The short answer
Usually not. Insurers tend to treat moss and the wear it causes as a maintenance matter rather than a sudden event, but each policy is worded its own way, so yours has the final say. Tell your insurer before you pay for work, keep photos and receipts, and ask in writing what is and is not covered. We cannot say whether a claim would succeed.
Moss builds up slowly, and insurance is built around sudden events. That mismatch is why moss damage so often falls outside a policy.
Why moss is usually treated as maintenance
Home insurance is designed for events that happen suddenly and by accident: a storm, a fire, a burst pipe. Moss growth is gradual. It spreads over years, holds water against the tiles and slowly wears the surface. Policies commonly separate sudden damage from gradual deterioration, and many list wear and tear or a lack of maintenance among the things they do not pay for.
Is a roof damaged by moss covered?
If the damage has come from moss over time, such as crumbling tile faces, a blocked gutter or a rotten batten (the timber strip tiles hang on), an insurer is likely to look at it as a maintenance issue. Because every policy is worded differently, the only reliable answer is in your own documents. Read the section on exclusions, and the definitions of wear and tear, gradual damage and storm. Ring the insurer's helpline if a phrase is unclear and ask them to confirm their reading in writing.
We cannot tell you how an insurer will respond, and nobody outside the insurer can. Our page on whether moss damages a roof explains the physical side of what moss does, which helps when you describe the problem.
When a storm and moss meet
The harder case is a storm that damages a roof that also has moss on it. The Financial Ombudsman Service, which settles disputes between customers and insurers, links a storm to violent winds that usually bring rain, hail or snow with them. If tiles are blown off in such weather, the event may be a claim, whatever the moss was doing before.
Will the moss affect my storm claim?
It can lead to questions. An insurer may ask whether the tiles were already loose, or the roof already in poor repair, because that bears on whether the storm was the cause. Which? reported that only 32% of storm-related claims made in 2024 resulted in a payout, which shows why evidence and clear policy reading matter.
Photos of the roof taken before any damage are the most useful thing you can have. A dated set from the garden each year costs nothing and answers the question of what the roof looked like before the weather arrived. A roofer's survey with pictures of the tiles, taken while the roof is being looked at, adds to that record, and our page on roof cleaning with repairs explains how a survey fits with the work.
What to do before you pay for work
If you think damage may be covered, the order of events matters. Tell your insurer first, before arranging a permanent repair. If water is coming in, a temporary repair that keeps the weather out is the usual first step, because further damage is harder to argue for. Everything you spend on it goes on the receipt pile.
What should I keep for the insurer?
Keep photographs of the damage and the roof around it, your receipts for temporary work, and any written quotes. The Institution of Structural Engineers notes that photographs are vital evidence in a claim. Write down the date you noticed the problem, what the weather had been doing and who you spoke to at the insurer.
Ask the insurer in writing what is covered, and whether they need to see the damage before work starts. Making a permanent repair before they have looked can complicate matters, so wait for their reply unless the roof is unsafe. If water is getting in, stopping the leak comes first, and the lasting repair can wait for the insurer's answer. Our survey produces pictures of the tiles and a written price for the repair, which gives you paperwork to send them.
If you disagree with the insurer
Insurers sometimes refuse a claim for reasons you do not accept. You are not stuck with their first answer, and there is a clear route to follow.
Where can I complain about an insurance decision?
Begin by writing to the insurer to complain. If the insurer is silent for eight weeks, the Financial Ombudsman Service can take your complaint without waiting longer. Once a final response is in your hands, the clock runs for six months. Ombudsman help is free. It considers whether the insurer dealt with you fairly under the terms of the policy.
Having evidence ready makes any complaint stronger. Dated photos, a surveyor's or roofer's report, and your correspondence all help. A survey from us adds pictures of the tiles, plus a single written price for whatever the roof needs. For moss that is thick but the tiles are sound, a clean is a maintenance cost, and our main page on roof cleaning and moss removal sets out the options so you can plan it.
More on insurance and roof moss
Should I tell my insurer before I clean moss off the roof?
Routine cleaning is maintenance and does not need a claim. If you have storm damage or a leak you may claim for, tell the insurer first and keep photos before anything is changed. Check your policy for conditions on contractors and unoccupied property, and ask the insurer in writing if the wording is unclear.
Will a clean roof help my home insurance?
We cannot say how an insurer will treat it, and policies differ. A maintained roof with dated records is easier to describe if you ever need to claim, because it shows the condition before any damage. Ask your insurer directly whether roof condition affects your cover or your premium.
The full picture: Roof cleaning and moss removal in Taunton ยท More short answers