The problem with roof damage is that if it’s not attended to, it can lead to other problems in the home. The most important thing is that if you suspect roof damage, don’t procrastinate over getting it inspected.

Roof damage claims can cover fire, storms, vandalism, natural disasters like lightning or earthquakes, falling objects, like a fallen tree during a windstorm, winds, and hail. 

But there are other things that a roof repair insurance claim may not cover. This could include: An old roof (usually 20 years and older), an unmaintained roof, which is the direct cause of roof damage, intentional or accidental damage on the homeowner’s part, and if your home is an area that is prone to storms. This is a general understanding, so you would want to contact your particular insurance agency to make sure of what is and what isn’t covered. 

Now that you know about what may or may not be covered, you will want to know what the process of making a claim for roof damage is. It’s not difficult when you follow these steps:

Find out the policy that you have: Some policies may only offer roof damage coverage up to the depreciated value, regardless of the age of your roof. Other policies will cover the total cost of repairs or replacement of the damaged section of your roof, or an entire roof at the time of the claim, also regardless of the roof’s age. 

Inspect the damage

You might not be able to identify all the damages on your own because the roof might look fine from the outside, but have significant damage from the inside so hiring a roof contractor can help you. Roof contractors from T. Simpson Roofing, located in Canada, advise to take note of several signs that would indicate that a new roof would be needed. These signs could be broken or missing shingles, shingle granules in the gutter, the overall age of the roof, which shouldn’t exceed 20 to 25 years, and valleys, which are what help direct water away from your home. Once these begin to deteriorate, you will need to replace the entire roof. Always make sure you’re working with experienced and licensed roofers only. They will give you fast and fair quotes as well as modern and customized options. 

Document the damage

Even if you have to make quick, urgent, and temporary repairs, you need to document the damage first. Take pictures and/or videos of the actual damage, like if a tree has fallen directly on your roof. The pictures you take will be filed along with the inspection report to present to insurers. With each picture, a roofing expert can write the exact damage that has occurred. Keep in mind that time is of the essence in making a claim. Some companies may not allow you to make a claim if you’ve noticed damage after a certain duration of time. So make sure the pictures you take have their specific date and time of when taken. Documenting the damage will help settle any disputes you might come across when making a claim. Having all information ready will serve for a hassle-free claim. 

Contact the insurance company

With an official inspection, supplemented with visual proof in pictures or videos, you would have by now the needed paperwork to make a claim. In some cases, the damage may not meet the requirements to make a claim. So they need to tell you why and you might have to find other means to dispute them. If you’re eligible for a claim, have them walk you through their process. You will be assigned a reference number as well as the agent who will be working with you throughout the process.  Anything sent to you; bills, receipts, estimated costs, that need to be documented on your part. When there is extensive damage, it will be attended to first before other damages that may have occurred. At this point, you’ll be given a date of when the adjuster will visit your home. It’s still possible that the agent from the insurance agency will conduct another inspection.  

During this meeting, you will then submit your papers to the agent, and wait for their reply to either reject or accept the claim.

 In most cases, according to your policy, you will be awarded a fair enough compensation. Getting a professional roof inspection before you make the claim will help simplify the process. More often than not, you can use the roofing company of your choice. A roofing contractor will be able to help you steer your way through the roof insurance claims process.

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