With all of the winter weather and all the recent storm damage that has occurred many are faced with the decision to repair the damages themselves or to file an insurance claim.
Do you file a claim or not, that is the question.
Here are a few pro tips on navigating insurance claims for roof damage:
1. You are your best advocate when it comes to your claim. You have the duty to prove to the insurance company what has been damaged and what you are owed. So stand your ground. The more photos you have the better.
2. Do the damages exceed your deductible? Most carriers have deductibles in the range of $1000 – $5000 so make sure you meet your deductible.
3. Often even if you file a claim and the damages are less than the deductible the insurance companies will likely raise your premiums after filing an insurance claim for your roof damage.
Remember that claims that have been filed on your home stay on your insurance record for 3 years which result in higher premium even if you switch companies.
4. Look carefully at the coverages that you have on your policy. Oftentimes there is coverage for food spoilage, or time that you had to stay at a hotel or rental reimbursement and meal reimbursement. Keep all your receipts to submit for reimbursement.
5. Hire a professional to inspect your damages. Most insurance companies now handle insurance claims for roof damage virtually or they will hire an independent appraiser to inspect your damages. Make sure that your licensed contractor is there when they are there to inspect things as often times things are overlooked and missed on their estimates. They are there to help you and be an advocate for you.
6. Once the insurance company provides you an estimate here are a few helpful tips.
- The insurance company will take the deductible out of the original estimate.
- The insurance company have something called hold back* ( another word for depreciation). Here’s an example:
Damage Estimate $10,000
Deductible -$1,000
Hold Back(Deprecation)typically 20-30% -$2,000
————————————————————————–
Total check for original estimate $7,000
This estimate is based on the photos and most times there are going to be additional damages that can be submitted once things are further torn apart.
*Hold back or deprecation is not taken if you have a signed contract with a licensed contractor. If you have a signed contract then you will actually get a two-party check for $9,000.
7. When it comes to roofing damage insurance adjusters are looking for damages to the slopes of your home. Typically they will only pay for the repairs for the slope that is damaged as long as it is not affecting the structure or stability of the other slopes. Some states will also allow for matching the existing shingles however in Oregon they do not allow for that. If the type of shingle (not color) on your roof is discontinued and no longer in production you may be eligible for a full roof replacement.
For Example:
- One shingle damaged and if those shingles are no longer in production that entire slope (not roof) qualifies for replacement.
- Typically if you have damage to 8-10 shingles in a 10×10 square feet of area on a slope that will also warrant replacement of that slope.
- Oregon is not a matching state so that means that the shingle color does not need to match the color of the existing shingles.
- You may be able to get your entire roof replaced depending on the damages. Make sure you have a professional to help inspect the roof.
8. Claims adjusters are busy typically on any given day they have a caseload of 100-200 claims. They want to move your claim off their desk and onto the next one as quickly as possible.
Don’t settle for less than what is owed to you.
Again we can’t stress these important points enough:
- Document EVERYTHING
- Photos, Photos, Photos
- Use a licensed professional for all repairs
- Check CCB records to verify who you are working with
There you go! Our best tips for navigating insurance claims for roof damage. If you need any help or have any questions on this, please contact us today!