Last Updated March 2024
The problem with the insurance business is that it’s a business. Naturally, it would be best for them if nobody ever filed a claim, or if they could deny every claim. As a result, every claim pits the customer against the company, to some degree or another. That’s why your policy is a contract, and why its conditions are spelled out so precisely.
So when you file a hail damage roof insurance claim, it’s important to attach enough evidence to your claim that it would be silly for them to disagree with you. When it comes to filing a hail damage roof insurance claim, it’s crucial to provide compelling evidence to support your case. However, insurance companies occasionally act in bad faith, leading to disputes and delays in claim processing.
There are also some things you can do before that hail storm that will make just about any homeowner’s insurance company more apt to approve your claim. The biggest one is keeping up-to-date with your yearly roof maintenance.
We’ll get into all of that below. Won’t you come along?
Submitting a Hail Damage Roof Insurance Claim
As soon as it’s safe–that is, as soon as the concussion balls stop falling from the sky–get outside and take pictures of 1) all the damage you can find and 2) one or two big hailstones that haven’t melted yet. Include something in your hailstone photos to provide perspective, like a tape measure or an actual golf ball for comparison.
Taking pictures of hail damage on your roof for an insurance claim is just like taking pictures of collision damage on your car when somebody hits you. You just need something tangible to show the insurance company. Thus again, take as many pictures of damage as you like, especially if you feel like taking a whole lot of pictures.
Two common grounds for bad faith insurance claims are egregious delays and unreasonable amounts of evidence or paperwork. If you feel like your homeowner’s insurance company is taking too long to respond to you or may be trying to put unreasonable requirements on you in order to deny your claim, consider hiring a public adjuster and looking into bad faith lawsuits. More on that below.
Key Considerations for Hail Damage Insurance Claims
Every type of homeowner’s insurance claim is easier to file successfully if you’ve been keeping up on recommended maintenance. In the case of your roof, that means having your roof inspected at least twice a year. It also probably means letting the pros do all the work that your roof needs instead of DIYing it. Consult your policy to find out the particulars of your situation, especially if you’re thinking of taking care of any roof work yourself.
Now, when you file your Denver roof hail damage insurance claim, an adjuster from the insurance company will come out and assess the damage. Their purpose is to see if they agree with you that this is the kind of thing they agreed to pay for, and how much money they think it will take to fix it. Here too, it helps to have a roofer you trust to see if they agree with the insurance company’s assessment.
If your claim is being wrongfully denied, underpaid, or otherwise mishandled, consider hiring a public adjuster. These folks do the same thing as the adjusters from insurance companies, except that they have no insurance affiliations. They’re independent, unbiased. If you need to escalate and really pursue your case, having a public adjuster agree with you can be very handy. Hiring a public adjuster can provide impartial assistance in negotiating with the insurance company. Remember, filing a claim before a leak occurs can prevent more extensive damage, making it cost-effective for both you and the insurer.
One important note: Your roof doesn’t have to already be leaking to file a hail damage roof insurance claim. The idea is to prevent such things. Besides, there might be a new leak that just hasn’t shown itself yet. Either way, it’s better for the insurance company to pay for your hail damage sooner than later because it’s cheaper to repair hail damage than hail damage plus leak damage.
Finally, after you make your appointment with the roofing company, dig out your homeowner’s insurance policy and run through it again. This is good to do once a year. Obviously, knowing what’s covered helps a homeowner file their claim.
Other Types of Roof Damage Covered by Insurance
Fire, lightning, wind, and vandalism are all common types of roof damage that are probably covered by your homeowner’s insurance. Of course, they’re also covered when they happen to some other part of your house. To find out what “damage to the structure of the home”, as it’s often referred to, is covered in your situation, refer to the dwelling insurance section of your policy.
A Trusted Partner for your Roof
If you’re reading this to be proactive, then good for you, and your big takeaway is to have your favorite Denver roofing company come inspect your roof twice a year and to let them do all the work on your roof instead of trying it yourself- keep your receipts!
On the other hand, if you’re reading an article about hail damage roof insurance claims because you think you might need to file a hail damage roof insurance claim, our condolences. The 2023 hail season in Denver, Colorado and the surrounding areas was one of the worst in years. Most insurance companies will allow claims up to 12-months after the weather event. We are currently helping homeowners get full roof replacements covered 100% by insurance from 2023 storms.
Give Rocky Mountain Roofing & Exteriors the chance to make this experience as smooth and painless as the roofer can. We handle every step of the process and will even be on-site when the adjuster comes to inspect your roof. Trust us, we won’t let you down.
In addition to the manufacturers’ warranties that come with materials, we offer a 3-year labor warranty on everything we do. That’s six chances to catch anything that might be amiss and fix it for free if you’re keeping up on your yearly maintenance.
Best of luck whatever your situation. If you have any questions about roofing, siding, or anything else even remotely related to your home’s exterior, give us a call at (303) 377-2801. We’re eager to help!
