Choosing a Roofing Contractor: A Homeowner's Ultimate Guide

Let’s be honest, replacing a roof can be expensive. Considering roof replacement or repair costs aren’t discretionary but vital, the cost is a key factor we simply can’t overlook. Luckily, if you have home insurance, roof replacement and repair are usually part of the coverage and don’t need to be out of pocket costs. Let's get into more details on roof insurance coverage for homeowners including more on what exactly is covered, types of roof insurance coverage, how to get paid, and more! What is Roof Insurance? Does Home Insurance Cover Roof Replacement? First things first: roof insurance is not a separate policy. Rather, it comes as a part of your normal Home Owner’s Hazard Insurance policy you formed when you purchased your home. The premiums for this policy are most often paid monthly through your current mortgage company. Your policy will typically include coverage that will pay for the replacement of the home’s roofing, siding, and gutter systems. Yes! However, home insurance has limits to the kind of coverage you enjoy. For instance, normal wear experienced naturally over years isn’t covered, but you can expect coverage for home exterior repairs and/or full replacement of exterior portions of your home that need work done resulting from the following factors discussed below; Exterior Replacement Insurance by Cause Insurance coverage only kicks into gear due to Acts of God. They classify residential exterior material replacement based on what caused the damage, which items are protected within your policy, and to what limit. a. Hail Damaged Roof and Insurance If your home is damaged by hail, snow, ice, or related elements traceable to harsh weather, your homeowner's policy can provide financial coverage for the resulting repairs or a completely new exterior replacement of your roof, siding, windows, or gutters. However, you'll have to get your insurance claim approved first, which is usually a challenging process. b. Insurance Coverage for Wind Damage This type of coverage applies to your home being damaged resulting from strong winds that blow away or damage your roof and siding directly/indirectly i.e., causing trees or other objects to fall on your roof and damage it. c. Other Coverable Causes of Damage Besides hail and wind damage, home insurance can also cover roof damage resulting from water damage, lightning damage, fires, heavy snow/ice on the roof, and other storm damage-related causes. Vandalism and falling objects are also coverable. However, it matters how a claim is documented and submitted. For instance, common signs of roof damage linked to coverable causes must be recorded i.e., missing shingles, leaks, and a sagging roof deck. Insurance can also cover other signs like damaged siding gutters. However, the claim must be documented appropriately. Roof Replacement Insurance by Type of Home Insurance Besides cost, there’s the question of whether home insurance will pay for partial or full roof replacement costs in the event of storm damage or other coverable causes. In this regard, there are two main types of covers namely actual cash value and replace cost value policies: i. Actual Cash Value Policy With ACV policies, homeowners get paid the depreciated value of the roof at the current market value. As a result, compensation isn’t usually enough to cover everything. However, if you have the right storm damage insurance partners , you can secure a roofing contractor capable of handling the job with the compensation amount you will get. ii. Replace Cost Value Policy With RCV policies, homeowners get the current value of the roof based on brand-new roof estimates. Such policies offer enough to cover the entire roof replacement. However, you don’t get paid the full amount immediately. You'll get the actual cost value of the roof first, but you must prove that the roof was replaced as per the claim to receive the recoverable depreciation amount. The breadth and depth of actual coverage the insurer will provide you also has to do with the fine print within the policy. An item such as whether your policy includes local code and ordinance coverage will determine how advanced your replacement coverage and payout will actually be for you on a specific claim. What Isn’t Covered by Roof Insurance? Regardless of the type of home insurance policy you have, there are some causes that aren’t generally covered. Your ability to get compensated will depend largely on how you handle the claims process. Roof Insurance Replacement: Conditions Dictating Roof Replacement Through Insurance You shouldn't expect compensation if your roof is damaged by causes that include, but aren’t, limited to: Damage from long-term wear and tear Damage from mildew or algae Damage from clogged gutters Damage from other debris accumulation Other roof damage linked to the age of a roof To get compensated for damages linked to “suspect causes”, you must follow precise steps when launching a roof insurance claim. What’s more, you must prove to the insurance adjuster that the roof damage was caused by factors beyond your control and not negligence or poor roof maintenance. The roof insurance claim process can be daunting. Consider getting professional help . Otherwise, you risk having your claim denied. Getting Insurance for Roof Replacement: The Roof Insurance Claim Process To get your home insurance provider to pay for your roof claim, you need to follow the following steps: Step 1: Perform Annual Inspections of your home’s Roof It is highly recommended that every homeowner ensure that their roof and all of its components were installed properly and inspect their roof for anything that is showing wear and tear and causing the roof system to fail. This can be especially difficult for people with tall homes and steep roof pitches. Therefore, we recommend you have a roofing expert with proper-sized ladders to perform this feat for an affordable fee to help you avoid the risk of falling and not knowing what you are looking for on your roof each year. Step 2: Document the Roof Damage Carefully You need to understand the kind of roof damage you have after a severe storm. This will require checking signs of damage i.e., blown-off shingles granules, missing shingles, fallen trees/branches, damaged roofing siding gutters, etc. Document in writing and use pictures as this evidence is required when proofing the cause of damage. Step 3: Understand the Type of Home Insurance Coverage It helps to understand your current home insurance policy in terms of coverage and the requirements for launching a claim. Checking your policy is critical to ensuring you report in accordance with the stipulations. Step 4: Roof Inspection In most cases, you'll need a roof inspection done before your roof replacement or repair claim is approved. This inspection should be done by a reputable roofing inspection company . Step 5: Filing Claim After inspection, you can file a roof replacement claim with your homeowners insurance company. Adhere to all processes and provide all necessary documentation to increase your chances of getting compensated. Step 6: Insurance Adjuster Roof Inspection After a claim is submitted, an insurance adjuster will be sent to your home. If the adjuster needs more information, you will be informed; otherwise, you'll just need to wait for your claim to be approved or rejected. Do You Need a Public Adjuster for a Roof Claim? While there are no specific rules requiring a property owner to hire a public adjuster for their roof claim, it may be worth the trouble, for example when filling a high-value claim or when your home has suffered significant damage. A Public Adjuster will work for your benefit while he provides an insurance inspection assessment and then negotiates on your behalf with the adjuster hired to work for the Insurance company. Do You Need Professional Roof Insurance Assistance in Northern Virginia? If you have home insurance coverage but don’t know where to start with your roof claim, don’t worry! You can get expert help on all roof replacement or repair needs (including launching your insurance claim) using trusted BBB accredited partners like Radical Restoration who offer a variety of storm damage solutions in Northern Virginia. Get everything handled without much effort on your part. We hire, pay the cost of, and coordinate daily with a Public Adjuster who works for your best interest and handles the entire claim for you. We’ll be with you every step of the way, from filing your claim to using industry-leading software that connects right inside the insurance companies (the majority uses the same software that PA utilizes). We hire a public adjuster, estimate the cost of restoration, and perform excellent roof replacement. Work with us, your local experts that ensure you capture coverage that will pay for the best new modern roof materials and workmanship you can find, all at our expense. You only pay the deductible. Radical Restoration uses high-tech software to identify potential damage and their strong connections (forged over the years with insurance companies) to get the best outcome for roof damage claims in the U.S. We work in conjunction with them to ensure all of your roofing needs are well taken care of! They also work with trusted roofing companies in Northern VA like Robust Roof . References 1) Bankrate: https://www.bankrate.com/homeownership/cost-to-replace-roof/#:~:text=While%20%249%2C117%20is%20the%20national ,)%2C%20and%20installing%20new%20shingles.