No matter where you live there is always the potential for an unexpected roofing emergency. Strong storms that come up suddenly can produce damaging wind, rain and hail. Downed trees are also a major source of roofing damage. Many times, if you have been the victim of sudden an unexpected roofing damage your homeowner’s insurance will cover all or part of that damage. If you suffer emergency roofing damage and you think it’s covered under your homeowner’s policy, you should definitely file a claim.
You would think that the procedure to file a roofing insurance claim would be straightforward and standardized across the industry. Unfortunately, that’s not even close to the case. Each insurance company seems to have their own way of processing and handling roofing claims. There are, however, some general rules and guidelines to follow when you file an insurance claim. That’s what we aim to teach you in this article if you are unfamiliar with the process.
Secure Your Roof – Don’t Wait for Claim Money to Do It
Even a small hole in your roof from a storm, or other damage, can let a large amount of water into your home. Leaks can rot wood, ruin drywall and do other significant structural damage. That’s why it’s so important to not wait for insurance claim money to get your roof secured. If you have major roofing damage, chances are it will be a little time before your roof can be repaired anyway. Roofing companies such as Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton and the Portland, Oregon area will help you get your roof tarped and secured for a nominal fee.
Contact Your Insurance Agent and Make a Claim
Even if you are not sure if your emergency roof damage is covered by your insurance go ahead and contact your insurance provider and submit a claim. The worst thing that can happen is they can say no. The sooner you start the claims process the sooner you will have money for the repair and can get that roof repair started.
Start Getting Estimates & Prepare for the Repair
Whether your insurance covers your damaged roof or not you will still need to get an estimate as to what it will cost to get it fixed. Your insurance company will probably require two or more estimates to be done. This is also a good time to familiarize yourself with local contractors and decide which one seems the most qualified to do the work. You should be able to find a company that will do the inspection and estimate for free.
Be Aware of Potential Insurance Pitfalls
There are some problems you may encounter where roofing insurance only pays for part of the roof repair claim cost or none at all:
- Keep your roof well-maintained – failure to do so may void your insurance coverage
- Insurance may not cover roof replacement – in that case if your roofing contractor recommends roof replacement instead of repair you should strongly consider paying for the balance of the cost out of pocket.
