When your roof sustains damage, you may be tempted to try and fix the problem yourself. This is usually not a good idea for two reasons:
One, you don’t know if the damage is covered by insurance. Two, even if it’s covered, you will need to show proof of professional repairs in order to get reimbursed.
For these reasons and more, it’s important that everyone knows about the roof insurance process when dealing with roof damage.
Facing a Roof Damage
After a storm, it’s going to give you a really bad headache once you find out that your roofing system has been damaged. You can’t even imagine the damage that you will fall into.
An insurance claim needs to be filed within a reasonable time period of when the event happened, so it’s best not to wait and go ahead with filing one as soon as possible in order to receive your reimbursement on time.
Also try and take some pictures for documentation purposes before you start the repair process.
5 Things You Need to Know for a Roof Damage Claim
There are a lot of things to consider before you can qualify for an insurance claim, when it comes to roofing damages. Let’s discuss them down below:
1. Applying for an Insurance for Roofing Damage Could Be Challenging
You will need to prove the occurrence of an event, like a storm or something similar. There are a lot of roofing companies who are hard to give approval because the damage is not obvious.
It is going to be quite confusing as insurance companies promise for our advantage at first, but in the end when it’s time for our claims – they are going to be really hard on us, to their advantage.
It is really necessary to check out several roofing companies before you give them the work.
2. Only Sign Paper Works Until There Is An Approval for Your Insurance Claim
Signing a document may lock you in a contract wherein you give the company rights to your roof even prior to the approval of your claim.
Be sure that you have been approved before doing any paperwork.
A good roofing contractor of an insurance company will surely explain what you are getting into before asking you to sign any paperwork.
3. Rely on Insurance Adjusters for Your Claim Approval
You initially call your insurance company after a storm has damaged your roofing system. An insurance adjuster then is sent out to inspect your roof.
They are the only ones who can sign for an approval for your roofing claim.
Make sure that you are very clear with what you agreed to before signing any paper works. If your roofing company is not licensed, it’s better if you don’t hire them at all.
4. Expect That Insurance Adjusters Can Make Mistakes
A good insurance adjuster can easily spot authentic roof damages from storms. However, they are still prone to mistakes in their inspection which will lead them to disapprove of your claim.
However, despite that your claim is denied — it’s not the end of the world! You can request them for a second or third inspection to be sure they can really find out those damages that are very visible to you.
You can have an engineer come with you while the adjuster inspects, so that they can also check on the damages and give their own opinions.
5. Choose Your Own Roofing Contractor
If your claim is approved, you can decide on your own roofing contractor. Just make sure that you’re not going to overspend, beyond your claim — because it’s the insurance company who sets the budget for your claim.
It is also best to hire a roofing contractor whose license has been verified by your insurance company.
Ultimately, you need to know that filing for an insurance claim can be quite complicated — but it doesn’t mean that you cannot do anything about it.
By knowing the things needed in order for your roofing damage claim approval , hopefully everything will finally work out.
The Roofing Company You Hired Can Help Your Claim Approval
Your roofer will be able to help you get your claim approved by providing information such as photos, reports from other customers who have had similar damages which were already repaired — all of these things can prove that your roof has been damaged not by your carelessness.
The insurance adjuster may ask you to sign a document which will lock you in for the job, even before getting an approval from your claim.
But make sure that you are very clear with what is agreed upon when signing any paperwork — because it’s better if they don’t lead to misunderstandings or confusion later.
Make sure that your insurance adjuster is the only one who can sign for an approval for your roofing claim, and it’s also best to hire a roofing contractor with a verified license by the company .
Get second and third inspections if necessary so you can really find out those damages which are visible in every way possible.
Professional Roof Repair
When you hire a roofing contractor, always make sure that they are licensed and insured before allowing them to work on your home or business property.
You can check this information by going online or calling the licensing board in your state/province for confirmation of their credentials .
Before hiring any one, ask them to give you a written quote for the work that is involved.
If your roofing system sustained damage due to an unexpected event, then you’re covered under the insurance company’s terms and conditions of coverage.
Your insurer will pay up to $500 on labor costs, but if more than half of your shingles need replacing or repairing, you will need to pay the total cost.
If this is not an option for you, then it’s best that you contact your roofing contractor and explain the terms of coverage by the insurer in order to come up with a solution on how they can help.
Be Aware Of The Time Frame
If your insurance company does accept liability for damage to your roofing system, you will need to pay for the repairs or replacement within a reasonable amount of time.
You can ask what this timeframe is when you file the claim.
If any damage was caused by neglect , such as not maintaining and taking care of your property in general (e.g., tree limbs hitting against it), then you’re not covered under the terms and conditions of your policy.
Be Prepared
You should know that if you plan on filing a claim for roof damage, it’s going to take some time before any reimbursement is paid .
A lot of cases are backlogged because there has been an increase in claims filed since last year. In the meantime, you should gather all the necessary documentation that you need.
Always keep your receipts for any costs involved in making repairs to your roofing system, as well as anything else that might have been damaged due to water damage.
Make sure every expense is logged so it can be reimbursed later on by sending them either via fax or email depending on what they prefer.
Warranty And Water Damage
Always make sure that you check the warranty of your roofing system at least once a year, or after any damage has occurred due to weather conditions .
If there is no manufacturer’s warranty on file with your insurance company, then it’s best if you contact them just in case they can provide one for you.
Your roofing system is the most important part of your home or business because it protects everything underneath from any type of damage that can be caused by weather conditions.
For this very reason, it’s vital to have one in good condition before a storm hits so there are no surprises once you’re faced with dealing with roof repair services.
All these things could happen to you, so make sure to keep your eyes open and be educated about the process of filing a claim.
