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How Insurance Claims Work For Roofing Contractors

May 17, 2021 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: insurance, insurance claim, roof inspection, roofing, roofing contractors

WHAT KIND OF INSURANCE IS NEEDED FOR A ROOFING COMPANY?

February 9, 2021 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Firstly congratulations on making the decision to move forward with your business and start a roofing company. This is of course no substitution for legal advice and you should consult with insurance experts to know exactly what your company needs as far as insurance goes in your current state. Becoming a professional roofer and striving to be the best roofing company you’ll need to hire subcontractors and other employees, which means you will need contractors insurance. This protects you and your company if anything were to happen such as accidents, employee injuries, or lawsuits.

 If you did not have Albany roofing insurance then these potential problems would be an out of pocket expense. These expenses would put tremendous financial pressure on your business and could even end it. It is also possible for customers to check on a roofing company’s insurance when looking for the best roofing company and not choose you if you do not possess the proper documentation.  

There are three types of Albany roofing insurance that is necessary to conduct business: Worker’s compensation, general liability and  in some cases surety bonds for larger more expensive jobs. Roofing contractors insurance requirements vary in every single state so it is important to check your local area on what is required. Insurance policies can be somewhat complex so here we will break down why you need these policies and how they will protect your business. 

Workers’ Compensation

Also referred to as workers comp, in a type of coverage that protects your employees if an accident were to happen. Albany Roofing can be a dangerous field of work and no matter how careful you are there is always a chance that a work related injury could occur. It is imperative to be sure your workers are wearing their proper safety gear while on a roof, as well as practicing safety on the ground.

If you were to conduct business without workers comp you would be held liable for any medical bills of someone injured and that could be extremely costly. It could also be your responsibility to pay for missed wages and other benefits to who was injured. Protecting yourself as a business owner with workers compensation insurance is the smartest thing you can do to keep your business thriving. If you invest in workers’ compensation it will cover your unforeseen expenses by monthly payments. 

The benefit to holding this insurance is that it protects not only your employees but you as a business owner from the high costs of medical care. An example of how workers’ comp is supposed to function is that when you employ a handful of roofers and one of them accidentally misses a shingle and nails straight through his hand, you direct him to take a visit to the hospital to remove the nail and get some stitches. While at the hospital they X-Ray his hand because the nail went through a ligament and some bone, and also he needed to be stitched up. He now misses a week of work while his primary hand heals and may even need some physical therapy to gain motion back.

Depending on the contract you hold with each employee you might be paying him for his time out of work. If this particular roofer felt like he had a case he could even claim that you were negligent and attempt to sue you. He would need to prove that you contributed to the severity of his injuries in order to have a case. 

This is where you workers’ compensation steps in and provides immediate coverage. If not then a lawsuit would take months and in most circumstances by receiving the benefits your employee forfeits his right to sue you. Your insurance would cover the roofers medical bills and aftercare with ease, allowing your employee to heal up and get back to work fast.

Are you liable if someone gets hurt on your property?

This is a common question asked by customers when looking for the best roofing company for the job. When a contractor doesn’t have adequate liability or workers’ compensation insurance, oftentimes it’s the customer who ends up paying the price. If the hired contractor becomes injured while installing a new roof the customer could be financially responsible for the damages, including medical bills and even lost wages. Depending on your local laws the injured employee may be able to also sue the homeowner for contributing or claiming to the cause of the injured person. Before signing a contract for a new roof replacement most homeowners will ask for copies of the local roofing companies WC and liability insurance forms to protect themselves.

In most states it is required to purchase a liability and workers compensation policy in order to conduct business, much like how it is required to have car insurance in order to drive a vehicle. Some states do not require these insurances such as Texas and they can choose to pay a private company to handle workers compensation benefits. Usually it is only much larger businesses that have millions of dollars coming in continuously being made with a reliable cash flow who choose to pay out of pocket through a private company.

When you first start out with your new roofing company it will make much more sense for you to pay a public insurance company for the necessary coverage.  Injuries are very common in the construction business, big and small and you most likely will not have the revenue to cover medical costs of even the small ones. It is smarter to protect yourself for the future of your roofing company.

General liability insurance is to protect your business in the case that a third party such as a customer were to become injured, if there was any property damage, or if a lawsuit were to take place.  

General liability typically covers:

  • Property damage
  • Bodily injury
  • Legal costs
  • Advertising injury such as slander to a competitor

Some charges that liability policies usually do not cover are:

  • Employee injury
  • Work vehicle and tool damages
  • Errors on jobs
  • Punitive damages

General liability offers coverage and protection that workers compensation does not. If you hire a contractor to do a small repair job on your home and he falls off he falls ladder into the owner of the home and hurts the homeowner then it might not be covered. The property damage would be but the medical bills probably would not be covered by general liability as we stated above. It is important for roofing subcontractors to understand exactly what is covered by each liability and workers compensation insurances. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: insurance, roof replacement, roofing companies, roofing contractors

Better roofing standards to protect against wildfires

October 27, 2020 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

The year 2020 has been filled with terrible wildfires in the west, in areas that were not considered to be in the “danger zone,” such as Oregon, Washington and parts of California. Unfortunately these fires are still raging in many of these areas which resulted in destruction and evacuations. Many believe the top priority should be put on being better prepared and enforcing roofing materials to protect against wildfires. 

