The insurance claim process can feel very intimidating for homeowners. It can be time-consuming and frustrating if you don’t have much knowledge of what to expect. Many owners simply don’t want to do the tedious paperwork that is involved with claims. Typically, the first thing most homeowners do after seeing damage to their roof is to call their insurance company. It may seem like the logical first step but may not be in your best interest. Did you know that your roofing contractor can help walk you through the insurance process? You may not realize that a good roofing company will assist with the insurance paperwork. They will document the damage for you along with giving an estimate, then will work directly with the insurance company on your behalf.
Your roofing company will assess the damage and create a thorough estimate to send to the insurance company. If you call the insurance company first, they will send the adjuster hired through them. The difference between an insurance adjuster and a roofing contractor is that they don’t work on roofs every day. Adjusters just don’t have the experienced knowledge that a roofer has when looking at the damage. Sometimes the insurance adjuster looks at surface damage and may miss damage underneath that a roofer would know to look for and would document in detail. A roofing contractor will search for the root of the damage and uncover the underlying structural problems.
You definitely want to consider calling your roofer first because they can get you prepared before calling your insurance company. Roofing by Hernandez has access to using the same estimated software that the insurance adjuster will use and we work with insurance claims every day so we’ve got the experience and expertise to make the claim process much easier for you. The estimate through Roofing by Hernandez can then be compared to the estimate given from the insurance company and the contractor can explain the additional items that are needed to repair the roof accurately. Most importantly the contractor will negotiate directly with the insurance company to ensure that they are considering all of the repairs needed and will distribute sufficient funds to properly replace or repair the roof of your home. As your roofing contractor, we will be in your corner and will have your back when negotiating with the insurance company.
Once an occurrence happens maybe you see roof damage after a storm and you need to file a claim, do you know where to start? As a homeowner, hopefully, you will go your entire life without making an insurance claim, but as they say hope for the best and be prepared in case something does happen. A roof on a home is just as crucial as the foundation, if damage occurs and is not fixed immediately the next storm could bring the house down, so to speak, and if an owner is not prepared they could lose the contents of their home as well. If you recently noticed water damage in your house after a storm and are looking for the steps to file a claim, you’re in luck! We’ve created easy steps to guide you. And are here for you every step of the way so you can breathe easy. Call us for more information on how we can help.
Step 1: Documentation with Photos– As soon as you notice damage has occurred get your camera out and capture what you see. Make sure to get different angles and zoom in on the details. Sometimes, water damage can only be seen after a rainstorm. If the pictures are taken after the water dries, this may result in an insurance denial or underpayment. Take photos from the inside and out and anything that was affected by the damage. Rule of thumb, don’t dispose of any shingles or rotted wood from the roof. These items may give more information about what’s going on underneath the surface. Document when and where the damage occurred. Be very detailed in your description and with your photos. It’s better to have too much information than not enough when dealing with an insurance company because it could mean the difference between a successful or unsuccessful payout.
Step 2: Gain Knowledge on Your Insurances- It’s very important to have an idea of what your homeowner’s insurance entails and understand the terms. You may not have read through your insurance paperwork when you signed and perhaps won’t feel the need to look over it until something disastrous happens. Perhaps the most affordable option was chosen at the time so you could keep your mortgage/escrow payments as low as possible. Did you choose a high deductible so that your monthly or annual payment would be lower? Understanding what type of policy you bought is something in which attention needs to be focused on. You need to prepare yourself for the deductible that will be requested. Have you saved that amount just in case? Would a loan be needed to cover the difference? Did you purchase extra contents insurance that may reimburse you for any items that had water damage? Research what you have and understand what is covered in your homeowner’s insurance policies.
Step 3: Contact Your Roofing Contractor Before Filing a Claim– If you’re like most people, lengthy paperwork is probably not your favorite thing to do. It’s a time-consuming process to gather the information and complete every component correctly because if something is not accurate it could create a stall in the process. When filing a claim on your homeowners’ insurance, there may be sections or questions that are confusing. A homeowner may get intimidated by the paperwork and procrastinate. This can be a terrible decision because all it takes is another storm to come through to create more damage while you are waiting. An owner may become discouraged because it’s taking too long to hear back from the insurance claim representative. This is why it’s so relieving to have a good roofing company like Roofing By Hernandez (RBH) to be in your corner when your home has been severely damaged. RBH can see what is included based on your specific insurance policy. A roofing contractor can give the best options for repair, we will give estimates & all the needed paperwork to the insurance company for you. We will speak directly with them so you don’t have to. We will handle the headache of negotiations and have many years experience doing so which will give you the peace of mind that it is handled and you can go back to your daily life without feeling the frustrations of your claim. We will work together as a team to ensure that the insurance company provides proper compensation for your repairs. We have many clients that have shown their gratitude for our involvement in their process.
Step 4: Start the Paperwork– You will need to do your part by helping your roofing contractor gather the much-needed information to file your claim. This paperwork feels like a hassle, but with our help, it doesn’t have to be. We will need access to the property to evaluate the damage. All of the policy information is needed along with your findings and photos. Proof of loss form may be needed for contents. Be sure to retrieve and give all of the necessary paperwork to your roofing contractor as soon as you can so we can start this process immediately.
