A lot can happen in a twinkle of an eye. You can virtually lose your roof overnight as a result of rainfall that comes with lots of winds. Such kind of situation can affect you financially because you didn't plan financially towards that. Even though you have some spare cash in the bank, I believe you have something important to do with that.
With insurance, you're very well prepared for anything that might happen to your property. If rain or storm happens to take off your roof, your insurance company will step in to help you take care of that.
In this guide, we're going to take a look at what roof insurance is, how the roof insurance coverage works, the pros and cons, and every other thing you need to know regarding roof insurance in other to help you make the right financial decision.
As a home insurance policyholder, your policy can help you cover the repair cost for your roof or even take care of the payment for a new one entirely. Whether the property roof damage was caused as a result of fire, wind, hail, or something else, this guide will help you navigate your way around that and get a better understanding of how roof insurance works.
Before we go deep into the roof insurance, there are two things I'd like you to know first.
What To Know When It Comes To Roof Insurance Coverage
You need to know how you can get insurance to take care of your roof replacement
How to go about getting your insurance to cover the replacement of a new roof.
With that all said, let us dive into the major topic of discussion
Getting An Insurance Company To Take Care Of Your Roof Replacement
Getting insurance to cover the replacement or fixing of a damaged roof will require an active homeowners policy at the time when the roof damage took place. while having the homeowners' insurance policy, a peril that your policy covers must have been the sole cause of the damage.
In the United States, most of the insurance companies that offer homeowner's insurance policies are known to cover some perils that can cause damage to your roof. Let me give you an example:
Below are some examples of some of the perils that could cause damage to your roof.
- Windstorms (including tornadoes, Santa Ana winds, and Nor’easters)
- Hail
- Fire
- Lightning
- Weight of ice, sleet, and snow
- Falling objects
- Vandalism
- Aircraft
Most of the homeowners' insurance policies do not cover damages being caused to a roof as a result of it not being properly maintained. When you don't maintain your property or even damage it intentionally because you're hoping the insurance company will take care of it, sorry, that's your own loss.
Let me give you some examples of roof neglect. Below are some examples you need to take note of :
- Mildew
- Debris accumulation
- Clogged gutters and downspouts
- Excessive loss of asphalt shingle granules
- Rusted flashing
- Cracked caulk
- Deteriorated vent boots
- Vine overgrowth
- Failure to prune overhanging tree branches that scrape the roof
When you do nothing concerning your roof, some of the examples above can start occurring. This can be as simple as wear and tear. As time passes by, this can go on and become a serious problem for you. This is why it is crucial that you address any noticeable issue as soon as you can.
As a homeowner, you can always do an annual inspection of your roof to see if something is wrong. However, if you're unable to do it yourself, requesting the service of a professional can come in handy, and they will be happy to help you identify any possible fault on the roof. By so doing, you can counter your insurance company when they claim that the damage was done as a result of negligence and lack of maintenance.
If for any reason you eagerly want a roof replacement and you're tempted to damage the old one yourself so that your insurance company will fix it, that act is a fraud and can land you into trouble or the insurance company taking legal action on you.
A lot of people are usually tempted to mimic things like wind or hail damage in an attempt to get insurance to pay for their roof replacement. Don't think of doing that, or else you end up creating more problems for yourself.
Whenever something bad happens to your roof, the insurance companies usually send an insurance adjuster to come and take a look at the issue on the ground. The insurance adjuster will conduct his investigation, take a thorough look at the damages, assess the problem on the ground, and determine if the damage can be fixed or replaced.
Also Read: How Do I Know How Much Car Insurance I Need?
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How To Go About Getting Your Insurance to Cover The Replacement For a New Roof.
To get insurance that will take care of your roof replacement, consider these steps highlighted below:
With these steps, you can compel your home insurance company to pay for the replacement of your roof.
- Make Proper Documentation
- Take a look at the perils covered
- Contact your issuer to file a complaint
- Wait for their insurance adjuster
- Look for a contractor to work with
- Replace your damaged roof
Make Proper Documentation
Proper documentation has to do with you keeping a detailed record of the incident. This can be taking photos or even recording videos to show the damage from different angles. Most insurance companies are usually not interested in the evidence you're gathering. However, this is the best way to prepare for any possible dispute that may arise as a result of your insurance company trying to come up with something else.
If for any reason, you need temporary roof repairs, the photos taken can be great evidence so you can show them the damages and why you need an urgent repair.
Take a Look At the Perils Covered
Taking your time to look into the perils being covered and those that are being excluded will help you have a better picture of the situation and how you can handle it by making a legitimate claim.
All insurance usually has deductibles which you can find on the declaration page of the insurance policy. Once you're satisfied and you're sure you know what you're doing, you can go ahead to contact an experienced roofing contractor to help you with the estimation for the cost of the repairs. With the help of the contractor, you can get more insight on how you can go about with your claim.
Contact Your Issuer To File a Complaint
To file a complaint, you need to follow due process. This process can involve you reaching out to your insurance agent, calling your carrier’s claims phone number, or even walking to their office. However since the world is digital now and almost everything is carried out online through websites or mobile apps, you can reach out to them by filing complaints through either of the platforms.
Wait For Their Insurance Adjuster
Upon filing your complaint to the insurance company and acknowledging it, the company will go ahead and assign you an insurance adjuster to take a look at your claim. The insurance adjuster will visit you in person to inspect the damages and become your point of contact for your claim.
Look For a Contractor To Work With
Once your insurance company looks into your claim and approves it, you can then go ahead to decide the contractor you wish to work with. Try to make sure you're working with a licensed contractor.
Replace Your Damaged Roof
Before the work starts, the insurance company will issue some payments either the full cost of replacement or release payment in batches. If you have a mortgage, expect to funnel these payments through your loan servicer because it has a financial interest in making sure you actually fix your roof and don’t just pocket the claim payment.
