When there’s been a storm or severe weather that’s moved through your area, you’ll probably need to check on your roof and ensure that there’s no lasting damage that was caused by the storm. While it’s always nice to think that your roof was able to hold up, many times, hail damage and wind damage can be hard to spot.
But that doesn’t make it any less important to check for damage. Wind-blown shingles and dents or holes caused by hail will have your roof leaking into your home and cost you a fortune if you don’t catch it in time.
Today we’ll lay out the steps that you should take after a big storm to ensure that your home is well cared for and that you’ll be able to successfully file a roof insurance claim.
Steps to Filing a Roof Insurance Claim:
The steps to filing a roof insurance claim aren’t all that difficult, but it is important that you file the claim as quickly as possible. The last thing you’ll want to do is wait too long and find that your insurance company isn’t going to honor the claim. This will only hurt you in the long run and cause both your roof and bank account to suffer.
We recommend that you start pursuing the steps to filing your insurance claim within the same week that the damage happened.
1. Assess the Roof Damage
The first step to filing an insurance claim is making sure that the damage has been fully assessed. You can and should take a walk around your home after a storm to look for damage. But it’s important that you also get up on the roof or hire a contractor to get up on the roof and inspect more closely for damage. Just because you can’t see anything from the ground doesn’t mean that it’s not damaged.
If you were without power during the storm or there’s a chance of a tree that could have fallen on your home, be sure to check for damage caused by branches hitting your roof. Punctures in your shingles will lead to extensive long-term damage if they aren’t repaired right away.
2. Determine What Your Insurance Will Cover
After you’ve determined the extent of damage to your home, it’s time to determine what your insurance company is willing to cover. The best way to quickly find out is to call a representative and ask about the policy you have and what types of roof damage coverage are included.
But if you’re familiar with insurance documents, then you can also check your policy where it lists the different types of coverage that are offered for your home.
3. Document the Roof Damage
While it’s important to know what your insurance company will cover, it’s also important to document all of the damage. This could be the difference in getting your roof covered vs. not. The best way to document the damage is by taking a lot of pictures and getting a written estimate and statement from a roofing contractor.
You can also take notes on how much damage has been done so that the insurance adjuster will have an easier time making their assessment when they arrive at your home. The faster you get through the estimate and assessment process, the faster you’ll be getting your roof fixed.
4. Report the Damage and Open a Claim
When you’ve established and documented the apparent damage to your roof, you’ll be ready to report that damage to your insurance company and start to file a claim.
Undergoing this process is as simple as a phone call, and some of the larger insurance companies even let you upload pictures of the damage via your smartphone. This makes it fast and easy to open a claim.
5. Choose a Local Roofer
Choosing an experienced, professional roofing contractor is the best way to ensure that your insurance claim goes smoothly. Insurance companies don’t want to work with companies that won’t guarantee that the job is done right.
There are roofing contractors everywhere, and sometimes it can seem like there’s basically an endless amount. But, do your due diligence to find the right contractor. You can refer to more tips below for finding a good contractor.
6. Meet with the Adjuster
After your roofer has submitted their estimate, the next step is to meet with an insurance adjuster. Sometimes it won’t be a required step to meet with an adjuster, but it primarily depends on whether or not the damage is widespread and obvious. The company will send out a representative who can assess how much damage was done and how extensive it will be to replace the damaged portion of your home’s roof.
This is how the insurance company chooses to source a second opinion. It’s a quick meeting, and the insurance adjuster might bring a ladder to access the roof or just view it from on the ladder.
7. Get Your Roof Repaired or Replaced
The last step to this process is everyone’s favorite because it means that you get to be done and finished with the roofing process. Having your roof replaced or repaired is not always cheap, but hopefully, because of the damage from the storm, your insurance provider is going to cover a large portion of the cost.
How much you end up paying for the roof to be repaired will depend primarily on whether or not you’re required to pay a deductible and the type of coverage you have on your roof.
You can ask your insurance company about the costs of roof replacement due to storage damage. They’ll help you work through all the details even before there’s a storm.
Tips for Finding a Good Roofer
Finding a good roofer to work with will make the whole process easier. While a lot of people might already have a good roofer that they like to work with, many homeowners have never needed a roofer until they have storm damage.
Finding ads in the newspaper or a mailer in your mailbox is one way to learn about a contractor. It’s also important that you vet them well. You need this damage on your roof to be properly repaired.
Choose Local
It’s not required but is always a good idea and strongly recommend that you choose a local contractor. The contractor should be able to provide a lot of references and have a good amount of experience in the field. When a company is local, it’s easy to know that they’ll be around to get the job done right and provide follow-up service if needed.
Check their License & Insurance
Whether the company you’re working with has a license and insurance shouldn’t have to be your responsibility. But, if that company doesn’t, and something was to go wrong with the project or your house, you’d be responsible for paying for the damage. Accidents on your property should be covered by the roofer’s insurance, but if they don’t have any, then you’ll be responsible for it.
Look for Real Customer Reviews
Real customer reviews can tell you what real people think of this contractor and the work that they do. You can learn about any negative reviews, potential problems, or advantages of working with this contractor. There are lots of reasons to check in on reviews and to see what people are saying.
Ask for Referrals from Friends and Family
If you know people who have had roofing work done recently, they might be able to refer a contractor. Referrals from friends and family members are great because you can both trust the person giving the referral, and you have open communication about their likes and dislikes of working with that person.
If you’re looking for a local roofing contractor that feels comfortable working with insurance claims, has a solid reputation, and is ready to continue serving you for years to come, reach out to our Red Canyon team.
At Red Canyon Roofing, it’s our priority to provide great customer service and only the best roofing services you can find.
