Blackstone Exteriors

Filing an insurance claim for a damaged roof is not always a straightforward process. Factors such as the type and severity of the damage and your insurance policy’s terms can cause delays and inconvenience. In this blog post, Blackstone Exteriors discusses how roofers like us can help you with your insurance claims.

Types of Roofing Damage Covered by Insurance

Insurance policies can cover many types of roofing damage, including wind damage, hail damage, and trees felled by high-speed winds. The extent of your coverage depends on whether you have a named-peril or an open-peril policy. Named-peril policies will only cover losses caused by perils specifically named in the policy, while open-peril will cover all losses except those named in the policy. If a homeowner needed to add a specific peril — hail damage, for example — then their policy will need to be amended with corresponding adjustments to their premiums.

The Roofer’s Role in the Insurance Claim Process

Generally, a roofer’s role in the insurance claim process is to provide a professional assessment of the damage and an estimate of the work that needs to be done. A roofer may also step in to facilitate the claims process by working with the insurance provider, as in most cases the same roofer will also perform the repairs as stated in the estimate.

Having your roofer help you with filing an insurance claim has certain advantages, the least of which is helping you with the footwork and give you more time to attend to matters such as finding temporary shelter for your family. Your roofer will also champion for fair compensation by making sure that all requirements are submitted on time and making sure your claim is processed in a timely manner.

The Process of Filing an Insurance Claim

If you’ve never filed a homeowners’ insurance claim before, here is a summary of the process:

1. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible, keeping the damaged areas as they are for documentation. You may also take photos and video as supporting documentation. The insurance company will send an adjuster to inspect the damage and assess what needs to be repaired or replaced.

2. After confirming the adjuster’s appointment, contact your roofer. A local roofer will likely arrive first. Inform them that an insurance adjuster is on the way. In the meantime, your roofer can begin assessing the extent of the damage.

3 .The insurance adjuster will conduct a separate investigation and provide a report of their findings. Your roofing contractor will draw an estimate and discuss the details with you and the insurance adjuster, who will keep a copy of the estimate and file a report to initiate the claim.

4. Once the claim is approved, the insurance provider will write two checks made out to your roofing contractor. The first will cover the estimate’s downpayment, and the second will cover the rest of the balance after deductibles. After receiving the first check, your roofing contractor will discuss the start date of the repair work.

Blackstone Exteriors in Winterset, IA can help you with roofing damage and other roofing issues. We are a reputable roofing company that can provide you with a free estimate for repairs or siding and roof replacement. Contact us today at (515) 720-2158 to schedule an appointment.