Roofs are a necessary as well as a rather pricey investment that must be made at some point in a homeowner’s life. Naturally, you want to get the most out of this investment, and to do so you may need some repairs done from time to time, or to file an insurance claim every now and then.
The whole world of roofing is often very daunting to those who do not know much about it, and the insurance process usually seems even more intimidating. While the world of roofing may seem overwhelming at times, it doesn’t always have to be. The right roofers will guide you through the roof repair and insurance process while also answering any questions you may have without hesitation. We decided to write this article today to help ease your minds further about the world of roofing and the insurance process. By the end of this article you should feel more informed about what to do should you find yourself needing to file an insurance claim and what the next steps would consist of.
I noticed damage to my roof, now what?
If you know that there is substantial damage to your roof the first thing you want to do is call your homeowner’s insurance company. All insurance companies work differently so they may send out an inspector to you of their choice, or they may let you choose one and report back to them. Regardless of what their policy is, all insurance companies have a strict process to follow, and sadly, it can take a while depending on who you work with. If you suspect that there may be some damage to your roof but are not positive, it never hurts to have a professional roofer come out and perform an inspection. Inspections are great and should be performed yearly since they can make you aware of existing damage that you may not have seen.
To reiterate, if you notice damage you should call your insurance or a professional roofing company right away. Nothing good comes from waiting when it comes to roofing, instead the problems just spiral and cost you more money in the end.
Some things to keep in mind about the insurance claim process
This is a topic we’ve covered before so we won’t be going too into depth on this here. If you want to learn more please check out this post located on our Learning Hub. Here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with your insurance company.
- Never sign any paperwork prior to having your roof damage claim fully approved. Any quality roofing company will never ask you to sign paperwork prior to your claim being approved. If a company does ask you to or try to persuade you into signing they probably are not a great company to work with.
- Once your claim is approved you will most likely get to pick the roofing contractor you want to work with. When choosing a roofing contractor you want to be sure to choose one that has past experience working with insurance claims and knows the process. Companies with experience in this will help you along the way and have your best interests in mind. It’s also important to look at a company’s reviews before hiring them to do any work for you as well as making sure they are licensed and insured.
- Nothing can be done before an adjuster from your insurance company approves your claim. If you ever believe that the adjuster you were provided with made a mistake, you can always ask for a second opinion to ease your mind. This is what we meant when we said it could be a bit of a long process at times. We recommended getting an insurance adjuster out to your home as soon as possible to speed up the process and get your roof repaired quicker.
What factors can impact your insurance claim?
While the majority of the time we recommend filing an insurance claim right away, there are some instances where it may not be necessary or may even work against you in the end. It’s important to know both the good and bad sides of filing a claim. Here are some things to consider before moving forward with your insurance company.
Previous insurance claims
If you have previously filed multiple claims over the past few years, you may want to reconsider filing again if the damage is minimal. The more claims you file the higher the chance is that your premium will go up which at times could cost more and not be worth it. Now, if you have a substantial amount of damage to your roof then it is worth it to file and go through the process as it will save you money.
The amount of roof damage and the age of the roof
Regardless of the amount of damage a roof has, we do suggest always having a roofing inspector come out right away and let you know the status of your roof. This information will help you to decide if filing a claim is worth it for you. You will never truly know how much damage you are dealing with without an inspection from someone who is trained to look for signs of a damaged roof.
The age of a roof also plays a big part in filing an insurance claim. It’s a common misconception that older roofs will not be covered by insurance when in reality they most likely will be. When an older roof that doesn’t have much life in it takes on storm damage or any damage that does not pertain to age, it oftentimes makes more sense to replace the whole roof which would be covered by the insurance. Older roofs are much more difficult to repair as the materials have lost their flexibility over time, and attempting to repair a very old roof will most likely lead to additional damage soon after.
Newer roofs are much easier to repair since all of the materials are still new and in good condition. In fact, unless there is a lot of damage done to your new roof it most likely is not worth filing an insurance claim since most of the time you may not meet your deductible making it useless. Now, this doesn’t mean that the damage should not be addressed, it just means that your insurance company does not need to get involved. You still want your new roof to last its entire lifespan so be sure to reach out to a professional and licensed roofer to perform an inspection and make any necessary repairs.
Wrapping it up
The insurance process doesn’t always have to be a daunting one and knowing these tips will help make the process go much smoother. We hope that this article helped you learn more about filing insurance claims and what to keep in mind when doing so. There are a lot of different factors out there to consider and it is always important to do your research before working with any company. There are lots of great places online to learn more about roofing such as our Learning Hub where we post new roofing content every week.
Just as a refresher to leave you with, here are a few things to stop and ask yourself before going through with filing an insurance claim. These aren’t the only things to consider, but it’s a great start and important ones to keep in mind. At the moment you may feel stressed and instantly want to file a claim, but it is not always worth it. Instead, take a few breaths and weigh your options to find what the best plan of action is for you.
- What does my insurance cover and what is the deductible?
- Is there enough damage to file a claim?
- Would it be cheaper to replace my roof instead of having it repaired?
- How old is my roof – is it worth it?
We are here to help
At Liberty Roofworks we have over 20 years of professional roofing experience and we would be more than happy to help you with your roofing needs. Whether you need an annual inspection performed or a full roof replacement, we do it all.
We are also no strangers to working with insurance claims. We understand the process and will walk you through it as well as advocate for you along the way if needed. We know that roof work can be overwhelming and an investment which is why we are happy to always answer any questions you may have as well as keep you informed throughout the entire process.
Are you in need of any roof work or struggling with an insurance claim? Contact us today and we will be happy to send out one of our licensed and professional roofers to perform an inspection and go over your options with you.