A damaged roof is the kind of bad news that can ruin a day in a hurry. Until it’s fixed, you have to worry about leaks and additional damage. Getting it fixed is not always an easy endeavor. Roofs are large, and you need certified work. That means you have to find a good roofer to do the work, and you have to figure out costs. Fortunately, you have home insurance, and it frequently covers roofs. Having that financial support can take the sting out of this problem. With that in mind, it helps to understand how you can go about getting money from your insurance company to pay for a new roof.
Check Your Coverage
The first step is figuring out how your insurance works. Since every policy is unique, you want a clear idea of what you should expect before you get deep into the process. Review your policy closely, and see exactly what it says about roofing. You want to see what is typically covered. You want to explore exceptions. You also want to see if your insurance company has a claims checklist. That will help you acquire all of the necessary information and paperwork to get through the process smoothly.
A few common practices for home insurance include depreciation clauses (which might reduce how much the company pays), time frames for making a claim, preferred roofers, and specifications between repair and replacement. All of these clauses will determine the rest of the process.
Contact Your Insurer
You might think of this as the real first step. You have to let the company know that you want to make a claim to get this ball rolling. Before you do, it helps to document the damage. Photos are your best friend. Get as many angles and spots as you can. Get pictures of the interior, especially if it shows signs of leaking. If you can reasonably get on the roof, take photos up there. Make sure you time and date all of your evidence to make it easier for the claims adjuster to follow along.
If you can’t get on the roof, one of the best tools is a drone. Perhaps you can borrow one and get great photo evidence of the damage.
If there is no real way for you to get good photos, your best recourse is a roof inspection. You’ll be looking at paying out of pocket for this, but if you have professional roofers outlining the damage, it will help with your insurance claim.
When you have all of this information, start submitting your claim. Depending on your insurer, it might be easier to make an online claim or it might be easier to call. Either way, they are going to take you through most of the process. You’ll have forms to fill out and a chance to share your documentation. After that, you get to wait while they start processing things on their end.
Check Out Roofing Companies
While you’re waiting, you want to find the roofers who are going to fix the damage. Some insurance companies will make recommendations, but regardless, you want to do your own homework. When you’re comparing roofing companies, always check their certifications and insurance. You don’t want roofing accidents to compound the problem.
You also want to make sure they work with your kind of roof. Not all roofers will handle tile or metal roofs, for example. Definitely check reviews, and be sure to compare prices.
Follow Through With the Insurer
The insurer should update you with the claim, but you can follow through on your own. When you have a roofer and a claim, you’ll want to see how payments process. In most cases, the insurance company will cut you a check for the value of the claim, and you’ll handle hiring the roofer. That said, exceptions do exist, so make sure you know the process before you commit to paying for roofing services.
It’s worth noting that insurance claim amounts aren’t really based on the cost of repairing or replacing the roof. They’re based on the value of the policy and the home. It’s complicated, but the short of it is that you should be prepared to get a claim for less than it costs to fix your roof. That won’t necessarily be the case, but as the saying goes, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.The claims process can be draining. Having good expectations can help, but there are always additional resources. You can get help from roofing companies like Alpine Roofing Construction too. We deal with insurance claims all the time, and helping you is part of doing the job right. Contact us today and see what it takes to get your roof fixed.