Roof damage is a common reason for making a homeowners’ insurance claim. Nearly half of all homeowners’ insurance claims involve hail or wind damage, and most of those claims involve the roof. However, most of us don’t have much experience with these types of problems until they happen to us. Here’s what to expect when submitting an insurance claim for roof damage, and how a reputable roofing contractor can help you through the process.
Limit the Damage
The first thing you should do once you’ve recognized that there is a problem is to try to minimize the potential for things getting worse. For example, if there are holes in your roof from a wind or hail storm, you should attach tarps to the roof so that any subsequent rain doesn’t cause water damage, too. If there is a heavy tree branch on your roof, you should have that removed by a professional (along with any other debris from the roof) as soon as it’s safe to do so. Also, be sure to take photos of everything before you have anything removed or moved – you may need to show these to the insurance company to prove the cause and extent of the damage. It’s also a good idea to photograph the progress of any steps you take to mitigate any further damage, so that you can provide this evidence to your insurer, if needed.
Get an Assessment and an Estimate from a Reputable Roofer
You want to have an assessment of the damage done by a reputable roofing contractor local to your area. The people who flock into an area after strong storms or a weather disaster may be there to take advantage of the situation and could just take your money and leave (sadly, this happens more than you would think). A local roofer, though, can be counted on to honor their commitments — or else they won’t stay in business very long! Your roofer should assess the damage to the roof and the rest of your home. While they’re determining what needs to be done to fix the roof, let them take the time to find out if the flashing around the chimney needs to be fixed or if there is also damage to the siding of your home. Then get an estimate for the total repair bill. It’s best, and often most cost-effective, to have all of the repairs done at once, by the same roofer.
Understand What Your Insurance Covers – And What it Doesn’t
The insurance company is going to ask what kind of damage you have and what caused it. If the damage is due to wind or hail, they may deny the claim unless you paid for wind and hail coverage (every insurance policy is different, and this may or may not be included in your policy). Don’t wait to find out what’s covered until you’re in an urgent situation.
Another factor to consider is the deductible tied to your insurance policy. Your homeowners’ insurance policy premiums are based on how much coverage you have. The lower your deductible, the greater the odds that the insurance company will have to pay out a claim. So, a common way to save on homeowners’ insurance premiums is to raise the deductible (which can seem like a great idea, until you have an actual claim to make). If the roofer’s estimate is less than your insurance deductible, you’ll be paying the costs out of pocket. If the roofer’s estimate is just over your deductible limit, you may want to pay for the repairs out of pocket in this case, too, because the minor amount the insurer would pay may be more than made up for in higher premiums in the future. It’s also important to consider that you also generally do not want to put in too many claims to your insurer for fear of potentially being dropped by your insurance company. This is an unfortunate reality these days, especially as changes to the climate mean more severe weather in many parts of the country. If your insurance policy covers the roof repairs, and the total cost is significantly greater than your deductible, you’ll be filing an insurance claim.
Meet with an Insurance Adjuster
All roof insurance claims will be reviewed by an adjuster who comes out to the property to assess the situation. The insurance adjuster is going to perform their own assessment of the damage – basically a second opinion on the state of your roof. They’re going to ask for any estimates for repair work that you have already received. Know that they have data on what various repairs should cost, and they will only pay out what they consider to be reasonable. And understand that they won’t give you the money to do the work yourself – insurance companies want to entrust this type of repair work to a professional, so they won’t be paying out for more repairs sooner than they should.
The insurance adjuster is also going to compare the work that needs to be done to what your insurance policy covers. An ideal insurance policy will include replacement cost coverage. In this case, your insurer will pay the entire cost of replacing the roof, minus the deductible per your insurance policy, if most or all of the roof is damaged. In some cases, they will pay for repairs to the roof, but not its replacement. In that case, if you want a new roof, you’ll only receive partial reimbursement from your insurer. If you have actual cash value (ACV) coverage, they’ll pay a part of the replacement cost for the roof but prorate it based on the age of the roof. The older the roof, the less the insurance company will generally pay. And if the roof is more than ten years old, they may say they won’t pay anything at all because, from their perspective, you needed a new roof anyway. Every insurance company handles this differently, so check your policy, and call your insurer with any questions you might have. (And again, try to get as many of these questions answered BEFORE a big storm hits as you can.)
Arrange for the Roofing Work to Be Done
Once you know what the insurance company will cover, you can arrange for the roofing contractor to get to work. The insurer will inform you if the roofing contractor you selected for an assessment and estimate is approved to do the work covered by your insurance. Then you’ll receive a check from the insurance company that can be used to pay the roofer. Professional roofing contractors are used to this process, and some may accept payment directly from your insurance company – talk with your local roofer to find out how they handle homeowners’ claim work.
Verification of the Work
If you have replacement cost coverage, you may receive a second check after the work has been verified to meet your insurer’s quality standards. You should also check the quality of the contractor’s work before you write that final installment check. After all, once you’ve given them the final payment, the job is done and they don’t have to do anything else. (Although this is another reason it’s so important to work with a trusted, local roof repair company – they have roots in your community, so their reputation, and your satisfaction, are very important to them. They’ll want to make sure you’re satisfied with their work.)
Questions Going Through the Process?
If you have chosen a trusted roofing company from your local area, they will help you through this process, answer all your questions, and provide the calming presence you need during this stressful period. This is why it’s so important to choose a reliable, trusted, roofing contractor near you. Here in Cincinnati, we’d like that to be us here at Harper.