IStructE suggests reporting a dangerous structure to the building control team at your local authority.
Next, ring the insurer promptly. Which? points out that insurers tend to run emergency helplines, and that when you organise emergency repairs yourself you should let them know and hold on to the receipts, which become part of the claim. Damaged items should be kept unless they are a health hazard.
Take your pictures before anything is moved. IStructE calls photographs vital evidence, and includes urgent repairs you have made, such as a temporary cover over the opening, among the details to pass on. Wide shots from inside and out, then close-ups of each crack or gap, give the insurer what it needs.
Temporary repairs and who does them
A temporary repair is meant to stop further damage while the claim is dealt with, nothing more. That might be a tarpaulin fixed over a broken area, boarding in place of a smashed panel, or a temporary cover over an open ridge. Making the leak safe comes first when we attend, and storm damage is prioritised in our diary.
Ask your insurer before you commission a permanent repair, because some policies expect their own approved contractor or an estimate first. File the invoice for the temporary work together with the photographs from before and after.
Treat a stranger at the door after a storm, offering to replace the whole roof straight away, with caution. A proper survey looks at what is broken, why, and whether a smaller fix will hold. Our page on how to replace a conservatory roof panel shows when a single panel is enough. The quote is written, shows one total, and comes with survey photographs of your own roof.
When the insurer refuses
A refusal need not be final. Read the reason given and compare it with the policy wording. If the insurer says the damage is wear and tear, ask for the evidence behind that view, and consider sending your own photographs and any survey report you have.
Complain to the insurer in the first instance. Which? explains that if you remain unhappy, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use. Keep a dated log of every call and email, and note the name of each person you speak to. A clear paper trail makes any complaint easier to follow and stops details being lost.
If the claim fails and the roof still needs work, the repair is yours to fund. Our guide to conservatory roof costs gives typical figures, and the conservatory roof replacement page explains how we approach the work.
Related questions
Insurance queries
Should I photograph the damage before a temporary repair?
Yes. Take wide and close photographs of the roof, the ceiling and the floor before anything is moved or covered. Photographs are evidence of the damage as it was, and IStructE describes them as vital. Keep receipts for the temporary work, and photograph that too.
Where do I complain if the insurer will not pay?
Begin by complaining to the insurer directly. If the answer does not settle it, Which? says you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use. Have the policy wording, your photographs, receipts and a dated record of every contact ready.