Roof Damage Insurance Claim: Tips To Make The Process Easier
You might wonder what to do next if your home recently sustained roof damage. The claim process may be complicated if you don’t know what to expect if you have a home insurance policy. But, with these few tips, the process will likely be much smoother and less stressful.
File A Claim As Soon As Possible
You must file your roof insurance claim as soon as the damage occurs. Most policies have a filing time limit, usually within a year of the incident. If you wait too long, your insurer can only accept your claim. The insurance company might assume you’ve had time to fix the problem and no longer need their help.
When you file a claim right away, you also prove that the damage is a result of the event you state in your claim. For example, if a severe storm damages your roof and you wait a few months to file a claim, the insurance company might claim that the damage is from something else, like old age or wear and tear.
Moreover, the sooner you file, the sooner the repairs can begin. And the longer you wait, the more your roof’s condition worsens. For example, if a tree falls on your roof and creates a hole, that hole is likely to become larger if you don’t address the damage. You risk other things like water damage to the rest of your home. In such a case, you might need to convince your insurance company that the extra damage isn’t a result of your neglect.
Ensure you inform your insurer as soon as you discover serious damage to your roof. Contact your roofing contractor if you need help deciding whether you should file a claim. They can help you determine whether the damage is worth a claim from your insurer.
Document The Damage
You must document the damage beforehand to ensure the insurance claim process goes smoothly. You can follow these steps for successful documentation.
Gather Relevant Evidence
The insurance company will likely want to see evidence of the damage before they approve your claim. So, take pictures or videos of the damage from different angles. Take close-up images that show the details of the damage. Please take photos of the entire roof so the insurance company can see the scope of work they must prepare for.
In addition to pictures or videos, you should also gather any other evidence of the damage. If you have this evidence, your insurer is more likely to approve your claim. Use receipts for repairs, medical bills (if anyone sustained injuries from the damage), or police reports (if the damage was because of a crime).
If the roof damage is due to a severe storm, there’s a good chance that other homes in your area suffered a similar fate. So take a walk around your neighbourhood to see if you can find any evidence of damage to other roofs.
Look out for shingles on the ground or debris in the yards. If you can find this evidence, take pictures or videos and include the details in your claim. The insurance company is much more likely to approve your claim if they see that other homes in the area also suffered similar damages from the same event.
Make a Detailed List of All the Damages
After you gather all the evidence you need, list all the damage, you notice on your roof. Ensure you include everything — from the smallest detail to the largest repair. For example, note what you see if you discover a few missing shingles on your roof. If a section of the roof appears too damaged for simple repairs, remember to include that in your list.
When you file your insurance claim, you also need to provide an estimate of the repairs. And if you have a list of all the damages, you can get an accurate estimate.
Frequently, the insurance company will want to see this list to determine whether your policy covers all the damages. So, take your time and make sure you get everything. You’d be better off if you included less information than you needed.
You can also ask your roofing contractor for a professional damage report. This report will include the cost of repairs and the reason for the damage. If you have this report, your chances of a successful claim are higher since you’ll have professional documentation of the damage.