Frequently Asked Questions
How do I file an insurance claim for roof hail/wind damage?
How to File an Insurance Claim for Roof Hail Damage
Claims for hail or wind damage to roofs is on the increase. If you're not sure whether your home has been damaged by hail or wind , start by examining other objects around your house for signs of damage before calling Spalding Insurance Group or pulling out your ladder. Hail or wind strong enough to damage a roof will also cause damage to nearby cars, wood fences, shutters, gutters and/or exterior siding. Also a significant amount of shingle granules appearing at the end of downspouts may indicate potential damage; however, granule loss, in and of itself, does not prove hail damage.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions:
- Note the date. If you know for sure that you've recently had a hail or wind storm, note the date. You'll need this date to file a claim. If you didn't take any picture of the hail storm yourself, do an internet search with the name of your city and the keywords, "hail storm." You ought to find a lot of pictures of people showing the size of the hail. So, save a few to show the agent.
- Get a qualified opinion. If you suspect you have damage to your roof from a hail or wind storm, get several opinions from qualified roofing or restoration companies. It is recommended to call at least six out of the phone book so that hopefully three will get out to get you an estimate quickly. If you are in an area susceptible to hail, you will most likely find several that list themselves as hail damage specialist. Simply tell them that you suspect you have damage from a recent storm and they'll be more than glad to come and give you an estimate. Make sure you get the roofing or restoration company to seperate what is damaged and what is just worn and needs to be replaced due to wear and tear. Remember, roofing companies want to make the most money they can and will want to replace the whole roof even if the Insurance company will only pay for what is damaged.
- Meeting the roofing or restoration companies. When the roofing or restoration companies come, spend some time getting to know them and ask about the service they provide. Most will spend about 10-20 minutes on your roof accessing the damage. Get business cards and any information they provide about the roofing process that they use. Ask them all if they'd be willing to be there when the insurance adjuster comes to access the damage. I think as a general rule, if they are not willing to be there then they really don't think you have much of a chance in getting your claim approved.
- Filing the claim. This is the easy part. If the damage appears to be covered and the cost will be under your deductible and worth turning in then just call your insurance company and tell them you want to file a claim for roof damage. They will probably also ask if you have any interior damage. It's probably not necessary, but when I put in my claim, I made sure that I told them that I already had several companies who specialize in hail damage look at my roof and tell me it needed replacing. Also know this, in most states you have up to one year to file a claim for damage. Although I don't recommend you wait that long, just make sure you know what the date, or dates, of the storms were.
- Meeting the insurance adjuster. When the insurance adjuster comes, there will not be much for you to do. Hopefully, you'll have a contractor who agreed to meet the adjuster with you. The adjuster will take about a half hour to access and take picture of any damage and then explain the next steps to you. Some companies may give you a settlement quote right then, but many can take up to a couple weeks. When the adjuster is done, your contractor, or contractors, will probably compare notes with the adjuster mainly to see if the total roof measurements are about the same. In a case where the adjuster states they didn't think there was any significant damage, ask your contractor to debate it with them.
- When the adjustor leaves the next thing you want to do is make sure you get written quotes from the roofing companies you've been working with. Start thinking about which one you are going to select, and make sure you take into consideration a company's reputation and not just the price or discounted rates they're offering you. Also ask them for a discount or upgrade if you should bring them more business. If you had storm damage, then it is likely your neighbors had damage, and you might as well benefit by recommending a roofer to them.
- Getting the work done. If your insurance company approves your claim, you will most likely get enough, less your deductible, to complete the work. If it's not enough, your contractor should help you dispute the amount based on the work needed. Don't be alarmed if your insurance company depreciated the amount allocated for repairs because of roof age. They are just holding back some of the money until the work is complete. So, if they hold back $700 for depreciation and the actual cost of work is a little more then they sent you, all you have to do is send them a letter of completion from your contractor with the exact amount when the work is done and they'll send you the difference. And that's it; a new roof for the price of your deductible!
