Temporary repair first
Should you pay for a temporary roof repair before the insurer agrees?
The short answer
Yes, if rain is getting in. Which? advises that anyone who has to arrange emergency repairs themselves should tell the insurer what they did and file the receipts, since that spending can be added to the claim. Stopping further damage is sensible whatever the policy says. Hold off on the permanent repair until the insurer has seen the damage or agreed to the work.
Why a temporary repair is usually the right first step, what to tell the insurer and keep, and when to wait before the lasting fix.
Why waiting for permission can cost you more
While rain is entering a house, every extra wet day adds to the damage: soaked insulation, stained ceilings, swollen timber. Insurers generally expect a policyholder to take reasonable steps to prevent further loss, and a delay while you wait for a call back can look like the opposite. A temporary repair that stops the water is the response a reasonable owner would be expected to make, and it is far easier to defend than a house left open to the rain for a week.
It also keeps the cost of the claim down. A tarpaulin or a few tiles replaced to close an opening is a small outlay compared with a ceiling that has fallen in. Ring the insurer, explain what has happened and ask what they want you to do. Then act. Nobody needs to wait for an assessor to arrive before stopping the weather reaching the rooms below. Rain does not pause for paperwork, and an insurer is far more likely to question a ceiling that was left to collapse than a tarpaulin that was put up promptly. Our emergency roof repairs hub explains how a make-safe visit runs.
What counts as a temporary repair
A temporary repair is anything that keeps water out for now without being the final answer. Examples include fixing sheeting or a tarpaulin over a damaged slope, replacing a handful of missing tiles, covering a flat roof tear with a patch, or boarding an open gable. It is meant to hold until the permanent work can be done in better conditions, and a good roofer will tell you plainly how long to expect it to last, because a cover left too long starts to fail at the fixings.
It is not a rebuild. Temporary cover should be fixed firmly to the structure, because a loose sheet can flap and cause further damage in the wind. Our pages on tarpaulin covers and temporary roof repair show what a sound make-safe looks like and why a hurried one often fails within a few days. Ask the roofer how the cover is fixed, what it protects and how long it is expected to hold, and ask for that in the invoice wording.
What to tell the insurer and what to keep
Describe the work in plain terms and give the date. Structural engineers' guidance on storm damage puts covers fitted to keep water out among the urgent repairs that should be reported, together with pictures of the affected parts of the building.
Keep the invoice, and ask the roofer to write on it what was done and where. Keep photographs from before, during and after if possible. Hold on to broken materials, such as cracked tiles, until the insurer says it does not need to see them, unless they pose a health hazard. A short note of the name of each person you reached at the insurer, and the date and time of each call, is worth writing down as you go, because memories blur when a claim runs for weeks and several people handle it.
When to hold back on the permanent repair
Making the roof safe is one thing. Carrying out a full repair or replacement before the insurer has looked at the damage is another. The insurer may want an assessor to inspect, may ask for an estimate or may prefer its own contractor. Starting the lasting work first can leave you without agreement on cost or scope, and a bill you then have to argue over.
The sensible order is therefore: make safe, report, photograph, then wait for the insurer to respond on the permanent work, within reason. If the delay drags on and the temporary cover is not holding, say so and ask what they want. After the survey we give you a written quote showing a single total, so a figure is ready when the insurer asks for one. Our guide on how long a temporary repair lasts helps you judge how long it can safely wait.
If the policy turns out not to respond
Sometimes the cause turns out to be wear and tear, and the insurer declines. The temporary repair still protected the house, and you have lost nothing by doing it, though the cost falls on you. That is why keeping the first repair modest matters. Pay for what stops the water, not for a larger job you were not sure the policy would honour.
If you disagree with a decision, put the complaint to the insurer before approaching the Financial Ombudsman Service, which Which? notes is free to use. Our answer on storm damage versus wear and tear explains how insurers judge the cause, which tells you how strong your position is likely to be before you commit to the larger repair.
Related questions
Temporary repair questions
Will the insurer refuse because I used my own roofer?
Not necessarily, but ask them what they require before you commit. Some policies list approved contractors for larger work. For urgent protection, tell them what you arranged and why, and keep the invoice and photographs as proof.
How much should a temporary repair cost?
It depends on the size of the opening and the access. It is normally far less than the permanent repair. The quote after the survey sets a single written total, so you know the figure before the work starts.