I Just Got Hit by Wind/Hail!
What do I do?
With the early start to hail season for 2024, now is a great time to address a very common question that I see every single year. So, with that in mind, I thought it useful to put together a quick outline of how to proceed. After that, I will expand on each piece with caveats and sundries that can guide you through the decision making process.
Here it is. If you don't want to read anything else, follow these steps and you'll already be ahead of the game.
Quick Rundown of what to do
- Call a reputable roofer to inspect your roof
- Examine his photos should he inform you of significant damage
- Call your insurance company and make a claim
- Give your roofer the time and date of the adjuster meeting so he can be present
- Wait for the insurance scope of work
- Give the scope of work to your trusted roofer so he can begin restoring your property
So, without any delay, let's get into each of these now.
Call a reputable roofer to inspect your roof
This is typically the first step. However, like everything in life, there are certain instances where you can probably skip this step and save your roofer and yourself time that may end up delaying your claim and project. First, if you were at home and you watched golf ball sized hail or larger fall out of the sky into your yard, there is debris everywhere, then you can probably skip calling your roofer first. In this instance, you can go ahead, and go directly to step 3.
If, however, the hail was smaller, or you are just unsure, then you need to go ahead and schedule an inspection with your roofer. He is going to be able to give you the best advice on what damage you actually have if any. If I am the trusted roofer, I am going to have photos of everything and we will discuss the process and the odds, in my experience, of your roof being replaced by insurance. Be aware that no roofer, even myself with years of experience, can possibley gaurantee how your carrier will decide to go with the roof. My job is to give you the facts.
But, Jason, how do I FIND a reputable roofer? Well, I'm glad you asked, because there is a topic here about exactly that. Read it. Follow it. Do what it says and save yourself a lot of headache with storm chasers.
Examine his photos should he inform you of significant damage
This, in my opinion, is important. For me, I like my customers to trust what I'm telling them. There are a lot of bad roofers, and my ability to Facetime or show real damage from their own roof is important. It's how I build trust. I don't want people to be scared into making a claim or feel forced. I want to be able to show them that "There is real damage here, and this is what it looks like and what your adjuster will want to see."
Call your insurance company and make a claim
This seems pretty straightforward, but not everyone has done it. It's not common for folks to make a lot of roof claims over their lifetime. You will need to find the 800 number on your insurance policy or the claims department and give them a ring. They are going to ask you several important questions. These questions may include:
"What kind of damage is there to the roof? Hail, wind, other?"
"If your house one story or two story?"
"Do you have any leaks?"
"Is there any additional damage" (this includes gutters, windows, window beading, condenser fan dents, etc)
"What day and time did this occur?"
What your claims rep or assistant is trying to do is establish a storm date, determine if the adjuster needs a tall ladder, and whether he needs to go inside to look at leaks or additional damage. They are not trying to catch you in any sort of lie or trick you. It is perfectly acceptable to say that you don't know. If you have gone through step 1, then you will know how to answer most of these questions.
Also, your roofer CAN help make the claim. I've done it hundreds of times. Some carriers allow me to do it with no interaction from a homeowner, but most require a three way call for the homeowner to confirm that I have permission to make the claim on their behalf. This is for security purposes.
Give your roofer the time and date of the adjuster meeting so he can be present
This is a crucial step in my opinion. If you have marginal damage, or you draw an irritable adjuster, the presence of your roofer to advocate for you can be a game changer. I have had more than a few roofs approved simply because I was there and cared enough to show up for my customer. Aside from esoteric reasons, there are also many instances where I was able to point out something that an adjuster did not see. It may sway his decision if I defer to his expertise on something that looks abnormal.
Besides those reasons, it often provides my homeowners with peace of mind that I am there on their behalf. They don't have to get on a roof or 'hope' an adjuster does his best.
This is not to say that adjusters dont care. Some don't, of course, but many do. The fact is that during a hail event, your adjuster is going to be busy. You may be one of 7 appointments for the day and he needs to be quick and efficient. My presence may help him to slow down and smell the roses. Sometimes simply talking to him about where he lives, if he has kids, is enough to take the edge off of the hustle and bustle of claims adjusting and let him see things he may have otherwise missed.
Wait for the insurance scope of work
After the roofer and your adjuster have completed the inspection of your roof, it may be 7-14 business days or longer to get a final answer on the roof being replace by the insurance company. Be patient. If you get concerned, you can call and ask or you can have your roofer call and ask on your behalf. I have relationships with adjusters such that it's very easy to talk to them as if we were friends because we might be. We've done a few storms and looked at a lot of roofs together.
Give the scope of work to your trusted roofer so he can begin restoring your property
This is a big one. After your roofer has done all of this work. PLEASE GIVE THEM THE INSURANCE SCOPE. It is not in your interest to withhold that. It will slow down the process. You do not need to get an estimate from your roofer. It is nearly completely irrelevant at this point. Your carrier has told you how much they will pay to replace the roof and it's up to your roofer to figure out how to make that happen or supplement accordingly to do the job right. This is where he earns his keep. Give him the information he needs to do his job.
See these posts for further information:
Summary
This process does not have to be hard. It can be, but if you want it to go smoothly, work with your roofer. Yes, your roofer gets paid to do this job, but he is also there to make sure you get everything you should. It is in the roofer's best interest to do a good job for you because referrals are our bread and butter. If you trust your roofer, and you follow this guide, the process should be quite smooth, and if it's not, your roofer can help get you through it. For an experienced roofer, there are not a lot of issues that we have not come across. We are here to help.
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