Your house should be covered by an asphalt shingle roof that is installed correctly for at least 12 to 15 years. That might all change in a single night, though, with a strong storm.
You must make an insurance claim and get your roof repaired as soon as possible if storm or hail damage has affected your roof. It may be difficult to file claims, and if you do it wrong, you can have to wait a lengthy period for a settlement. When you’re prepared to submit a roof insurance claim for your roof, bear in mind the following eight stages.
Understanding Your Roof Insurance Policy And Step By Step Process
Assess Your Roof Damage
You must first climb onto your roof to assess the extent of the damage. You can call a local roofing firm to examine the damage if you’re not confident you can do it yourself or if your physical condition prevents you from securely accessing your roof. The contractor may provide you with a comprehensive report outlining all the issues with your roof and the necessary repairs, contingent on the scope of work. A few contractors even employ licensed public adjusters who will speak with your insurance company on your behalf when discussing your claim.
To Find Out If Roof Damage Is Covered, Check Your Insurance
Checking to see if the claim is even covered by your insurance comes next, once you’ve decided whether or not to proceed with it. The majority of homeowner’s insurance plans cover damage to your roof from hail, wind, and falling trees during storms. Please be aware that certain plans may include exclusions that affect the kind of damage that is covered. You must first confirm that the damage to the roof is covered before determining if your coverage is an Actual Cash Value or Replace Cost Value policy. Your policy specifies your payment amount and whether or not the insurance provider would cover a complete roof replacement.
Expert Roof Examination
Arrange for a competent roofer to assess your roof before contacting your insurance company. This is important for several reasons. It’s possible that the damage to your roof is not severe enough to support an insurance claim.
Your inspection will, however, offer you a clear image of your roof’s condition and a rough estimate of the damage, if you decide to submit a claim. You will need this knowledge to stand up for yourself when you communicate with your insurance provider.
File Insurance Claim
This is the moment to contact your insurer if you find that you do have sufficient damage to support an insurance claim. Before submitting a claim, carefully read your insurance policy and obtain all required documentation.
Insurance Adjustments
An insurance adjuster will be assigned to you when you file a claim, and their job will be to examine your roof and any other areas of your property that could have been damaged. To make sure nothing is overlooked during the adjustment, a qualified roofer will be able to identify any damaged areas for your adjuster.
Initial Insurance Calculation & Review
Your adjuster will give you your first check and an estimate for repairs after assessing the damage.
Pay The Mortgage Company With A Check
To get your check endorsed, you will need to mail it to your mortgage company if you have one. This is an extremely important stage in the process since it might stop your mortgage company from delaying roof repairs.
Construction
The roofing process may now start. Your roof may just require little fixes or a complete replacement, depending on the severity of the damage. Your roofing contractor will place the material orders and start the building process in any scenario.
Finalize The Supplement Procedure
To make sure all project requirements are correct and included, collaborate with the supplement department of your contractor. Making sure that your roof repair or replacement is completely covered requires doing this.
Second Insurance Estimate & Check
You will receive your final project scope and your second and final check after the supplement process is finished.
Finish Up Your Project & Warranty Documentation
When everything is finished, it’s time to give your contractor the go-ahead to conclude the project and get your final warranty documents.
Types Of Roof Damage Covered By Insurance
Here are a few things that repair insurance providers will take into account:
Natural Disaster
Natural disasters and hurricanes are sometimes referred to by insurance firms as “acts of God.” This weather may bring storms and hurricane winds to regions in the South. Ice and snow storms might be included in this category in northern regions. This kind of damage is nearly usually covered for a full or partial roof replacement.
Claims Related To The Weather
Hail, wind, and ice damage are frequently covered by insurance carriers. It’s critical to get in touch with insurance providers as soon as possible when harm has happened. Water damage might happen and the insurance company can reject the claim if you wait too long.
Fire
Insurance providers will pay your claim if there is a home fire. Often, fires cause serious damage. A lot of the time, major fire damage necessitates costly roof and house repairs. The homeowner’s coverage will cover the cost of any repairs.
Leaking Roof
The leak will probably be covered if the weather or natural elements were the source. Any leaks brought on by carelessness or debris accumulation will be the owner’s fault. Although adjusters are trained to identify roof leak reasons, it never hurts to give the company a call to see whether you qualify for coverage.
General Maintenance
The owner must maintain the roof. To keep their roof in good condition, homeowners need to regularly wipe the surface, remove debris, and look for algae. Claim denials may arise from neglecting maintenance.
Roof’s Age
When calculating claim amounts, insurance companies consider the age of the roof. Insurance companies have refused to provide roofing coverage to some homes whose roofs are more than twenty years old. A lot of companies require older roofs to be inspected before acquiring coverage.
Make sure you comprehend the payment procedure used by the insurance company. Find out from them when you might expect to get paid. To find out how quickly the insurance must compensate you, also review the rules in your state.