When severe storms move through the Wichita area, high winds, heavy rain, and hail can cause significant damage to your home. A fast response to roof leaks and other damage is vital to the restoration process.
If a roof replacement is needed, working with your homeowners insurance to cover it can sometimes be challenging. Read on to gain insight into how to navigate the process to ensure you get the best possible outcome.
The Essentials of Working with Your Insurance Company for a Roof Replacement Due to Storm Damage
1. How Do I Navigate the Claim Process?
It can feel pretty stressful to suffer storm damage. Knowing what to do and the order of the restoration process will help minimize the tension. Realize the insurance process can often move slowly because there are so many factors to the equation. Stay in close contact with your insurance company throughout to keep things moving.
- Contact your insurance company to let them know what type of damage your home incurred in the storm. Be as detailed as possible.
- An insurance adjuster will come to your house to inspect your home’s damage. The adjuster will write a claim.
- You will need to contact a trustworthy roofing contractor. They will inspect your roof, look for signs of storm damage, and document the proof of that. Stopping water from entering your home is an urgent priority in order to give you the best possible chance at preventing unhealthy mold growth from invading. That’s one reason it’s so important that you contact a reputable roofing contractor speedily once you realize your roof has suffered storm damage.
- The roofer will go over the claim and let you know if anything should be supplemented (like additional details on the claim request).
- If needed, you will send the supplemented claim to your insurance company for its approval.
- If your insurance company approves the request, your roof replacement will be covered by them.
Common Challenges: When a harsh storm passes through the area and damages your home, it can feel overwhelming. Knowing who to contact first can seem confusing. Always contact your insurance company first and follow the specific steps they outline in the order they give you. They have been through this many times, and they are likely the ones paying for the replacement of your roof, so they will be systematic in their process.
2. What Type of Roof Damage Is Covered by Insurance?
Roof damage needs to be caused by severe weather or heavy storms to be covered by insurance. This typically includes damaging winds, heavy thunderstorms, hail, snow, or tornadoes. If a tree falls as a result of the storm, roof replacement is typically covered.
Common challenges: It depends on what is found during your roof inspection if there is enough damage for a full roof replacement or not.
3. After Incurring Storm Damage, What Do I Need to Look Out For in the Roofing Industry?
If you have storm damage, it’s understandable that you want to get things taken care of as quickly as possible, but beware of possible scams—by “storm chasers.” If someone approaches you about a low-priced roof replacement that sounds too good to be true—it probably is. When homeowners act quickly on this type of (what appears to be) “convenient” solution, it can create trouble in the future. Why? Because often storm chasers come to town to do fast, shoddy work with subpar materials, and then leave town and are nowhere to be found in the future.
Common Challenges: Be aware this scenario happens, and ensure you don’t get taken advantage of in the midst of the challenge you’re already facing with roof damage.
4. What Should I Expect to Pay for My Roof Replacement Due to Storm Damage?
The type of policy you have will impact your roof replacement. Typically, you will need to pay your deductible before the insurance covers the roof replacement. If you have a code upgrade provision, your insurance company will pay for what your roof needs to bring it up to code. However, if you want more luxurious upgrades like replacing your 3-tab shingles with dimensional shingles, you’ll need to cover the difference.
Common Challenges: When deciding if you should upgrade roofing components, weigh the free replacement with your long-term needs.
5. Is It Possible That My Insurance Claim Could Be Denied?
Just because you file a claim doesn’t mean your insurance company will cover your roof replacement after storm damage. Some common reasons for this include:
- If you waited too long to file a claim after the storm
- If there are policy exclusions
- If your current roof was not installed correctly
- If your attic isn’t ventilated adequately
Common challenges: It can be frustrating to believe you have storm damage and expect your claim to go through and then have it denied. If this happens to you, ask your insurance company if another adjuster can come to your home and evaluate the situation afresh. When there is this much riding on the insurance company’s evaluation, asking for a second opinion is reasonable. If a second adjuster denies your claim, consider contacting a structural engineer for a more thorough inspection. If your roof structure needs to be replaced due to storm damage, the engineer can give proof to your insurance company that is the case.
Get Prompt, Professional Storm Restoration Roofing Services
The aftermath of Wichita area storms can be alarming, with tree limbs falling on houses, creating damaging roof leaks, soaked drywall, saturated carpeting, and more. At Keeter Roofing & Remodeling, we provide a free inspection and repair estimate. Our fast turnaround on your inspection and quote, as well as timely repairs and replacement for roofing, siding, gutters, and more, make the restoration process as seamless as possible, given the circumstances. We also offer emergency roof repair, and are well versed at working with insurance claims. Learn more about how our storm restoration services can help you recover from storm damage.
