My Roof is Damaged! 

How Do I Deal with the Insurance Claim? 

by:  Travis Sparkman

The recent storms throughout the southeastern United States have led many homeowners to file claims with their homeowners insurance due to damages from trees, lightening, and flooding. 

I have found that many homeowners are at the mercy of their insurance company on these claims.  This article should assist homeowners with knowing what to do in the event they have damages to their home from weather related events, and how to proceed with those claims to make sure they are compensated for the required work.

#1 Know Your Policy and Agent:
Many people look for the cheapest rate when purchasing insurance.  The old motto of, “You get what you pay for”, holds true in the insurance business.  As a customer, make sure you go over the “What Ifs?” with your hired agent.  For instance, “If a tree falls on my home, what is covered with the policy I am purchasing?” 

Also, make sure the agent is someone who will work for you and not against you. Many times, insurance claims come out of the bottom line of the agency itself and some agents will look to minimize that as much as possible, which can in turn prevent the homeowner from being fully compensated on the work needed.

#2 Know Your Deductible:
 When purchasing a policy, the amount of your deductible will impact the cost of your policy.  Many people choose to go with a higher deductible to lower the cost of their policy.  If a homeowner chooses to do this, they should take that deductible amount and put it into a savings account, in the event that damages should arise.  Also remember that if the damages are less than the amount of the deductible on your policy, filing an insurance claim may only raise your premium the following year and not result in any compensation on the claim.
  
#3 Photo/Video Document Your Home:
Most insurance agents recommend that you take date-stamped photos or videos of your home to document your belongings and conditions of the house at the time the policy is written.  This is a great way to protect your belongings in the event there is damage to them during a storm, fire, or theft. 

In the event the belongings are damaged, the homeowner can take new date-stamped photos of the damaged property showing that the damage is claim specific.  You can never take to many photos of your damage, different angles and shots can help an adjuster and claims representatives make better decisions on how to compensate the claim.

 #4 The Insurance Adjuster:
The assigned adjuster is the mediator between the homeowner and the insurance company.  Most insurance companies have a private adjuster company hired to provide a survey of the damage.  These adjusters are usually very knowledgeable about the claims process, but most have never been building contractors, roofing contractors, water intrusion contractors, etc. 

Many times they will provide the homeowner with a detailed printout of what is being covered in their estimate of the damage and some will even write a check at the time of their visit to the homeowner for that amount.

My experience is to have the contractor you plan to hire look over the adjuster's estimate before agreeing to the amount. Many times, certain building codes have changed that the house has to be brought into compliance on and sometimes the adjuster can miss something that is needed. A good contractor has the ability to work with the adjuster and insurance companies to get these items included in the estimate and bring your home back to your expectations.

#5 Hiring A Contractor:
As a homeowner, you are the decision maker on who does the work on your home.  You do not have to select the cheapest contractor for the work.  Florida law states that the contractor must be chosen by the homeowner.  Some insurance companies have started hiring their own contractor service on behalf of the homeowner and the homeowner can sign a waiver to allow the insurance company to take care of all repairs; however, there is some “fine print” on these waivers that states the insurance company is not responsible for poor or improper workmanship.  In essence, they can hire anyone and they are not responsible for what may result from the work. 

The insurance agents or adjusters will usually ask for 3 proposals from your selected contractors.  Look for contractors that specialize in the work needed.  In other words, don't hire the guy with a chain saw to do tree work, because more damage may be caused. The insurance company will decline coverage on the damage caused by the unlicensed/uninsured contractor, leaving you to foot the bill.
 
In summary, filing an insurance claim can be a daunting and stressful situation, but by having some information prior to filing the claim can eliminate the stress and worry from the process.  Hopefully, these issues will help the homeowner be ahead of the curve instead of behind it, should you ever be in that situation.

Travis Sparkman is the residential estimator and project manager for Tallahassee's Favorite Roofer, Parker Brothers Roofing.

If you have any questions about your roof, call

(850) 656-8112 or visit them online at www.parkerbrothersroofing.net

READ OUR OTHER ARTICLES BY CLICKING HERE!