Insurance and hail damage are notoriously a pain. No one wants to incur costs for issues like this, nor work through the insurance claims process. However, we have several suggestions to help you navigate your claim process for roof hail damage.
Things to Remember About Insurance
First and foremost, remember that insurance companies are for-profit businesses, so they have an incentive to pay out as little as they are able. While they aren’t scammers, they will carefully analyze and examine your claim to check that the damage is covered by your policy.
Also remember that many insurance companies will not accept a claim for longer than a year since the damage was incurred, so timeliness is key.
Steps to Take Prior to Making a Roof Damage Insurance Claim
Document Damage
To improve your odds of having your hail damage claim covered, take detailed photos of the damage from the ground. Attempt to estimate the size of the hail, but DO NOT go up on the roof.
Take Proactive Steps to Prevent Hail Damage from Worsening
While you should avoid a proper fix for the roof during this step, try to cover the damage with a tarp to protect your home while going through the claim process.
File a Claim
What is a claim? A claim requests your insurance company to cover the repair payments from the damage incurred. This is based on your insurance coverage. Ensure that you contact your insurance provider shortly after the damage occurs, and your agent will ensure that you understand what kinds of damage your policy covers, in addition to explaining the next steps. In this stage, you should also be prepared to share photos and details of the damage.
Gather Hail Damage Repair Estimates
After talking to your insurance agent, contact several repair contractors to gather roof repair service estimates. Contractors should check your roof, screens, fences, A/C units, and windows. Most insurance agencies want at least one quote prior to formally meeting, but it never hurts to have a few additional quotes as well.
Something else to note: If most of the local area is impacted by this hailstorm, contractors may be over inundated with work, so timeliness is critical to ensure you receive a quote for your insurance.
Educate Yourself on State Laws and Homeowners’ Rights
State laws often list rights and obligations in instances like this, as well as detailing the actions an insurer will take, and the timeframe in which your claim must be processed. Understanding these details will help you work through the claim process.
Meet with Insurance Adjuster
Your insurance will have you meet with an insurance adjuster to review the cause of the damage and assess the total covered cost. You should be prepared to share your notes, the photos of the damage, and all estimates for roof repairs. From that information, your adjuster will compile a report to submit to the insurance company to process the claim.
Your insurance may initially offer you a payout that doesn’t fully cover the repairs quoted by the contractors. However, you do not have to accept this initial offer. In this case, your insurance adjuster will work with you to reach an agreement. If an agreement cannot be reached, you can hire an independent adjuster and submit a new report to your insurance company for a higher payout. If this doesn’t work, you can file a dispute with the state insurance commissioner or hire an attorney. However, these options should be a last resort as these are more extreme and costly measures to take.
Receive Payout
Once your claim has been reviewed, approved, and you’ve accepted the settlement, you will receive a payout for the cost of the repairs subtracted from your deductible.
Hire Contractor
While your insurance may direct you to use a specific contractor, ultimately you have the final say on the contractor hired. When selecting your contractor, ensure that you review their background and licensure. If you work with an unlicensed contractor, you may end up forfeiting your payout.
Ready to Hire a Contractor to Repair Roof Damages?
Capital Exteriors and Renovations is a licensed provider offering roof damage repairs, among many other services. Contact us today for your free quote, or give us a call at 704.618.0526.