Roof Inspection Provides An Expert Analysis
While insurance adjusters are insurance experts, they are not roofing experts. With that said, your insurance adjuster may not be familiar with all types of roofing materials, what to look for when it comes to damage and what the best options for repair are – but a professional roofing contractor will. Asking your insurance adjuster for a roof inspection after a hail storm is similar to going to the dentist when you are sick with the flu.
A Roofing Inspection Will Determine If Filing A Claim Worth It
In some circumstances, filing an insurance claim may not even be worth it. But how would you know if that’s the case if you don’t know how much the cost of repair and replacement is? Allowing a roofing contractor to assess the damage before a claim is filed will give you a more accurate idea about whether filing a claim is even worthwhile. Inappropriately filing a claim can cause your insurance rates to go up and can actually cost you more in the long run.
A Roof Inspection Will Help You Avoid Pitfalls
Property owner cannot deceive an insurance company and profit from a claim, It’s Illegal! By getting an inspection before you submit a claim, property owners can be sure that their roofing problems were indeed the result of the storm and not an already present, underlying issues that perhaps aren’t covered.
While it might be natural to want to call your insurance agent and file a claim following wind, hail or storm damage, that might not always be the best thing to do. Call an experienced roofing contractor first to inspect your roof – and you’ll have much better results in the long term.
What Information to gather Before Making Roof Insurance Claims
You’ll want to ask for their pictures of the damaged areas along with a written explanation of what needs to be fixed and the estimated costs associated with the repairs.
In the case that you have some damage but not enough to make an insurance claim worthwhile, your local roofing contractor can likely work out a repair plan with you (and as always, consult a public adjuster or your insurance agent if you have any questions about roofing insurance claims).
More extensive damage or even a total loss will require you to work with your insurance company, which includes taking steps like providing proof of the roof damage (this is where your before and after photo and video documentation will be super handy), measurements of the roof and damaged areas, the event(s) that caused the damage, and the dates and times associated with those events.
Checking the Estimate
Now, after the assessment, the insurance company will send a claim estimate. It’s of the essence for the homeowner and the contractor to review this estimate and see if something’s wrong. In general, it’s always better to get the estimate changed before the contractor even touches the roof. That gives the homeowner some peace of mind because they’ll know they’re covered in full.
The estimate is all good, now what?
After the claim is approved, the company will list out all the damages they found and send the first check to the owner. This check usually covers half of the amount needed to get the roof repaired. Once it arrives, the owner has a set period of time to repair the roof.
Usually, the first check goes to the contractors so that they can use it to get the materials. Once they repair the roof and create an invoice, listing out everything they did and how much it all cost, they’ll send it to the insurance company so that the homeowner can get the final check. Then, the homeowner pays the remainder of the total cost to the contractors, and the whole process is complete.