Your home is a sanctuary, providing safety and security to you and the ones you love. As such, it’s important that it’s properly maintained. It’s not an easy task; weather and other environmental forces combine in ways that regularly degrade and sometimes destroy the walls around — and especially the roofs above — us. Indeed, a roof can be one of the most vulnerable parts of any home with its direct exposure to the elements threatening its ability to offer full and constant protection. To ensure that you are best equipped for action should any damage occur to the roof of your home, you need to understand the roof repair process before you actually need to initiate it. Fixing or replacing a roof is a major undertaking, often involving insurance adjusters, contractors, mortgage lenders and sometimes even the government! It can be a stressful process. Here’s everything you need to know about the roof insurance claim process so that some of that stress is mitigated and you can quickly begin fixing a problem when one finally occurs:

Determine If Roof Damage Has Occurred

Most roofs are damaged by extreme temperatures and weather conditions. Wind, hail, rain, snow and ice storms, as well as excessive heat, wreak havoc on the integrity of roofing materials, leading to their deterioration and/or ultimate destruction. Periodically, and certainly after any major storm event, inspect your roof for damage. Look for evidence like debris on your roof, loose and/or discolored shingles, dented gutters and chipped paint and tiles. If you notice any problems, proceed as indicated below!

Contact a Reputable Roofing Company

If you feel like you have roof damage, contact a professional roofing company immediately since oftentimes claims (especially those resulting from storm damage) will need to be submitted within a certain time frame in order to be eligible for coverage by your insurance. Working with an experienced roofer at this point of the roof insurance claim process will ensure that all potential damage is identified. Furthermore, an especially top-notch and reputable roofer will know how to properly prepare a report for you to submit to your insurance company. Not all roofing companies are skilled in this process and don’t know how to negotiate on your behalf for maximum coverage; thus, picking the right roofing company with which to partner is critical. 

Wait for Claims Adjuster

Once an insurance claim has been submitted by your roofer, you will wait for a claims adjuster from your insurance company to visit your property. At this point, the insurance company will verify the damage according to its own terms and determine whether or not to process your roof insurance claim. An experienced roofing company will be able to work with your insurance company to ensure that you get the coverage you need to properly repair your roof.

Work Through Any Claim Adjustments and Receive Money

After receiving an estimate for roof repairs from your roofer, your insurance will determine the amount it will issue towards your roof repair. The insurance company will send you an initial payment which, along with your deductible, you will provide to your roofer as a partial payment to begin any repair work.

Repair or Replace Roof

With the first payment in hand, the roofing company will repair or replace your roof.

Receive Final Payment

Finally, as the roofing company completes the job, it documents any additional costs encountered along the way and submits a final invoice to your insurance company. Insurance will send you a check to cover this amount, which you will then provide to your roofing company as final payment.

Want to Learn More About the Roof Insurance Claim Process?

A reputable and experienced roofing company can help you navigate the roof insurance claim process so that you get the coverage you need to protect your home’s roof and your family’s well-being. Please contact our roofing experts at Alpha Elite to learn more.