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What Questions Do I Need to Ask My Insurance Provider About Replacing My Roof?

Posted on Wednesday, June 1st, 2022 at 1:25 pm    

home insurance roofIf your roof was damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced, you’ll likely have questions. Repairing or replacing the roof is essential to ensure your family and your home is protected. Your homeowner’s insurance should help pay for the expense of repairing or replacing the roof.

Often, when you purchase your homeowner’s insurance, you aren’t thinking about roof damage or fire damage. You may not know what the insurance will cover or what process needs to happen to get the roof repaired or replaced. Arming yourself with knowledge about how your insurance company will handle the claim will help the process to go smoothly.

What Type of Insurance Coverage Do You Have?

When you purchased your homeowner’s insurance, you may have been given the option of actual cash value or replacement cost value. Replacement cost value is the most popular coverage. This covers the cost of replacing the roof at the current market value if it is damaged or destroyed. Replacement cost value covers putting on an exact duplicate of the roof you had before the damage occurred.

What Do I Need to Do to Keep My Coverage?

It is also important to know if your insurance company has criteria that must be met in order to maintain your insurance coverage. In other words, the repair and replacement cost of your roof may depend on the age of the roof.

For example, most insurance companies will limit their coverage when the roof is older than 15 to 20 years. This is a common lifespan on the roof of a home. After this, the roof is prone to developing age-related problems without external forces, such as hail damage.

If you have replaced your roof in the last ten years, it may have been accompanied by a discount on your homeowner’s premium since it reduces the insurance company’s liability. If you did not maintain your roof according to their requirements, the insurance company might not pay for damage repair.

What Questions Should I Ask?

home insurance for roofIf your roof has been damaged or destroyed, there are several questions that are crucial to ask your insurance company. The answers to these questions will help guide your decisions as you and Kidd Roofing develop a plan to get your roof repaired or replaced.

Although your homeowner’s insurance likely offers comprehensive coverage, the extent to which the insurance company will pay will depend on the extent of the damage. For example, repairing a roof that has major damage is not cost-effective for the insurance company. In this case, they will likely choose to replace the roof.

Anytime you notice signs of damage to your roof, you should first contact Kidd Roofing for an inspection before you notify your insurance company. Roofing is a highly specialized field, and years of experience are required to properly repair or apply a new roof.

Using an unskilled contractor can be catastrophic and may lead to more long-term costs. But an experienced roofer can give you peace of mind in the years to come because they will likely warranty their product. It is crucial to know that insurance companies will not pay for damage caused to your home by a roof that was improperly installed or repaired.

You likely have several questions for your insurance company. Be sure you include these:

What Do Insurance Adjusters Look for When Inspecting the Roof?

The insurance company will send an adjuster who climbs up onto the roof to verify the extent of the damage and the likely cause. They will look at the age of the roof and visible signs of damage on the roof, as well as whether the roof was properly installed and any visible signs of damage inside the home.

Will My Premiums Go Up When I Make a Claim?

There is no one answer to this question as it can vary from policy to policy. Most insurance companies allow a client to have at least one claim on the roof before increasing the premium. However, if you have a history of making claims, the company may increase your premium rate. Also, pre-emptively installing a new roof before age- and wear-related problems occur may reduce your premiums.

Do I Need More than One Opinion or Estimate?

It’s always a good idea to get more than one opinion if your roof has been damaged. Some insurance companies will require multiple estimates before they approve the claim. This helps ensure they are getting a fair price on the replacement or repair.

Can I Hire the Roofer of My Choice?

This depends on your insurance company and your policy. In most instances, you can hire the roofer of your choice if they’re licensed, bonded, and insured to work in your area.

Contact Kidd Roofing for Your Roofing Needs

If you live in the Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, or Denver areas, Kidd Roofing has the experience, skills, and qualifications you want to perform the residential and commercial roofing work you need. Don’t take our word for it – read what our past clients have to say. Then call our office at (866) 671-7791 or fill out our online contact form to get your roofing estimate. Financing options available.