Blazing Wildfires

California updated its residential fire code for building new construction in early 2008, requiring fire-resistant roofs, siding and other safeguards. This has protected 51% of the new construction homes built after 2008 that were in the path of wildfires. In contrast to the 12,100 homes built prior to 2008 with only 18% avoiding destruction. Many other states that are affected by wildfires have yet to consider adopting the same fire codes as California. The metal roofing alliance (MRA) is leading the trade organization to adopt the basic standard and create incentives to help homeowners protect their homes against wildfires in certain states and regions. 

The most important factor to provide and protect against wildfires starts with how a home or building is constructed and designed. This all determines the behavior of wildland fires. Implementing mandates such as fire-resistant roofs, siding and other safeguards, help people and homes survive. Research supports that homes built after 2008 sustained far less damage than home prior. In areas such as the Gulf Coast that have been devastated by destructive hurricanes have had to learn hard lessons in the need to build homes that are more resilient to severe climates. Miami Dade is the first in Florida to certify hurricane resistant standards for structures which the Florida Building Code subsequently enacted across all requirements for Hurricane resistant buildings. It is important for the west coast to adopt a similar mindset for regional climate conditions for homeowners in wildfire prone areas. 

Homes with fire-resistant materials vs Homes without

Your home’s roof is the most vulnerable part for ignition in the presence of a wildfire, certain materials like quality metal for a roofing system are essential. Metal roofs have a Class A rating for fire resistance and living in wildfire prone areas it can make or break you. Building materials that are fire resistant are not particularly expensive and when you factor in how long a metal roof will last you, it is definitely worth every penny. You should consult with your local roofing company to see what you can do to upgrade your home with fire-resistant materials.

Recent studies show that a new home built completely to wildfire resistant codes can be built for roughly the same cost as the typical home, and much less costly than potential fire damage. Fires are still raging on the West Coast so they are still being assessed, but the MRA urges builders and local officials to help better prepare homeowners for future wildfire seasons. 

Mandate fire-resistant building materials

Similar to California, populations located in wildland areas have grown and continue to grow in recent years. These homes are located near flammable vegetation close to forested areas, raising a constant threat of wildfire destruction to land and homes. Newer standards that mandate fire-resistant  roofing systems discourage potentially flammable materials like asphalt shingles and wooden shakes. It should be mandatory that every local roofing company in fire prone areas, educates their customers on fire-resistant materials, better roofing standards and strictly enforce the use of them. 

Incentives to improve fire safety

Low interest loans, tax credits, local grants and other incentives are available in some areas to help people living in locations threatened by wildfires. Some owners of older homes that do not have the means to make fire-resistant upgrades on their own, so these incentives are a huge help. In 2009 California passed an ordinance declaring that a wood shake roofing system is a severe fire hazard. They then offered a cash incentive to replace their roof with a fire-resistant version and $4,500 to do so. Now because of this, the amount of wood shake roofs are very rare and no new home is built without a fire-resistant roofing system. 

Incentives for home sprinklers
Tax incentives for fire protection

Providing education about fire safety

Communities that live in fire prone areas need to better educate their people on better roofing standards, the most resilient maintenance, home improvement, and preparation planning for fire season. There are many ways to help increase the odds that your family and home will be protected during a wildfire. There are various free resources from insurance companies that have a history in dealing with wildfires and in your local communities. “As we witness the horrible destruction wildfires have and are causing, the more we can do as an industry and community to help homeowners protect themselves against these increasing threats, the better,” said Ramey. “Investing in preventative measures now that help decrease risks is essential to guarding against costly devastation and suffering in the future.” (Ramey, MRA executive director)

Preparing your home for a wildfire

Even if you have purchased top of the line Class A fire-resistant roofing and home materials, sometimes nothing can prevent a wildfire from approaching your home. In these cases there are some tips to prepare your home and family for what could be coming. We suggest creating a home evacuation checklist to ensure you don’t forget anything, in the case that you and your family will need to evacuate your home. On this checklist we suggest having:

  • An evacuation bag ready to go ASAP 
  • Make sure to know your communities emergency response plan to map out routes to drive
  • Shut all windows and doors of the house
  • Remove flammable curtains and window shades
  • Shut off your gas at the meter and be sure pilot lights are off
  • Leave your lights on in the house so firefighters can see your home in smoky areas
  • Shut off your air conditioning
  • Turn off your propane tanks outside and move BBQ away from the house
  • Connect garden hoses to outside valves and make sure water is on for firefighters to use 
  • Do not leave water sprinkler on outside, it affects critical water pressure needed
  • If you have a ladder leave it against your home in the case that firefighters need to go on your roof quickly
  • Seal your attic vent with plywood
  • Clean up leaves and flammable debris
  • Continuously check your property and surrounding areas, do not wait for an official evacuation order, if you feel it’s time to go, the GO!
  • Check on your close neighbors and of course your pets






Filed Under: Fire Damage, Roof, Roofing, Roofing Materials Tagged With: construction, fire prevention, insurance, roofing

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