After a big storm passes through or your home gets hit by falling debris, your roof may look a bit worse for wear. To avoid leaks or other interior damage, it’s important to keep your roof in good condition. For most homeowners, insurance will cover the cost to repair or entirely replace your roof if it is damaged by weather or other environmental factors.
When Should I File a Roof Damage Claim on My Home?
Claims related to storm damage on a residential property should be filed as soon as possible after the storm or damaging event takes place. Every insurance company is different, but all have a specific window of time following a storm or significant weather event in which homeowners can file a claim. Be sure to read through your policy to understand what your own time frame looks like.
How Do I File an Insurance Claim?
Insurance claims can be filed by calling your insurance company. Your insurance card or statement will usually have a phone number listed that you should call. If you can’t locate it on your paperwork, it will often be prominently displayed on your company’s website.
While you’re on the website, you may learn that you can file a claim online. This is another good route if you are short on time but would like to file a claim right away.
What Information Will My Insurance Company Need?
Whether you choose to file a claim over the phone or online, there are a few pieces of information that your insurance company will likely need in order to open a new claim file for you. They’ll probably ask you for:
- Your homeowner’s insurance policy number. This can be found on your insurance statement or on your online profile.
- What type of damage you see. If you are filing a claim online, you may be asked to submit photos with your claim filing. Take as many pictures as possible of the damage that you can safely view. If you are concerned about your ability to climb onto your roof in order to take photos, do not attempt to do so. Either way, an insurance inspector will likely have to see the property themselves in order to fully assess the amount of damage done.
- When the damage occurred. If you know the date that the damaging storm rolled through or when debris fell onto your roof, share that with your insurance company. If you’re not exactly sure of the date, especially if the damage you see is weather-related, your insurance company may be able to help you find the date of the most recent storm in your area.
Understanding your Insurance Coverage
No two insurance policies are exactly the same. Insurance companies may cover roof repairs as part of the larger home system or cover the roof separately. Take some time to understand what your current homeowner’s insurance policy covers now so that you’re not scrambling to get your questions answered later.
Some common types of insurance coverage related to roof replacement include:
- Dwelling coverage. Your roof may be covered as a component of the main structure of your home.
- Replacement cost coverage. If you need to replace your entire roof, this kind of coverage will pay you enough to get a new roof without taking depreciation into account.
- Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage. Similar to replacement cost coverage, this kind of insurance coverage helps settle the cost when you need to replace your entire roof. However, this kind of coverage subtracts depreciation from the total amount that they will pay you.
If you’re not satisfied with the level of coverage that you currently have on your roof, talk to your insurance agent about getting additional coverage.
Find the Right Roof Repair Company
Once your claim has been opened and your insurance company is prepared to pay for repairs or a full roof replacement, it’s time to look for a roofing company to do the work.
Make sure that you are hiring a roofing company with positive reviews from the local community that has experience working on insurance-related projects. Since you likely won’t receive full compensation from your insurance company until after the work is completed, it’s important that your contractor of choice is prepared for this type of payment timeline.
McHale Roofing is happy to work with all major insurance carriers. If your home was hit by hail or wind damage, call on a team that knows how to work with insurance to get you a roof you love. Get in touch with us today for a free estimate.
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