Tips for Filing a Roof Insurance Claim
April 10, 2024
Review Your Insurance Policy
The first good step in making a roof claim is to try to understand your policy. There’s no point going to battle for coverage that you never had. For example, is the roof damage actually covered, or did you choose to exclude wind and hail damage? Is your coverage for replacement cost or actual cash value?
Assess the Damage
If you suspect there is roof damage from a storm, inspect your entire home, not just the roof. You’ll want to know the scope of the damage when you contact your insurer to start a claim.
Don’t do anything that is dangerous like walking on your roof. Get as much information as you can get but stay safe.
Get a Repair Estimate
Get an estimate for repair based on what you had, not on how you want to change things. Don’t rely on the adjuster to determine the repair cost of the roof. Make sure to get a written estimate on a roofing company’s letterhead with the company’s contact information.
Protect the House From Further Damage
If a tornado rips through your neighborhood and tears part of your roof off, protect your home from further damage. In fact, preventing further damage when possible is often a requirement in homeowners policies, and further damage may not be covered. You may need to put up a tarp while you alert your insurer.
Avoid Major Repairs Until Claim Approval
It’s all right to protect your house from further damage, but you don’t want to complete repairs until after the insurance company has approved the claim. The claims adjuster wants to review the damage and finish the claim process before you perform the work.
Don’t Let the Insurance Company Boss You Around
Insurance companies are businesses and may not have your best interests in mind when it comes to paying out roof damage claims. If you’re not doing a good job of explaining what they should be paying you, they have no fiduciary obligation.
You’re entitled to fair trade pricing, so make sure you have a solid repair estimate. If you have a large or complicated claim, consider hiring a public adjuster to work on your behalf.
Don’t Get Multiple Estimates
If you get multiple estimates, your insurance company will want to see all of them and may only accept the lowest one. The lowest estimate may not be the best quality.
Act Quickly
Time is of the essence when dealing with a roof claim. “The longer a roof sits with damage, the more weather and dirt make it less obvious what the damage is since it looks like wear and tear,” says Severaid.
Consider Roof Material That Can Get You an Insurance Discount
Research materials that will be more durable than your current roof. Your insurance company might offer a discount for impact-resistant roofing. Check with the insurer on whether it offers roof material discounts before you make a final pick.
Keep a Log of Correspondence About Your Insurance Claim
What starts out as a seemingly simple claim could blow up into a nightmare. You’ll be glad if you kept records from the start, including photos, who you spoke to when and what they told you.
When Will I Receive My Claim Settlement?
You should receive your home insurance claim settlement within 30 to 60 days after agreeing to a settlement amount. The exact timing can depend on your state, the amount of damage and the extent of claims in your area.
For instance, if you file a claim about a destroyed roof damaged during a major storm that damaged many other homes in the area, you may not get your claim payment as fast as if your home was damaged at another time.
When is Filing a Roof Insurance Claim Not Worth It?
It’s generally not a good idea to file an insurance claim if the damage isn’t much more than your policy’s deductible. A home insurance deductible is the amount subtracted from the claims check.
That means if your roof suffered $1,200 worth of damage and you have a $1,000 deductible, the claims payment would be only $200. That likely won’t be worth it since a roof claim will likely increase your insurance rates.
Factors That Affect Roof Damage Claims
Roof damage claims are influenced by multiple factors:
Your claims history: An insurance adjuster won’t look kindly if you’ve had multiple home insurance claims and will likely increase your rates and may even drop your coverage.
Roof damage: Minor damage like a few loose shingles might not be enough to file a home insurance claim. Remember that your rates will likely increase after a roof claim, so you want to make sure it’s worth it to file a claim. You should otherwise pay out of pocket and avoid filing a claim.
Deductible. Your policy deductible influences how much you get from a home insurance company. The deductible is deducted from the claim amount.
Roof’s worth and size: Depending on the roof’s material, you may get reimbursed hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. An asphalt roof is cheaper to rebuild than aluminum, slate or copper. The roof’s size also plays a part.
Hurricane and Windstorm Deductibles and Roof Claims
There are two types of deductibles you might encounter when filing a roof claim if you live in a coastal area or a state prone to severe weather: hurricane deductibles and windstorm deductibles. Hurricane deductibles apply only to damage from hurricanes, while windstorm—or wind/hail—deductibles apply to any type of wind damage.
Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have hurricane deductibles. A hurricane deductible is the amount subtracted from your claim check for home repairs after wind and rain damage from a hurricane. Hurricane deductibles are either a set amount or a percentage of the home’s insured value, for example, 1%, 2% or 5%. Windstorm deductibles are also usually a flat dollar amount or a certain percentage of your home’s insured value.
What To Do if Your Roof Insurance Claim Is Denied or Underpaid
You can appeal your insurance company’s decision if it denies you or offers less than you think you deserve. If your claim is denied, the insurer will send you a letter explaining why they denied it.
You can appeal the denial if you believe that your policy should cover the damage. This may require you to provide documentation as to why the claim should be approved. The insurance company may send out a different insurance adjuster and may get a roofing specialist to review, too.
You could hire a public adjuster to work in an independent manner and provide an estimate and cause of the damage. That expert’s opinion may help you with an appeal.
If the company still denies the claim, you can contact your state’s department of insurance to ask for help in rectifying the issue. You can also hire an attorney to help you with the process if you don’t get anywhere with the insurer.
