Selecting Roof Material

Overview 

Selecting the correct roof material ensures your quotes are accurate from the start, preventing underwriting delays, and ensuring your clients get the right coverage. Use these definitions to help you navigate the portal quickly and confidently.

Roof Material Definitions

Use this guide to select the roof material for the main dwelling on the Property Review tab in the portal.

• The 51% Rule: Always select the roof material that covers at least 51% of the total roof area.
   

Note: Photos in this article are examples only. Use the definitions and selection rules first. If a roof appears similar to a photo but the underlying material is different, select the material that best matches the definition.
 

Sloped / Pitched Roofs

Architectural (Asphalt Shingles—Laminated / Dimensional)

• What it is: Laminated asphalt shingles with a dimensional look. Often designed to resemble shake or slate.
• Select this when: The roof has a thicker, layered / 3D appearance (shadow lines, varied texture).
• Do not select when: The shingles look flat and uniform with repeating tabs → select Three-Tab.

Composition

• What it is: Asphalt shingles (asphalt + fiberglass mat + mineral granules). In the portal, Composition is reserved specifically for impact-resistant / Class 4 composition shingles.
• Select this when: The product is identified as a Class 4 impact-resistant composition shingle.
• Common identifiers: Documented Class 4 impact-resistant shingle; may visually resemble architectural shingles.
   

Three-Tab (Asphalt Shingles—Flat / Tabbed)

• What it is: Basic asphalt shingles with a flat profile and repeating tab pattern.
• Select this when: The roof has a uniform, flat look with evenly spaced tab cutouts.

• Do not select when: The shingles have a clearly dimensional / laminated look → select Architectural.
   

  

Tile (Clay / Concrete)

• What it is: Overlapping clay or concrete tiles fastened to a roof deck.
• Select this when: You can see individual tiles with noticeable thickness / profile.
• Do not select when: It is a synthetic tile → select Polymer.
  
   

Slate (Natural)

• What it is: Natural slate tiles.
• Select this when: The roof consists of stone slate tiles (typically thicker edges and natural variation).

• Do not select when: It is synthetic slate / shake → select Polymer or metal shingles that look like slate → select Metal.
  
   

  

Metal

• What it is: Metal panels or metal shingles (standing seam, exposed-fastener panels, or metal shingles).

• Select this when: The roof covering is clearly metal.
  
   

  

Wood

• What it is: Wood shingles or wood shakes.
• Select this when: The roof covering is clearly wood.

• Do not select when: It is a synthetic shake → select Polymer; if it is a rubber shake → select Rubber.
  
   

  

Polymer (Synthetic Slate / Shake / Tile)

• What it is: Synthetic roofing products (often made from plastics / composites) designed to mimic slate, shake, or tile.

• Select this when: Documentation or clear identification indicates synthetic / composite material.
  
   

  

   

Asbestos

• What it is: Asbestos-cement shingles (more common on older homes).
   

  

T-Lock (Asphalt Shingles—Legacy)

• What it is: Legacy asphalt shingles with a distinctive interlocking T-shaped pattern.

   

  

Rubber (Shingles)

• What it is: Rubber shingles / tiles (rubber composite shingles designed to look like slate / shake).

• Do not select when: The roof is a continuous single-ply rubber membrane → see Rubber (Single-Ply Membrane) under Flat Roofs.

   

  

Flat / Low-Slope Roofs
 

Tar (Hot Mop / BUR without gravel / Tar-coated systems)

• What it is: A multi-layer system where hot asphalt / tar is applied (mopped) to bond layers of felt / plies into a sealed membrane.
• Select this when: Evidence indicates hot mop, tar, built-up roof (BUR) without gravel, or asphalt emulsion.

• Note: If a white reflective topcoat is applied over tar, it is still classified as Tar.

   

  

  

Foam (SPF)

• What it is: Spray polyurethane foam roofing, typically appearing as a continuous coated surface.

   

  

  
   

Gravel (Ballasted)

• What it is: A flat / low-slope roof where the surface is covered with loose gravel / stone ballast.

   

  

   

   

Rubber (Single-Ply Membrane)

• What it is: A continuous single-ply rubber membrane system (e.g., EPDM).

• Do not select when: The roof is installed in overlapping horizontal courses with visible seams → select Rolled.

   

  

  
   

Rolled (Low-slope rolled roofing / cap sheet / modified bitumen)

• What it is: A low-slope roof covering installed in overlapping horizontal courses, often with regular lap seams.
• Select this when: The roof surface shows consistent lap seams / overlaps, and there is no evidence of hot-mop / tar coating.

• Important: A white / silver elastomeric topcoat does not change the roof material. If the topcoat is over a seamed system, select Rolled. If it is over a mopped system, select Tar.
   

  

Special Handling

Tesla Solar Roof

• What it is: Tesla building-integrated solar roofing system (solar shingles / tiles).

• Select in Portal: Select Tile as the Roof Material. Mark Yes under Solar Panels.

   

Living Roofs (Green Roofs)

• What it is: Vegetation / plants installed over a waterproofing membrane.
• Eligibility: Living roofs are not eligible with Openly.

When Nothing Else Fits

Use Other only when none of the listed categories fit, and the roof material is still eligible.

 

Deciding Between Materials

It can be confusing to select between similar materials. Reference these key characteristics and adhere to the 51% rule.

Coatings vs. Material

When making a selection, keep in mind that we are looking for the roof’s underlying material.

• Example: A reflective elastomeric coating can be applied over a rolled roof, but you would still choose “Rolled” under roof material. A reflective elastomeric coating (often white / silver) is a topcoat and does not change the roof material classification by itself.
  • Tar/Bitumen: A tar / hot-mop / asphalt-emulsion coating means you should select Tar, even if a reflective coating is applied on top.

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