Does Homeowners Insurance Reimburse Temporary Repairs Like Tarps or Boarding?
A storm that punches a hole in a roof doesn’t wait for business hours, and the scramble to cover it that same night raises an immediate question: does any of this get paid back.
The short answer
Most homeowners policies reimburse reasonable, temporary measures taken to prevent further damage after a covered loss — things like tarping a damaged roof, boarding up broken windows, or extracting standing water. This is generally treated as part of the policyholder’s duty to protect the property from additional harm, and the cost of doing so is typically covered as long as the underlying damage itself is covered and the response is reasonable in scope and cost.
Why insurers expect this step
Most policies include language requiring the policyholder to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a loss, sometimes called a duty to mitigate. This isn’t just a formality — a hole in a roof left uncovered through a week of additional rain can turn a contained claim into a much larger one involving insulation, drywall, and mold. Because that outcome is worse for both the homeowner and the insurer, the cost of the temporary fix is generally treated as a covered expense rather than an optional extra.
What’s typically included
- Tarping a roof or covering broken windows. Materials and labor to create a temporary barrier against weather.
- Board-up services. Securing an opening after storm or fire damage, or after a break-in tied to a covered loss.
- Water extraction. Pumping out or drying standing water to limit mold and structural damage while the claim is being processed.
- Reasonable emergency labor. Costs tied directly to preventing additional loss, as opposed to the permanent repair itself.
What to keep in mind about cost and documentation
Reimbursement is usually contingent on the expense being reasonable for what was needed — an emergency tarping job priced far above typical local rates, for example, could draw scrutiny. Keeping receipts, photos of the damage before and after the temporary fix, and a record of who performed the work makes it far easier to get the expense reimbursed without a drawn-out back-and-forth. Some insurers also want to be notified before extensive temporary work begins, particularly if the cost is substantial, so checking in early in the process is generally worth the call.
How this fits with permanent repairs
Temporary repair costs are typically handled as a separate line item from the underlying claim for permanent repairs, and are not usually subject to the same depreciation calculations that apply to damaged property or structures. When the time comes to hire someone for the permanent fix, the choice of contractor is generally left to the homeowner rather than dictated by the insurer, though checking a contractor’s credentials independently is still worth doing regardless of who suggested them.
The takeaway
Acting quickly to prevent further damage is almost always the right instinct after a covered loss, and the cost of doing so reasonably is generally recoverable. The detail worth remembering in the moment is to document everything — photos, receipts, and a rough timeline — since that record is what turns a reasonable emergency expense into a straightforward reimbursement rather than a contested one.