In life, accidents can happen at any time, even to something as important as our roofs. More often than not, homeowners end up paying for roof repair out of their own pockets. It doesn’t have to be this way of course. Once you learn how to get insurance to pay for roof replacement or roofing repairs, you can save yourself an enormous headache.
Convincing your insurance company to pay for a roof replacement isn’t as easy as it should be. Most insurance companies will deny claims if the homeowner doesn’t provide the right documentation and follow the proper steps to filing a claim.
Unfortunately, these steps can be tricky to understand, making the process exceptionally hard to navigate without prior knowledge of how both your policy and homeowner’s insurance works.
This guide to how to get insurance to pay for roof replacement will help you prepare.
How to Get Insurance to Pay for Roof Replacement – Step One: Know Your Policy
Before making your claim, first, be sure that you’re covered for roofing damage. Not every policy includes roof repairs, so it’s important to check your policy. If you don’t have a copy of your policy, your insurance agent should be able to send you a copy of your policy in the mail or via email.
Policies that include roof coverage will typically provide a payment for most repairs and replacements, but make sure to read your policy carefully. If they provide repair coverage, they might only cover a percentage of the costs. On the other hand, replacement coverage allows homeowners to use their insurance to pay for a whole new roof. To get this coverage, you must prove that the damage is so severe that it cannot reasonably be repaired.
How to Get Insurance to Pay for Roof Replacement – Step Two: Document the Damage to Your Roof
Homeowners should always take pictures of the damaged area as soon as possible. Make sure that any photos you take include every aspect of the exterior damage to the roof in addition to any damage that may have taken place to the interior of your home at the same time.
A local roofing company like SEI Roofing can help you with taking photos so you don’t need to climb on a ladder or your roof. They’ll also be able to give you an estimate for roof repairs and replacements, but after storms, you may find pop-up roofing companies that are often trying to swindle homeowners. Please be sure that your roofing company has integrity and a history of experience serving your area.
Alongside photos of the roof, document the time the damage occurred as accurately as possible. You must thoroughly explain what happened to cause the damage to your roof so that your insurance company doesn’t suspect that you are fraudulently trying to replace your old roof. If a storm swept through your area and caused damage, finding news articles that document the weather event may be helpful to your claim. The more documentation you can provide for evidence, the better.
If your roof damage was caused by a fallen tree, make sure you take several photos of the tree from different angles on the ground to show where it fell. Make sure to show both the damage to the tree and your roof.
How to Get Insurance to Pay for Roof Replacement – Step Three: Get a Roof Inspection for an Experienced Roofing Company
Before your insurance provider approves any claims, they’ll need to see an inspection report alongside the estimate for the replacement. A professional roofing company can inspect the roof and provide these details in writing to you for the insurance company.
We must be clear: your homeowner’s insurance company may deny your insurance claim for a new roof if you haven’t gotten a professional roof inspection. SEI Roofing offers free roof inspections and estimates so there’s no need for a denial due to this.
How to Get Insurance to Pay for Roof Replacement – Step Four: Hire a Local Roofing Contractor
Since your homeowner’s insurance company will want to see estimates from local roofing contractors, finding a trustworthy, local contractor is key. Make sure that the company you use has a positive reputation for price and work. If the company is not well-established or does poor-quality work, the insurance company might deny the claim.
How to Get Insurance to Pay for Roof Replacement – Step Five: Stay in Contact with Your Roofer and Insurance Agent
Your insurance agent should be able to help you through the lengthy process of filing a claim, but an experienced roofing company may be your best advocate. As you move through the process, make sure to send copies of any photos, estimates, and paperwork to your agent. That should be all they need, but your agent will be able to tell you what else your insurance company might need to approve the claim.
Once your insurance claim is approved, your agent will be able to help you get the project started. Oftentimes your roofing expert and your insurance agent will be able to coordinate the project by scheduling the repairs and releasing payments as necessary without much involvement from you.
Do You Need a Roofing Company with Experience and Integrity?
When you successfully follow these five steps to getting homeowners insurance to pay for your new roof, you can keep your money in your pocket and let your insurance company write the check instead.
When the time inevitably comes for you to get a professional roofing inspection and replacement, your best shot is to call the experts at SEI Roofing. Our dedication to service ensures that we can provide assistance in every single step along the way, from initial storm damage assessment to meeting with the insurance adjuster to getting your roof replaced without any hassle on your part. Service, excellence, and integrity are in our DNA, so contact us today to get started!
