Dealing with homeowner insurance providers for a partial roof replacement can, at times, become stressful, but you can make the process easy and stress-free by preparing ahead of time and ensuring you follow the proper process for filing a claim.
Every insurance provider may have their own processes for policyholders to follow, so understanding the specific details of your policy and claims process are important. This guide provides a detailed review of how to get insurance to pay for a partial roof replacement when the damage is caused by a covered peril.
An Eight-Step Guide To Dealing With Your Insurance Provider For A Partial Roof Replacement
Every situation may be unique, but there are specific steps you can follow to help ensure your insurance provider covers all or most of the cost for your partial roof replacement. These steps include assessing the severity and nature of the damage, reviewing your homeowner’s insurance policy, remaining up to date with inspections and maintenance, preparing for the insurance provider’s inspection and receiving an estimate from a licensed contractor.
1. Assess The Severity Of The Damage
The first step is to assess the severity of the damage to your roof. Depending on how severe the damage is, you may need a partial roof replacement, complete roof replacement, or the roof may be in good condition and only in need of minor repair.
Of course, it can be dangerous to climb your roof to assess the damage yourself, especially after a severe storm or if there is a high chance that the roof is damaged and weakened. Subsequently, it is best to call a professional contractor for a roof inspection. This allows you to get a professional assessment of the damage and understand the extent of the repairs that are needed.
2. Determine The Nature Of Damage
A professional roofing contractor can also assess the most likely cause of the damage. This is important when filing a claim to your homeowner insurance provider. The cause could be something obvious such as damage from heavy winds after a storm or the result of a tree falling on part of the roof.
In other instances, the roof may have long-term wear and tear due to its age, among other potential causes. While the insurance company will most likely want to conduct their own inspection, this could be a useful way to make the claims process easier for both yourself and for your homeowner insurance company.
3. Review Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
Your homeowner’s insurance policy should clearly state what is covered and how to properly file a claim. Some policies may have a time limit on how long after damage occurs you can still file a claim. Failing to file in time could lead to a nullified claim. In addition to acting with a sense of urgency, the company may also need certain details about the damage, which may include pictures and potential causes of the damage.
Be sure to include as much information as possible when describing the damage to your roof in your claim. Of course, it helps to provide feedback from a professional contractor as well. You may be able to conduct your own initial assessment of the damage, but, as mentioned previously, this could be dangerous to do after a storm or if the roof is likely weakened and damaged.
4. Ensure You Are Up To Date With Inspections And Maintenance
Some homeowner insurance providers may require regular inspections of your roof to help ensure the roof is properly maintained. This can reduce the risk of needing larger repairs such as a complete or partial roof replacement.
It also helps to regularly take pictures of your roof and home’s siding as well for documentation purposes. The idea here is to be able to prove to your homeowner insurance provider that you have done what is necessary to care for the roof long-term. This lets them know that you are not at fault for any damage that occurs.
5. Prepare For The Insurance Provider To Schedule Their Own Inspection
The insurance company will likely want to conduct their own inspection of the damage to your roof. This is likely to determine the severity of the damage and what caused it. The reason for this is primarily to ensure they are not spending more than what is necessary to repair the roof; be aware that they may look for loopholes to get off covering the cost.
For example, the homeowner insurance provider may not cover the cost of partial roof replacement that is needed due to normal wear and tear, particularly if the homeowner has not properly serviced the roof.
This is why being able to provide documentation that shows the roof was properly maintained and inspected by a licensed roofing contractor is important. Be sure to make arrangements to come at a time you (or another adult in your household) are able to be there.
6. Receive An Estimate From A Licensed And Insured Roofing Contractor
Your insurance provider may ask for a quote from a roofing contractor. It is important that the roofing contractor is both licensed and insured. Ideally, they should also have experience providing quotes for insurance companies. This can help ensure that the coverage is not initially denied due to a non-qualified contractor.
In addition, experienced roofing professionals can help you through the claims process. It may also be important to find a contractor that has a history of offering fair and honest prices to avoid exceeding any limits that may apply to your homeowner insurance coverage. Otherwise, you could be responsible for paying some out-of-pocket money to cover the difference between the cost and your limit.
7. Hire A Reputable Roofing Professional To Handle The Partial Roof Replacement
Poor craftsmanship from the roofing contractor could lead to a far more complex claims process. To avoid concerns with less than ideal results, it is important to hire a contractor who has quality reviews and experience with partial roof replacements in your local area.
It is also important to find a contractor who stands behind their work and offers to fix any issues that were not adequately addressed initially at no additional cost. In most cases, by simply choosing an experienced and well-reviewed roofing company, you can avoid headaches during the repair process.
8. Make Necessary Accommodations Before The Roofing Contractor Arrives
Last but not least, be sure to make your property and roof accessible to the roofing contractor before they arrive. You or another adult in your household will likely need to be there to meet them for their first visit, so schedule a time that is convenient.
In addition, be sure to notify everyone in your household to avoid any distractions during the service. For more extensive roof replacement projects, notifying your neighbors may be helpful as well, particularly if loud noises will be involved in the replacement project. Of course, the contractor should be able to help you through the entire process.
Partial Roof Replacement vs. Full Roof Replacement: Which Is Needed?
Partial roof replacement is not always the best choice for repairing a damaged or outdated roof. In some cases, you can actually save money with a full roof replacement long-term. This is largely because fewer repairs will be needed long-term.
Also, a partial roof replacement that does not address concerns with other areas of the roof could lead to higher energy costs and damage inside the home caused by water or rodents that invade through damaged areas. When deciding whether a complete or partial roof replacement is necessary, you, and your insurance provider, should take the following factors into consideration:
- The age of the roof
- The nature of the damage
- The number of shingle layers
- Aesthetic considerations
Of course, the roofing contractor you choose should be able to provide a professional recommendation to help you decide if a complete or partial roof replacement is necessary. However, it is helpful to understand when one may be needed over another to ensure any damaged areas related to the nature of the claim are covered during the replacement.
How Long Does A Partial Roof Replacement Take?
A partial roof replacement can take anywhere from one day to a week. The exact amount of time depends on the severity and size of the damage. Bad weather and other disruptions may also push the timeline back as well. Roof replacements can be loud projects as well. Subsequently, ensuring your children are informed is helpful. Keeping your pets in the quietest place of the home may be helpful as well.
As mentioned previously, you can also notify the neighbors, so they understand why there is noise coming from your home. With that said, an experienced roofing company understands how to minimize the disruption for your family and neighbors and can ensure that your property, lawn, etc., are not damaged in any way. Hiring a reputable roofing company can also ensure the project is completed in a timely manner as well.
Adelphia Exteriors Offers Partial Roof Replacement
Adelphia Exteriors can help you through the partial roof replacement process, answering any questions you may have along the way. We are licensed and insured, so there should be no concerns with your insurance provider when choosing our contractors to handle the project for you.
To learn more about how our experienced and professional contractors can help you with partial roof replacement, contact us by message online today. A member of our experienced roofing team can guide you through the insurance claim and repair process for a stress-free partial roof replacement experience.