When your roofing system is damaged, avoid being bullied by your insurance carrier or dealing with unscrupulous contractors. Understanding how insurance claims are handled and how to vet roofing contractors will get your home or business back to normal quickly.
newimageroofingatlanta.com gathered information on roof damage insurance claims, the inspection process, and hiring a reputable roofing contractor.
Roof Inspections and Insurance Claims
You should consider filing an insurance claim if your roof damage emergency resulted from severe weather, tree fall, or debris impact (act of God), before any work begins. To do so, gather your insurance policy, facts about the damage, and call your insurance carrier to initiate the claim process and schedule an inspection.
During an evaluation inspection, the insurance adjuster must document the following when assessing your loss:
- Damages
- Material needed for repairs
- Labor costs to be allocated for repairs
or
- Was the roof damaged sufficiently to declare it a total loss
- Material required for replacement or re-roof
- Labor costs to be allocated for replacement or re-roof
To ensure you receive the maximum benefit from your insurance policy, call a professional roofing contractor to have an independent assessment done (your roofing contractor may schedule their inspection to coincide with the adjuster’s evaluation).
Note: An insurance adjuster cannot determine whether a roofing system has sustained sufficient damage to approve or deny your claim. They are only there to collect evidence for the claims department.
Tip: If your roof damage repair costs do not exceed your insurance policy’s deductible, you may be better off paying out-of-pocket for repairs.
Watch this informative video explaining how insurance deductibles work.
Request a Reinspection – If you find discrepancies between the insurance adjuster’s and the roofing contractor’s findings, you can request a reinspection or contract an independant insurance public adjuster.
Reinspections are common practice, in which the insurance adjuster will meet with the roofing contractor to review the damages done to your roof.
Upon approval of the claim to repair or replace your roofing system, your insurance provider may select the roofing contractor to complete the work. They may also leave that determination up to you.
Note: In regions where a disaster has occurred, insurance companies may set up emergency stations and follow special temporary procedures to expedite repairs and rebuilding.
In these scenarios, it is crucial to keep receipts and records for temporary repairs, lodging, and meals, as your insurance company will likely reimburse you. The amounts you can claim during an emergency displacement are typically defined in your homeowners insurance policy.
Hiring A Roofing Contractor – What to Look For
Natural disasters and severe weather events attract some of the worst characters in the roofing business preying on unsuspecting property owners under immense pressure to get things back to normal.
Replacing a structure’s roof is a significant investment that needs to be done right, by a contractor that can be fully vetted and held accountable for the quality of their work.
When fielding bids from contractors to repair or replace your roof, consider the following factors into the decision-making process.
Does the contractor have:
- A written proposal
- A valid business license
- A permanent business location
- In-state references
- Proof of insurance
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of your roofing system
- Up-to-date industry education
- Material and workmanship warranties
- A maintenance proposal
Look or ask for:
- Manufacturer’s certifications
- Roofing association memberships
- Industry awards and recognition
- Google reviews
Note: Request a welcome packet or business presentation with the contractor’s general information like this.
Finally, avoid doing business with roofing contractors that:
- Cannot verify their company information and statements
- Provide an excessively high or low bid
- Cannot provide local references
- Only deal in cash
- Pressure or rush you to sign a contract
It is generally advised to acquire quotes from a minimum of three contractors for your roofing needs. This allows you to compare prices and scopes when determining which contractor to award your business.
Insurance Claims and Roofers
In this article, you discovered essential information about roof inspections, insurance claims, deductibles, and hiring a roofing contractor.
Once you understand how roof inspections and insurance claims work, you can be more vigilant about the roof repair process and prevent costly out-of-pocket expenses.
Making poor decisions during an insurance claim process or when hiring your roofing contractor may leave you with costly out-of-pocket expenses and poor quality repairs.
Sources:
fema.gov
nrca.net
consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-home-insurance-companies-pay-out-claims-en-1523
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