Hail strikes can do major damage to a roof in Indianapolis, IN, especially if the roof is covered in asphalt shingles. Hail impacts will usually knock off quite a bit of the granules that protect the shingles. The impacts will also weaken the shingles or even break them, almost always resulting in the roof failing much sooner or leaking. Most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover at least some of the costs to repair or replace a roof if it gets damaged by hail, impacts from flying debris, or strong winds. In this article, we’ll take you through the steps for filing an insurance claim if your roof experiences storm damage. We’ll also discuss why hiring a professional roofing contractor is important when navigating this process.
Reporting the Damage and Filing a Claim
The process for filing a claim with your homeowner’s insurance should be relatively straightforward, but this isn’t always the case. Any time you think your roof may have experienced damage from hail or strong winds, the first step is to contact your insurance provider and report the damage as soon as possible.
Depending on which insurance provider you have and how much hail damage occurred in your area, you may need to have proof of the damage. An insurance company may require you to submit photos or videos of your roof. This is why it’s a good idea to contact a professional roofing contractor as soon as any damage occurs. They will be able to safely go on your roof to perform a storm damage inspection and document any damage for you. In cases of severe damage, the roofing company can also use tarps to cover any damaged areas. This is important for ensuring your roof doesn’t leak while you’re waiting for the claim to be approved and repairs to take place.
Inspecting the Roof for Storm Damage
Once you’ve submitted everything necessary to file the claim, the insurance company will then send out an adjuster to inspect your roof and determine the extent of the damage. In cases of hail damage, the adjuster will usually look at how many hail strike marks there are within a specific area. This usually involves using chalk to mark off a 100-square-foot area on both the front and back slopes of the roof. If you have a hip roof instead of a gable roof, they may mark off an area on all four slopes. The adjuster will then use the chalk to circle every hail impact mark in the area. They will then take pictures of each of the areas.
Whether or not your claim is approved depends on the total number of impact marks in each of the areas. Most insurance companies will approve the claim and agree to replace or repair the roof if there are more than nine significant hail impacts in a 100-square-foot area. However, the total number of impacts per 100 square feet needed for the claim to be approved can vary from one company to the next.
The adjuster may also want to go into your attic to look for signs of leaks. They may also ask if there is any noticeable damage to the interior of your home. They’ll look for missing or loose shingles and determine whether any water is seeping underneath the shingles or other roofing materials. Another important part of the process is looking for signs of wear and tear, aging, and neglect, since these things will also play a major role in whether or not your claim is approved.
Some insurance companies are notorious for trying to deny claims. This means that the adjuster may try to mark off an area that doesn’t have as much damage. This is another reason why it’s a good idea to have a professional roofing contractor inspect your roof. They will mark all of the damage before the adjuster does. Even better is if you have the roofing contractor present while the adjuster is performing their inspection.
The roofers will inspect your roof to find the areas with the most hail impacts and mark all of the impacts. They can then tell the adjuster which areas to focus on. The adjuster may not approve every hail impact the roofers marked. Nonetheless, the roofing contractor will usually be able to make a better case to the insurance company. If your roof has enough legitimate hail impact marks, this should increase the chances of your claim being approved.
There are many times when hail damage may not be immediately apparent. An experienced roofer will be able to point out legitimate damage that the adjuster may not see. If the damage isn’t apparent at first, it will usually become noticeable after a few heavy rains. This is why most insurance companies allow you to schedule a second inspection later if they deny your claim after the initial inspection.
Hiring a Roofing Contractor
If your claim is approved, most insurance companies will write you a check for the total amount of damage that they will cover. Once you have the check in your possession, you can usually hire a roofing contractor of your choice to fix the damage or replace your roof. Then, you pay them with the claim check.
Exactly how much the insurance company will pay depends on whether the damage can be repaired, or the roof needs to be replaced. It also depends on the age and condition of the roof and what type of roof it is. Many insurance companies won’t cover any hail damage to a metal roof since hail impacts on metal roofing are considered a cosmetic issue. If your roof has asphalt shingles or tiles, the insurance company may still cover the cost of a full replacement. This is true if the roof has minor damage but materials that perfectly match the existing roof aren’t available.
The Importance of Regular Roof Inspections and Maintenance
The most common reasons that storm damage claims are denied are neglect, lack of maintenance, or general wear and tear. You will always have a much better chance of your claim being approved if you can prove that your roof was in decent condition before being damaged. This is one of the many reasons why having a roofing contractor inspect your roof annually is important. Not only can the roofers take pictures to show the condition of your roof from one year to the next, but they can also provide you with documentation proving that your roof was recently inspected. Having these records will help you prove that your roof wasn’t neglected and didn’t previously have any issues.
The team at Red Bird Roofing has years of experience in all types of roofing services. We specialize in storm damage inspections as well as roof repairs and replacements. If you need to file an insurance claim, we can work with the adjuster to ensure they are aware of all the damaged areas. Our team can also help ensure that all the paperwork is filed correctly and work to ensure that you receive as much compensation for the damage as possible. Whether your roof has suffered storm damage, or you need any other roofing service in the Indianapolis area, contact us to get the expert assistance you need.
