Carriers are refusing to write policies on mountain roofs, and buildings with no claim history are getting non renewal letters. A free report on what carriers require, what the WUI codes say, and what a replacement costs.
Mountain Roof Insurability Report, 2026 edition
PDF, 9 pages.
Two things are happening in the Colorado high country. Realtors are watching deals stall at the insurance stage, sometimes days before closing, because a carrier will not write a policy on the roof. Property managers and HOA boards are opening non renewal letters on buildings that have never had a claim. Both problems have the same root, and neither is being explained plainly anywhere. So we wrote a report about it.
What is in the report
- What carriers actually require of a mountain roof, and the Class A misunderstanding that costs people coverage
- Wildland urban interface code requirements by jurisdiction, with the dates each took effect
- What CWRC 403.4 requires at vent openings, and why it is the next Class A problem
- What a mountain roof replacement costs per square foot, by material
- What to do when a non renewal letter arrives
Why Class A is not what most people think it is
Class A is the highest fire rating under the ASTM E108 test, and it describes the finished assembly rather than the shingle sitting on the pallet. Many asphalt shingles only reach Class A when they are installed over a specific underlayment or fire barrier. Install that same shingle over standard felt and the assembly no longer carries the rating the carrier is asking about. This is the single most common reason a roof someone believes is compliant turns out not to be.
Roof age is the second gate
Carriers in the mountain counties are applying age thresholds that were uncommon five years ago. Thresholds are not uniform, but the direction is consistent. Wood shakes are close to uninsurable. At roughly ten years and older, many carriers move roof coverage to actual cash value rather than replacement cost, raise deductibles across the board, and raise them further on wind and hail claims.
Documentation is the one owners lose on
If the assembly was built to Class A but nobody kept the underlayment spec, the installation records or the manufacturer letter, the roof is unrated as far as an underwriter is concerned. Keep the paperwork. If you do not have it, an inspection with photographs and a written assembly summary usually rebuilds it.
Who this is for
The report is written for people who advise or manage property rather than for homeowners, so any chapter of it can be handed to a client. If you are listing a property, check roof age and assembly documentation before the inspection rather than after. If you manage a building, confirm which hardening class applies before any permit application.
The report is free and there is no form. If you have a specific parcel or building in question, the answer usually depends on the jurisdiction issuing the permit, and we are happy to look at it with you.
Mountain Roof Insurability Report, 2026 edition
PDF, 9 pages.
