Does home insurance cover blocked gutters and roof moss damage?

What policies typically leave out

Policy wording varies, so yours is what counts. But two Financial Ombudsman decisions show the kind of exclusions to look for.

In one, the policy didn't cover "wear and tear, maintenance costs such as refixing loose roof tiles, repointing brickwork or replacing guttering", or "damage that happens over a period of time, for example damp, rot and damage from vermin". The homeowners claimed for water damage after severe weather. The insurer's surveyor blamed a deteriorated roof upstand and washed-out mortar. The Ombudsman agreed the damage was most likely gradual wear and tear, and didn't uphold the complaint.

In another, the policy excluded "loss or damage caused by escape of water from guttering, rainwater downpipes, roof valleys and gullies". Water from leaking rainwater pipework came through a bedroom ceiling, and that part of the claim fell within the exclusion. The Ombudsman did tell the insurer to reconsider a second cause of the leak under its storm cover.

How storm claims are judged

Most roof and gutter claims are made after a storm, so it helps to know how they're assessed. The Financial Ombudsman asks three questions:

• "Do we agree that there was a storm on the date the damage happened?"
• "Is the damage consistent with what we generally see as storm damage?"
• "Were storm conditions the main cause of the damage, or did other factors mean the damage might have happened anyway?"

The third question is where blocked gutters and heavy moss come in. The Ombudsman says a complaint is unlikely to succeed if the property was already in poor condition and the owner knew it, or if "the storm just highlighted an existing problem". A gutter that overflowed in a storm because it was already full of leaves may well be seen as a maintenance problem, not storm damage.

The insurer has to prove it

There's a balance here. The Ombudsman says that where an insurer relies on an exclusion, "the insurer has to prove that the exclusion applies", usually with an inspection report. So a refusal isn't automatically the end of it. If you think your claim was turned down unfairly, complain to your insurer first, then take it to the Financial Ombudsman if you're not happy with the answer.

How to protect yourself

• Keep your gutters clear and your roof maintained. It's cheaper than an uncovered repair, and it removes the insurer's easiest reason to say no.
• Keep a record. The Ombudsman weighs the condition of the property, usually shown through expert reports and photos. Dated before and after photos of your gutters and roof, with an invoice, show the house was looked after.
• After a storm, photograph the damage straight away, from the ground, and note the date. The Ombudsman looks at official weather records, including the Met Office, so make a note of any named storm.
• Read your policy for exclusions covering gutters, wear and tear and gradual damage, so you know where you stand before you need it.
• If you rent, tell your landlord about blocked or leaking gutters in writing. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes landlords responsible for keeping gutters and external pipes in repair.

What about roof moss?

Moss rarely causes sudden damage, which is the point. Marley, one of the UK's biggest tile makers, says a heavy build-up of moss "can potentially cause damage over time if left unchecked". Damage that develops over time is precisely what most policies exclude. So heavy moss is something to deal with as maintenance, before it becomes a problem, not something to claim for afterwards.

We're roofers, not insurance advisers

This guide explains how exclusions commonly work. It isn't advice on your policy, which is the only thing that decides what you're covered for. If you're unsure, ask your insurer or broker, or contact the Financial Ombudsman Service.

A record of maintenance, every time

Every gutter clear we do comes with dated before and after photos of each run, and we photograph your roof slopes while we're up there. Keep them with your invoice. On our gutter care plan, you get the same record every year without having to remember to book.

Written by Hawkes Roofing, roofers based in St Albans who clear gutters and remove roof moss across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and north-west London. Last reviewed 26 October 2026.