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Is My Roof Leak Covered By Insurance?
How to Make Sure Your Damage Is Covered By Homeowner’s Insurance.
We all take our roofs for granted sometimes. It’s only natural. As long as there are no leaks, it’s not something we have to think about very often. But what happens when there’s a storm? Or when a tree falls on your home? What happens when raccoons tear a hole in the roof and have babies in your attic?
When you have any kind of damage to your roof, one of your first thoughts will be “how am I going to pay for this? Is my roof leak covered by insurance?”
To find out the answer to this, you’re going to have to file a claim. However, filing claims can be complicated, so it isn’t always clear how to get started. Elements Roofing has put together a few steps to help you figure out the answer to this question.
Let’s walk through some ideas about how to get your costs covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.
1. Hire a certified roof inspector. Getting a professional roof inspection for insurance coverage will save you time, money, and headaches. In addition, it could even get you a better settlement if the roof inspector you contract finds storm damage you weren’t able to identify on your own.
2. Make sure any and all of your documents are complete and up to date. Also, make sure to take plenty of good photos of the damage. However, don’t just take photos of the outdoor damage.
Make sure to get shots of interior issues as well. Remember, it may be tempting to grab a ladder, climb up there, and take these shots yourself. However, let’s emphasize again that a professional roof inspection for your insurance claim may be safer, and will definitely be easier.
Be sure to note the date of the damage. And if you believe the damage is due to a storm, find newspaper articles that match that date to back your claim.
Finally, and this may be a no-brainer, but keep all your receipts.
3. Hire a local roofing company. Emergency roof replacement can be costly and a local roofer is more likely than a storm chaser to work with you and your insurance agent.
4. Ask your agent to clarify questions as you review your policy. Not all roofing problems are covered by all policies, and insurance language is complicated. If your exact situation is spelled out as not in the policy, you’re probably out of luck. On the other hand, if things aren’t crystal clear, you’ll have a pretty good chance of getting some help. Especially if you’ve followed these steps. But the key is to understand what’s in your policy, and your agent is the best resource for that.
How to Select a Roofing Contractor
While you’re researching whether or not your roof leak is covered by insurance, you should be considering what roofing company to hire.
First of all, be sure to hire one who can do a roof inspection for insurance purposes. Many roofers specialize in inspections for sales or annual maintenance.
For insurance purposes, it’s best to find a roofing contractor with specific insurance expertise. The insurance company will also hire someone to inspect the damage. But because this inspector represents them instead of you, they might be looking for a reason to reject your claim.
However, if you take the initiative to hire your own inspector, you’ll be giving yourself a leg up on your chances for insurance to cover your roof leak or damage. A roofer with insurance experience will also be able to communicate more easily with your insurance agency and to offer solid proof that you have a valid claim.
You should be looking for a company that provides both installation and replacement of roofs, and who services all the most common roofing materials. For northeastern Colorado and our crazy weather, that means high-quality, long-lasting asphalt shingles, and metal roofing products by TAMKO or Malarkey.
Check out their reviews on Google My Business or Facebook.
A reliable roofing company will repair or replace your roof correctly – without causing more damage, or over charging you. On the other hand, a roofing company with a bad reputation or a storm chaser, could put any future claims at risk, as well as putting your current claim in jeopardy as well.
Remember, Elements Roofing uses the same methods that insurance adjusters do to determine the damage to a property. It’s our job to ensure that your home is restored to its pre-loss condition or better.
Once the work is completed, Elements can inspect your roof regularly. Routine inspections will make sure your home is in good condition, but when you have claims in the future, they’ll be more likely to be approved because you’ll have photos and written documentation noting its condition.