How to Get Your Homeowners Insurance to Pay for a Storm Damage Roofing Claim

Jul 23, 2022
.
5
Min of reading

Are you wondering if you can get your homeowners insurance policy to pay for roof damage or if you should even file a claim? Many homeowners are confused about the process of filing a claim and may not want to file one for storm-related roofing damage for fear that their insurance premiums will increase.

Are you wondering if you can get your homeowners insurance policy to pay for roof damage or if you should even file a claim? Many homeowners are confused about the process of filing a claim and may not want to file one for storm-related roofing damage for fear that their insurance premiums will increase.

twitter iconfacebook iconlinkedin icon
homeowners insurance

Are you wondering if you can get your homeowners insurance policy to pay for roof damage or if you should even file a claim? Many homeowners are confused about the process of filing a claim and may not want to file one for storm-related roofing damage for fear that their insurance premiums will increase. The truth is that the process often sounds worse than it is and getting your insurance company to pay for an insurance roofing claim depends on the extent of the roofing damage, the age of the roof and your specific homeowners insurance policy. To make this process less confusing, let’s take a look at the details of getting your roof inspected and filing a claim with help from Roof Squad for the storm damage.

How Home Insurance Works for Storm-Related Roof Damage

Homeowners insurance financially protects you against certain covered losses. Those losses typically include fire, theft, vandalism and certain types of weather damage. If your home has recently experienced roof damage due to wind-driven snow or rain, hail damage or falling tree branches, you may be able to file a claim and get the repairs or roof replacement paid for by your insurance company.

How to Check for Roof Damage on Your Home After a Severe Storm

Unless your roof was severely damaged, you’ll probably need a pair of binoculars in order to check for roofing damage after a major storm. It’s not recommended to get a ladder and climb onto your roof due to the danger of slipping and falling. If you think you need to climb onto your roof to get an idea of the damage, consider hiring a professional, like Roof Squad. Our technicians are properly trained and have all the safety equipment needed to climb onto your damaged roof and accurately assess the need for repairs.

  • Look for missing, dented and torn shingles on your roof
  • Look for debris on the roof, like tree branches
  • Look for fallen or loose gutters and downspouts
  • Walk around your yard, looking for shingles or pieces of your roof that were blown off
  • Walk through your house looking for water spots and leaking from your ceiling

If you see any of these signs of roof damage after a storm, there’s a good chance that you can file a claim with your insurance company to get the roof repaired or replaced.

Reasons Your Homeowners Insurance Wouldn’t Pay for a Roof Repair or Replacement After a Storm

It’s important to understand when storm-related roofing damage won’t be covered by your homeowners insurance policy.

  • You let your policy lapse, meaning you didn’t have homeowners insurance at the time of the storm.
  • Your roof has obvious signs of damage that are from lack of maintenance rather than the storm.
  • You recently replaced your roof with an expensive material, like copper, slate or wood shakes and didn’t tell your insurance company.
  • The specific type of storm damage that your roof received is excluded from your policy.

To avoid these scenarios, it’s best to always read your policy, pay your monthly premiums and keep your insurance company apprised of any upgrades you make to your home or roof, so that your homeowners insurance can be updated to reflect the changes. If you need more coverage than a standard homeowners insurance policy provides, it’s best to talk with your agent about adding additional coverages.

How To Get Insurance To Pay for Roof Replacement or Repair

As soon as you realize your roof has sustained damage from a storm, call your insurance provider and let them know. This starts the process of filing a claim. Your insurance provider can also provide you with information on what they need in order to file your claim, and they may choose to send out an adjuster to inspect your roof and determine a cost for repairs.

At this time, you should also be noting all your correspondence with your insurance carrier, adjusters and any roofing contractors that you talk to. This includes the time and day you talked to them and what they said. If you are sent emails or documents, keep those for reference.

Choose a Roofing Contractor

Once you’ve called your insurance company, it’s time to find a roofing contractor near you, like Roof Squad, serving Texas in the Greater Houston area and Katy, Louisiana in New Orleans, Metairie and Kenner and Colorado in the Denver area. We perform thorough roofing inspections that include everything you need to file your roofing claim successfully.

  • Licensed, bonded and insured
  • Has good reviews or can provide examples of previous work performed
  • Works with insurance companies for storm-related roofing damage
  • Has a good BBB rating and few, if any unresolved complaints

Get an Inspection and Estimate

Your insurance company can’t process your claim until they know the costs involved. The roofing inspection you receive from your roofing contractor should include:

  • A detailed list of all the materials needed and the cost
  • The charges for labor
  • The specifications of the work to be performed
  • The dates work will begin and end
  • List of the acquired building permits needed to perform the work
  • Any warranty details for the materials and labor
  • Pictures and/or video of the storm-related roofing damage

How To File a Claim With Insurance for Roof Damage

Roof Squad makes it easy to file an insurance claim for your damaged roof. Just follow these simple six steps.

  • Contact your insurance carrier and start the claims process. You should receive paperwork regarding your claim within 5 to 10 business days. You can also request that they email you the paperwork in order to speed up the claims process.
  • Contact our team at Roof Squad to conduct your roof inspection and roof repair or replacement estimate.
  • Our dedicated claims representative will review your claim to ensure that you get a fair assessment of the true cost of your roof replacement or repairs. We’ll also walk you through the process and contractual agreement and answer all of your questions.
  • Pay your deductible, if you have a homeowners insurance deductible.
  • Your roof repair or roof replacement will be scheduled. The materials for your roof will arrive just prior to your repair or replacement date. In most instances, we can perform the repairs or roof replacement in one day.
  • Make the final payment for your fully restored roof.

What To Do if Your Roof Repair or Roof Replacement Claim Is Denied

If your claim is denied, you usually have up to 30 days to file an appeal. It’s important to read the denial, call your insurance agent for more information and file the appeal within the required timeframe that is listed on your denial letter. If you believe that your claim was denied in bad faith, you can report your insurance carrier to the appropriate authorities for further investigation. In Louisiana, you should report your complaint to the Louisiana Department of Insurance. In Texas, you can lodge your bad faith complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance. In Colorado, you can report a bad faith claim with the Colorado Division of Insurance.

Get an Estimate for Your Storm-Damaged Roof With Roof Squad, Serving Texas, Colorado and Louisiana

Don’t wait to get your roofing inspection after a severe storm that's caused wind or hail damage to your roof. Our expert team of roofers can come out to your property, thoroughly inspect your roof and give you a detailed estimate that you can submit to your insurance carrier. We’ll even explain all the issues we saw with your roof so that you have a deep understanding of the types of damage caused by the storm.

To start the process of getting your roof inspected and to have our insurance claims experts walk you through how to file a claim with insurance for roof damage, give us a call today at 713-489-8064 or fill out our online form to schedule a free inspection.

Do you want to know more?

19 Sep
. 10 Min of reading

When to replace gutters: A comprehensive guide for homeowners

Need new gutters? Learn when to replace them and explore top gutter replacement services! Click here to ensure your home's protection.

Read More
3 Sep
. 10 Min of reading

Debunking Common Myths about Shingle Roofs

Here’s a look at some common myths about shingle roofs and the truth behind them.

Read More
3 Sep
. 10 Min of reading

A Comprehensive Comparison of Shingles vs. Metal Roofs

Here’s a comprehensive comparison to help you make an informed decision between shingles and metal roofs

Read More