Serving Our Community Since 2019
Over My Head
What You Need to Know About Roofing and Insurance Claims
Roof Insurance CLaims Process
So let’s say you have damage, or you aren’t sure, and would like to know the next steps. Here’s how it all works:
Process
First, you file the claim with your insurance, giving them the date of the storm that caused the damage and any other details they might request, such as items you saw that were damaged, if the roof is steep, etc.
Second, they will give you a claim number (write it down), assign an adjuster (the individual who will inspect the loss), and hold an adjuster meeting (the actual inspection). You will likely want to have a representative there to ensure that all the damage is discovered and accounted for. Half the time the adjusters will be reasonable and truly desire to have an equitable outcome.
Payments
Once they have completed their inspection and written their scope of work, they should release the first check. This check is for the ACV portion minus your deductible (more on that next). Your deductible is removed from the amount they paid because that is your portion of the payment that you agreed to when you purchased your policy. You will pay that to the contractor. The deductible is similar to a co-pay when you pick up medicine. You pay that, the insurance pays the rest. When the job is complete, they will release the final check, which was the depreciation they withheld until the job was complete. If you are unsure what your deductible is, you can check with your insurance agent. If you don’t know or like your insurance agent, ask us for a recommendation for one who will take care of you.
Call Your Agent and Ask:
1. What is the deductible amount for my home?
2. Is my depreciation recoverable?
3. How much code coverage do I have?
Connect us with your agent
Put your agent in contact with us for the best possible outcome.
ACV vs. RCV
There are two main types of policy. Ones with recoverable depreciation (RCV: Replacement Cost Value) and those with NON-recoverable depreciation (ACV: Actual Cash Value). You want to have RCV. If your depreciation is non-recoverable, then you will be responsible for this portion of the payment in addition to your deductible. Now would be a great time to check with your agent to discover what kind of policy they have sold you.
Code Coverage
While you are checking with your agent, you will also want to ask about code coverage in your policy. If there are items on your home that are not up to code, this coverage allows them to be upgraded as a part of your claim. There is typically a code coverage dollar amount limit. You will want to know this amount.
Supplements
A supplement to an estimate is essentially any item that was missing from the original scope of work that must be added in order to correctly restore the property. The initial estimate is just that: an estimate. Basically, it is an educated guess based on the information available at the time of the inspection. Rarely is it comprehensive or exhaustive. There will almost always be supplemental items on every single insurance claim. The adjusters are not contractors.
Appraisal
Appraisal is an alternative dispute resolution method built into insurance policies to help circumvent insurance adjusters when they are being unreasonable. Occasionally, they simply refuse to deal justly with the contractor, claim and policyholder. During times like these, appraisal can be an excellent
tool to help come to an agreement.
It is entered into by one party (policy-holder or insurance carrier) sending an appraisal demand letter, stating that an agreement cannot be reached. Each party then hires their own unbiased appraiser. These appraisers meet onsite (if needed) and reach a dollar amount agreement of what it will take to restore the property. If these appraisers cannot agree, they bring in an umpire to hear the arguments and break the tie. The cost of the umpire is split between the policy-holder and the insurance carrier. More information on appraisal can be found
on our Facebook and YouTube accounts.
