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How Insurance Claims Work For Roofing Contractors

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Learning how insurance claims work will help you land more roofing jobs and grow your roofing company. Understanding the ins and outs of insurance will reduce unnecessary delays and get you paid much faster. Homeowners’ insurance can be difficult to navigate but understanding how a roofing claim works isn’t nearly as complicated. In this blog we will give you a better understanding of how you can better work with insurance companies, and get your customers to get the most for their roof replacements.

Once a customer recognizes that they have had damage done to their roof by a storm it is important that they file a claim as soon as possible. I have had customers call us at the office looking for an estimate before even calling their insurance company and I always advise them to file the claim first. The homeowner will schedule a time for an adjuster to assess the damage by inspecting the roof and will advise either a full replacement or repair.

If the homeowner has called your local roofing company to come out for an estimate you can also request to be there at the same time as the adjuster. This can help get the homeowner more from their insurance by answering questions and making sure they don’t miss damage. Once the adjuster has completed the roof inspection they will draw up an assessment of the damage and send it to the insurance company.

The next step would be to review the claim, this is also known as the damage assessment and is reviewed by the insurance company. Your insurance company will determine how much money you will receive and if they think your roof is in need of a repair or full replacement. Having your local roofing contractor present will help steer the adjuster in the appropriate direction needed to get you the most out of your claim. This process can take a few weeks so it is best to get your claim in as soon as possible. As your insurance company is reviewing your claim they may request more information from you in order to provide you with the best estimate. It is important to respond promptly so the claim can move along quickly. If you took pictures yourself or have other types of evidence then be prepared to submit that as well.

Once your claim has been reviewed the next step would be to process and finalize it. At this stage in the process your insurance company will now mail you a check to cover the damages that were assessed for your roof damage. The check is not mailed to the roofing company, so it is important to let your chosen local roofing company know when you receive the funds so they can schedule your job. Most roofing companies require a deposit of at least half down to get you on their build schedule. This is so they have the funds to order your roofing materials in order to start your roof replacement.

In order to make the most out of your claim process there are a few things you can do to ensure the best possible outcome. Having good communication with the insurance company and claims department will give a better understanding of the insurance related terms and concepts. Answering questions that come up are much easier when you as a business owner understand how the whole process works and is progressing. Once you have a good grasp on terms and conditions used by insurance adjusters reading and filling out paperwork correctly will come naturally. This will also help ensure that no major errors are taking place on your end. 

Another key role you play as a preferred roofing contractor is advocating for the homeowner. Most homeowners don’t deal with their insurance company often so it is easy to feel in over their head. Especially when discrepancies between the insurance company and you the preferred roofing contractor arise. If you have recommended a full roof replacement but the insurance adjuster is only quoting damage for repairs, this can be very confusing for the homeowner.  Guidance is an important part of your job when working with your customers and their insurance companies, they will look to you as someone with experience in navigating through their claim.

You would have already provided the insurance company with a copy of the estimate that your roofing company had come up with and you want to be sure that it is as accurate as possible so the homeowner can achieve the best outcome. This will not only help them in getting the best result for their roofing project but also for you as their preferred roofing contractor as growing your businesses reputation by providing excellent customer service. 

Another piece of advice is to keep good records as a preferred roofing contractor and also for the homeowner. The more evidence you have for the roofing claim the better and keeping a good record of all paperwork will reduce delays and keep the process running smoothly. Also it is important that these records are easily accessible by everyone on your team so that a response can be given to the insurance company promptly.

Did a hail or wind storm just affect your neighborhood? Will your Insurance cover the damage to your roof?

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Your insurance typically covers roof damage, and any structural damage caused by a covered peril. Roof damage to your garage or other structures of the property are also covered under this section of your policy.

However, not every cause of roof replacement is covered under your policy, and roof damage can happen in a multitude of ways.

If your roof has been neglected over the years and deteriorated because of that cause, the damage to your roof may not be covered by your insurance company, and your claim can be denied. You may also be out of luck if your roof was damaged by an earthquake, flood or mudslide unless you have additional coverage for those perils.

Damage caused by wind, or hail are typically covered under a standard insurance policy, but it is common for insurers to require separate deductibles for those perils.

Does homeowners insurance cover wind and hail damage to my roof?

A standard home insurance policy usually covers Wind and hail as these are two common causes of roof damage. However, in states like Kansas and Oklahoma which experience these hazards more frequently than other parts of the country, insurers are more likely to increase the cost of their policies to reflect the high risk and recurring claims.

The severity of the damage may also determine how much and if you would qualify for your insurance company paying for the damage. For example, if a few shingles on your roof had slight nicks in them after a hail storm, your home insurance company may classify it as “cosmetic” damage, which is a common dwelling coverage exclusion. As a matter of practicality, it may not be worth filing a claim for aesthetic roof damage anyway, as the deductible may end up higher than the total damage cost.

Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks?

Your home insurance company will cover a roof leak if:

The leak was caused by a peril that’s covered in your policy, and the damage was swift, sudden and didn’t accumulate over a number of years.

This can be an area of contention in home insurance policies, though, as a leak that came as a complete surprise to the homeowner may be perceived as an instance of neglect to the insurer.

For example, if you live in a wintry climate and your roof gets layered with snow every winter, you may not notice its gradual deterioration until that big storm hits and a large section begins leaking. Even though the event that triggered the leak was a big storm, your insurer may view the damage as gradual and deny your claim.

Can my claim be refused by the insurer if my roof is too old?

After you sign your homeowners’ insurance application, the insurance company will send out an insurance adjuster for your roofing insurance claim to make sure everything you claimed in the application checks out and determine if coverage adjustments are needed. It’s not just about coverage limits though, the insurance company wants to know if you’re even worth insuring based on how likely you’re going to be filing claims; they’ve been known to deny applications post-inspection.

The roofs quality and how old it is; is one of the key structural components of your home that they inspect. If the roof age has eclipsed 20 years some insurers refuse to renew existing policies without passing inspection first from a roofing company in the roofing insurance claim process.

Other insurers simply won’t write new policies for homes with roofing that’s 15 to 20 years old, and if they do, they’ll specify that it’s only covered under an actual cash value policy. Which means that, if your roof gets damaged or destroyed, the company only pays out whatever the value of your roof is after 20+ years of depreciation.

Replacing a roof can get expensive, contact a roofing company to get quotes on how much it would cost to have your roof replaced, While the costs provided by the roofing company may seem expensive, you may not have much of a choice if your roof is ancient, as doing nothing could mean having no homeowners insurance policy at all.

Filing a roof replacement claim

Contact your insurance company immediately if you suspect that your roof was damaged after a storm or got attacked by an army of squirrels. Always take pictures of the damage done to your roof to provide evidence of your roofing insurance claim process.

Usually, before and after pictures tend to do the trick, but even pictures of just the damage after the storm or the incident can help the claim and help the roofing company in your area determine how much it would be to repair or have a roof replacement without coming out to your house.

Provide evidence of your claim

Schedule an insurance claim inspector to come by and survey the damage

The damage needs to be repaired as quickly as possible, find a local roofing company to give you an estimate and do the repair for you. Not only does having a leak or hole in your roof provide unwanted access points in your house, but you’re also risking further damage to everything inside.

Infinite Roofing and Construction gives free estimates for roof repairs and replacements, we can deal with your insurance company to get you the best roof replacement that your house deserves with the best roofers in Albany to do the job for you.