Flat roof needs replacing - can we claim on insurance?

[TheHouseofMirth]

Our house has a traditional tiled roof with a large area of flat roof right at the top. We've got water leaking in two of the bedrooms and have had 2 roofers round who have said the flat roof needs replacing.

An added complication is that the house is semi-detached and the roofers have said that although the water's coming in on our side the leak could be anywhere so the whole thing needs replacing. Our next door neighbour, who rents his house out, has suggested we should be able to claim on our buildings insurance but this doesn't seem likely to me. We've only lived here for 4 years but the previous occupant hadn't had the roof renewed so it's at the end of it's natural life span. I can't see how it's an insurance job. Any advice please?

I doubt this would be able to claim on house insurance as it sounds like wear and tear and that the insurance company will say the householder should have maintained the property. Insurance is for a sudden event which occurs against a peril I believe - we had a similar issue with a shower where the company would pay out for damage caused by escape of water but not the broken part itself.

I'm afraid that it comes under maintenance, and won't be covered.

Thanks. That's exactly what I thought but the neighbour was insistent so I thought I check with someone else!