What to Do if Your House Sustains Roof Damage
If your roof has sustained damage, you should file a claim with your insurance as soon as possible!
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The sooner you file an insurance claim, the sooner you can get the necessary repairs covered. However,filing a homeowners insurance claim for roof damage can be complicated. If you have to file a roof damage claim, such as a hail damage insurance claim, you should follow several steps to ensure you file the claim properly and get the ball rolling with your insurer. Read on to learn more about filing a homeowners insurance claim for roof damage.
Determine What Type of Roof Damage Your Home Has Suffered
If you think your home has sustained roof damage, the first thing that you should do is inspect the damage. You may need to get up on a ladder to take a look at your roof. If your home has two stories, you can probably get a good look at your roof from a second floor window. You should also go up into your attic to check for signs of a leak.
Ask a Roofing Company for an Estimate
It is important that you have a roofing company take a look at your roof and give you an estimate before you contact your insurer. This is because the assessment from your insurer may be significantly less than what a roofing company in your area may charge. If you get an estimate beforehand, you will know whether or not you should accept your insurance company’s assessment.
Most roofing companies will provide an estimate for free. Obtaining an estimate also means that you can get the roof repaired more quickly if your chosen roofing company is familiar with the damage early on in the process.
File the Claim With Your Insurer
Once you have obtained an estimate from a local roofing company, it’s time for you to file a claim with your insurer. These days, most insurers allow you to do this online. You may need to take pictures of the damage. It’s always a good idea to include the estimate you’ve obtained so that your insurer knows they can’t lowball you.
Meet With the Assessor
After receiving the claim, your insurer will send out an assessor to take a look at the damage. Some insurers use their own employees to do this. Others will hire contractors. In general, you have a better chance of getting a fair shake with a contractor. The assessor will inspect your roof and write a report for the insurer. The insurer will then offer to cover a certain dollar amount of repairs. Keep in mind that this offer is negotiable.
Get Your Roof Repaired
After you reach an agreement with your insurance company, it’s finally time to get your roof repaired. You may want to go with the roofing company that provided you with an estimate. This company will already be familiar with your roof’s damage, and you will already know how much they will charge.
