Roof blew off our 2005 Itasca Horizon AD

[cininohio]

We have had our 2005 itasca Horizon AD diesel pusher for 3 years. It has 33k miles We use it twice a year for a loop from Ohio to the keys and back. Last year, driving up through the Everglades, it was a red flag wind day. We heard a bit of knocking on the roof and thought it was a cable. All of a sudden folks were driving by pointing up. We heard the bang and 1/2 our roof ended up in the Everglades. We pulled over and were able to secure the rest of it with the 6 inch roof tape. Ordered $400 more from Amazon and had it delivered to the next campground. Long story short, Good Sam Insurance denied, stating we didnt have a yearly roof inspection from a certified inspector and that these roofs were prone to this. So I just had to shell out $24,500 from my retirement account doe a new rubber roof and shoring up the sides that were damaged. Just sick about it. But we love our Rv and it wouldn't be worth anything without a roof.

 

[RayIN]

I suspect your insurance co. would've totaled the MH. I inspect the side gutter-to- roof sealant/adhesive every spring. That is the only thing holding the roof onto the coach.

 

[DNC-WO]

I have a couple of questions. Was the insurance company referring to a specific model, brand, and/or year of MH when they said these roofs were prone to this? And, are certified roof inspections something MH owners typically have done annually?

 

[Usaswimdad]

We have had our 2005 itasca Horizon AD diesel pusher for 3 years. It has 33k miles We use it twice a year for a loop from Ohio to the keys and back. Last year, driving up through the Everglades, it was a red flag wind day. We heard a bit of knocking on the roof and thought it was a cable. All of a sudden folks were driving by pointing up. We heard the bang and 1/2 our roof ended up in the Everglades. We pulled over and were able to secure the rest of it with the 6 inch roof tape. Ordered $400 more from Amazon and had it delivered to the next campground. Long story short, Good Sam Insurance denied, stating we didnt have a yearly roof inspection from a certified inspector and that these roofs were prone to this. So I just had to shell out $24,500 from my retirement account doe a new rubber roof and shoring up the sides that were damaged. Just sick about it. But we love our Rv and it wouldn't be worth anything without a roof.

Our roof membrane separated from our RV Roof. It would puff up like a marshmallow while driving down the road. We contacted Flex Armour, www.RVROOF.com. they have several sites Nation Wide. It comes with a Lifetime Transferral Warranty. The process took like 2 or 3 days. The material is sprayed on, in a environmentally controlled environment. We had ours applied 5 years ago and drove off onto a torrential Thunderstorm with no issues, just 2 hours after picking up our RV. Definitely worth the wait and price.

 

[Pointyears]

I have a couple of questions. Was the insurance company referring to a specific model, brand, and/or year of MH when they said these roofs were prone to this? And, are certified roof inspections something MH owners typically have done annually?

Membrane roofs are susceptible to bubbling turning into rips turning into no roof.

 

[Journey39n]

Winnebago roofs are one piece fiberglass that tuck under the front and rear caps, and tuck into channels on the two sides. The sides are secured by adhesive/caulking that binds the edges to that channel. You are supposed to inspect that adhesive/caulking every year to make sure it is still secure and touch up as needed.

I check mine every year, and depending upon the adhesive/caulking used, more or less maintenance is required.

Sounds like you had a replacement roof that was a rubber membrane installed. I have no idea if the structure of the roof will be affected, but it is not in accordance with the original design. But it could be better than the original, I am not an expert.

 

[House2Start]

Ouch. Given the nuances of insurance policies, differences between "wear and tear" (this is not) and "accidental event" (which this is), the fact that the lack of inspection didn't cause the accidental event (the red-flag winds), and state specific rules, it really might be worth paying a few hundred bucks to get a second opinion on the claim rejection, or at least push back on the carrier, try to split the cost. If this specific RV is prone to this issue, it will happen with or without periodic inspection, the insurance company should have adjusted the premium accordingly or refused coverage. Check to see if the policy documents require the inspection, and even if there is some language about such it still might not apply in your situation, because the wind event is what you are insuring against, not wear and tear / lack of maintenance.

 

[Morich]

One of the least read parts of an RV is the owners manual!
If considering going legal, consider these steps as a starter?
during discovery there will be facts gathered. One big thing will be if the recommended maintenance has been done and if you have3 the receipts to show when and what was done.
Reading page 14-1 of the owners manual for this RV, makes me pretty sure any legal thoughts are not going to get any help!
I'm betting legal action will not be worth the time for at least 75 % of owners as we do not do what is required!
First step is that it is really rare to find an owner who has read the whole manual to know what is in there and even far less of us who do what the manual requires!

I would guess the odds of a 2005 RV having been inspected every six months would be near zero!

Unless you have a stack of about 40 bills showing the work has been done, I don't recommend looking much further!