FAQs
High winds and hail can cause substantial damage to roofs, siding, gutters, downspouts, windows, doors, paint, decks, fences, and any exterior component of your home or business. It only has to hail for a few seconds for property to sustain damage.
You can’t always see roof damage from the ground. Strong wind gusts can expose the underlayment of shingles, causing leaks.
Wind-driven hail causes composition asphalt roofs to suffer granule loss. Granule loss causes premature UV sun-related cracking of the protective asphalt underlayment, decreasing the life expectancy of your roof.
Yes. If your home is located in an identified storm damaged area, it will be flagged by an appraiser during the resale process.
During resale, your home will be inspected for hail related damages. If your home is found to possess unrepaired damages, the resale value of your home will be lowered accordingly.
You have a limited period of time to file a hail loss claim, so please address this issue now rather than later.
Call your insurance company property claims office and submit a wind and hail claim. You will be assigned an adjuster and a claim number. Your adjuster will call you to set up a time to meet with you and the contractor of your choice.
Your contractor and the adjuster will jointly inspect your property for insured damage. The adjuster will inspect your roof for visible signs of hail damage.
He/she will measure out a “test square” (10′ x 10′) on every slope of your roof. If he/she can find a sufficient amount of bruises or breaks in each test square, your carrier will pay for a new roof, less the cost of your deductible.
Likewise, if your siding, screens, gutters or downspouts are dented, you will be compensated for the replacement of “like and kind” quality.
You are entitled to two inspections, by two different adjusters representing your insurance company.
Denied or partial claims often stem from insurance companies changing the scope of what they are covering under their hail policy. Initial inspections, especially those performed without a contractor present to advocate on the homeowner’s behalf, are often held to more stringent guidelines.
If you notice neighbors getting substantial amounts of work done on their homes, have your home inspected by a knowledgeable contractor.
If the contractor feels there is more damage than noted in your first adjustment, call your insurance company and request a re-adjustment. This is not an unusual request so do not be afraid to exercise this right.
Have the second adjuster meet with your contractor of choice and jointly re-inspect the property. If the damage is there, you should achieve a more favorable outcome.
Most insurance companies have a 1-year time period from the date of the event to file a claim.