One of the most common excuses insurance companies use to deny or underpay roof claims is this:

“Your roof is old. The damage is just wear and tear.”

Contractors hear this all the time. And while it’s true that roofs naturally age, that doesn’t automatically eliminate coverage when a storm hits.

The Key Idea: Proximate Cause of Loss

Courts have long recognized the concept of the efficient proximate cause of loss. In plain terms, it means this:

• If multiple factors contribute to damage (like age and storm damage), what matters is the dominant cause of the loss.
• If the storm (wind or hail) is the proximate cause — the main event that triggered the damage — then the loss should be covered, even if the roof had prior wear and tear.

For example:

• A 15-year-old roof may have some normal wear.
• But if hailstones break shingles or wind lifts them off, that storm damage is the prominent cause of the leak.
• Coverage applies, because without the storm, the damage would not have occurred.

Why This Matters for Contractors

When insurance companies blame “wear and tear,” it puts you in a tough spot with homeowners. They may think the denial is final, when in fact the law and policy language often say otherwise.

By understanding and explaining proximate cause, you can:

• Reassure homeowners that age alone doesn’t wipe out coverage.
• Strengthen your position when advocating for full roof replacements.
• Partner with Atlas Adjusting to challenge denials based on “old roof” arguments.

How Atlas Helps

Atlas Adjusting specializes in fighting these denials. We document:

• Storm activity in the area
• Physical evidence of hail or wind damage
• Why the storm, not age, is the proximate cause of loss

This gives contractors the leverage they need to get roofs approved — and homeowners the protection they’ve been paying for all along.

Bottom Line

Old wear and tear doesn’t cancel storm coverage. If wind or hail is the prominent cause of the loss, there’s still coverage. Contractors shouldn’t let insurers hide behind “wear and tear” to dodge fair payment — and with Atlas, you don’t have to.

Want to close more claims (even on older roofs)? Let’s connect. Atlas makes sure storm damage gets recognized for what it is: covered.