An insurance claim is a formal request to your insurance provider. You are asking them to pay for damages caused by events covered in your policy. These events include but are not limited to hail, wind, tornado, and hurricane damage. When you file an insurance claim for storm damage you want to be sure that the damages are more extensive than the cost of your deductible. There is no sense in getting your insurance involved if you have one shingle missing. This, however, does not mean that if you only see a small bit of damage you should pay for it yourself. It is always wise to have a trusted contractor who understands the insurance landscape have a look at your roof first. Then, you can have them tell you what you can file a claim for.
The insurance claim landscape is full of booby traps that can cost you a chance to get your damage covered. When you are considering filing an insurance claim it is crucial to have an insurance restoration expert on your side. You need a professional that has been trained in what damage to look for and how to get said damage covered. Most people, if they climbed up on their roof, would find what they think to be storm damage. However, it is what follows identifying the damage that determines if your insurance company pays for the roof or not.
You do not want someone walking around on your roof or eventually removing the roof that is not insured. As the homeowner you are opening yourself up to a lot of liability if you do not confirm they are insured. Any contractor worth their salt will be happy to provide you with proof of their insurance.
I always send my clients a CompanyCam link so they can view the photos/videos of their roof. It is good practice to make sure the person who conducted your inspection did a full inspection. These photos should include overall roof photos, photos of each slope, and vents/pipes. Even wind/hail damage, gutter/gutter guard, and any other damage on your property.
For the most part, your contractor should be handling all of the paperwork and negotiation about the scope of work. Let’s face it, most of your homeowners do not know very much about roofing and I don’t blame you. If I weren’t a roofer I wouldn’t care to know anything either. However, good contractors are always looking out for the homeowner and that may mean negotiating on your behalf. On the other hand, sometimes those negotiations can hit a stall. In that case, having the homeowner send a well-placed letter or email can be just the oil we needed to get the gears moving again!
I know it can be overwhelming but when you have a severe weather event, it is better to be prepared. There will be a bunch of contractors in your area that have migrated in and are attempting to get your business. Your best option is to do research on the top three local companies and call the one you like. From there you can get their professional opinion and pick the best option. Getting it done early and from a local company means two things; you will not have to worry about all the transplants bothering you and the company will care about its quality much more than someone from out of town.