Home insurance doesn't pay for damages that stem from poor or lack of maintenance. The coverage also doesn't cater to wear and tear damages. Below are some factors insurance companies consider when determining whether certain damages relate to maintenance or wear and tear issues.

Property Age

Wear and tear accumulate with time. Even maintenance lapses rarely result in instant damage; you are likely to see the effects over time. Thus, insurance companies become more suspicious of damages as properties age.

For example, asphalt shingles lose their granules and become more brittle with time. Such wear and tear make aging asphalt shingle roofs more likely to fail (even without external forces) than relatively new roofs. Insurance companies understand all these issues and might judge an aging roof's damage as wear-related.

Maintenance History

Maintenance prolongs property lifespans and reduces the risk of damage. Your insurance company will not compensate for damage that maintenance could have prevented. 

For example, here are some things you should do for the roof:

• Keep it free from debris
• Ensure the gutters have the right pitch
• Keep tree branches away from the roof
• Replace damaged shingles as soon as possible

If the insurance company isn't sure if you have maintained your roof properly, you can produce evidence of maintenance that shows the above tasks and proves that you have been maintaining your roof.

Incident Connection

The insurance company will also evaluate the connection between the incident or accident and the damage you claim. If the connection is not clear, the carrier may not cover the damages. It may seem as though inadequate maintenance or wear and tear caused the damage.

Say you suffered a fire incident that damaged one of your appliances. The insurance company might not pay for the damage if they believe the appliance's lifespan has elapsed and doesn't show fire damage signs. You may need to show a link between the fire and the appliance's malfunction to get your compensation. For example, an electrician's inspection report may help.

Type and Speed of Damage

Lastly, insurance companies automatically treat some damages as maintenance or wear-related. Most such damages occur over time. Examples of such damages include:

• Pest damage
• Roof leaks that occur gradually
• Plumbing backups
• Gradual mold growth 

In such cases, you are out of luck unless you connect the damage to accidental damage. For example, you may receive compensation for mold growth due to accidental water pipe damage.

Contact a home insurance company to learn more.