Roof Insurance Claims

Strategies to Save

Jan 29

Roof Replacement 101

When you buy a house for the first time, you generally aren't thinking about all of the maintenance that comes with owning a home. Foundational items such as water heaters, gutters, furnaces, large trees, air conditioners, etc. are not the focus when you're signing on the dotted line for the home of your dreams haha...at least they weren't my focus.

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I would prefer to think about the fun finishes I would select with my new home - the updated paint colors I would select, new light fixtures I would install, and any other exciting tweaks I would want to implement when creating a welcoming environment I can call home!

So when something big like a roof needs replacing, it isn’t always an exciting task to tackle, especially when you see the price tag for the first time. However, I hope I can give you some tips on how to make updating a roof a little less painful. After owning two properties and getting new roofs covered by insurance on BOTH, I’ve learned a thing or two. If you know how the insurance system generally works, you may be able to squeeze a new roof out of them if you play your cards right.

5 Steps to Take for a Successful Roof Claim

Step 1 - Find a roofing contractor that is not only trusted in quality of work, but will also support you through the insurance claim process. Roofers play an instrumental role in coaching the Insurance Adjuster to your benefit. This ultimately converts to more business for them and helps you in the long run.
Step 2 - Now comes the hard part…wait for a storm to pass through. Whether it is a strong thunderstorm, wind, or hail, mother nature can do some damage to your roof shingles - no matter the age. Be sure to document the date for your insurance company when said storm comes rolling in.
Step 3 - After a significant storm passes through, contact your insurance provider and ask them to send an Adjuster out to review your roof, siding, and gutters for any damage. This does not cost you anything and can be done more than once if your first try is unsuccessful.
Step 4 - When the Adjuster calls to schedule the walkthrough, be sure your roofing Contractor can attend. They will support and monitor the Adjusters walkthrough. They can also help challenge + look for damage on the roof, gutters, and siding. The more damage found, the larger the claim dollar amount you will be granted by your insurance provider!
Step 5 - If the Adjuster suggests a new roof is warranted, great! Easy peasy! However, if they let you know only a portion of the roof needs to be “repaired,” you can follow up with your Contractor to see if the shingle is still in production. You see, if your Contractor informs you that your specific shingles are old and are no longer produced, your insurance company should offer a full roof replacement. This is because you can no longer match the old shingles via a repair/patch.

Finalizing My Exterior Design Aesthetic

As most of you know, I leveraged a good portion of my annual renovation budget the other year to work on updating my curb appeal. The exterior paint refresh gave my home a whole new facelift and I couldn’t be happier with how the strong paint contrasts help my home subtly pop. In addition, I made sure to work on some of my landscaping by re-sodding my front yard, adding a metal hedger, pulling out large overgrown bushes and by adding some beautiful hydrangeas.

All of these updates pull together nicely with the help of my new roof (thank you, insurance)! To emphasize the contrasting black trim that I love so much, I had my roofing contractor install a black shingle. The full transformation came to life, and my roof had its own little moment to shine!

A note to the wise, be sure to trim back any large tree branches in advance of a new roof install. You don’t want your hard work to get scratched up now do you ;).

Top Two Best Shingle Brands

Now, I am by no means a shingle quality expert. There are areas in life where I will 100% rely on and trust an expert in each individual field, without researching much at all, and this is one of those instances. So…with that caveat, take this suggestion with a grain of salt knowing that I am just the messenger.

From my roofing contractor’s mouth to your ears, the two best shingles he recommends are GAF and Owens Cornering. Based on my limited research, it appears that GAF is one of the largest shingle manufacturers in the US, and Owens Corning has taken a large stance on being ethical and sustainable. Thanks to my love for the planet and humans in general, I leaned towards Owens Cornering. And of course... before finalizing my selection, I made sure the color options were the best because. She’s gotta look good!

While We’re on the Topic

Another major repair that often comes along with a roof replacement is gutters. Do you need to get new gutters when you replace your roof? Absolutely not! Is it more cost-effective to do both projects at once? Likely, yes. Unless you need gutter repair(s), your roofing contractor should not need to remove your current gutters during your roof replacement. If your gutters are in need of some TLC, they wouldn’t be removed until after your new roof is installed anyways. Keep in mind, replacing a roof is much more expensive than replacing gutters, so it typically makes the most financial sense to prioritize repairing your roof over repairing your gutters.

As we continue to see more and more natural disasters such as fire, earthquakes, floords, hailstorms, etc. increase in frequency, insurance companies are continuing to adjust their product offerings. It's important to understand some of these nuances up front before buying a home because it could cost you thousands down the road.

Changes to the Home Insurance Game

What's new in the insurance world you might ask? Well, many insurance companies are no longer offering roof coverage on homes with a roof that is 15-20 years +. What that means is that they would ask their client to replace the roof out of pocket and not provide replacement or repair coverage if it is over a certain age.

In addition, back in 2021 and 2022 many home buyers waived their right to a home inspection due to low inventory levels and high competition. It's important to note that many home insurance companies are now asking for the inspection report upfront before providing coverage. What that means is if for any reason you are negotiating on a home and decide to waive an inspection, your chosen insurance provider might ask you to go back to the seller to have a home inspection done prior to providing home insurance estimates to your lender and underwriter.

It's more important than ever to truly get your arms wrapped around home insurance options and how they could impact not only your insurance coverage on a home, but also the buying process. The more you can educate yourself upfront the more prepared you'll be when it comes time to write an offer on the home of your dreams!!

With that, I will leave you wishing for the next rain or hail storm, and the hopeful success stories of getting a new roof (covered by insurance) for your beautiful home!

Good luck!

Jen

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