Was your roof damaged during a recent storm? Are you about to start looking for a roofing company?
The roofing company you hire plays a big role in the insurance process. So, you need one you can count on to do things the right way.
When insurance is involved, this is absolutely crucial. That’s why you must hire a roofing company with the right insurance experience.
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has provided homeowners with the tools, knowledge, and information they need when filing an insurance claim for roof damage. Now, I’ll help you understand why hiring a roofing company with insurance experience is important and how they help you with your claim.
Let’s get to the 5 reasons why it’s crucial to hire a roofing company with the right insurance claim experience.
1. Guidance to make the insurance process smoother
The insurance process is long, confusing, and at times frustrating. However, hiring a roofing company with insurance claim experience makes things much easier.
They’ll guide you through the entire process and make sure it’s followed correctly to ensure you get the full payout. Their experience will also help you avoid common scams that lead to insurance fraud.
Now, you do have to rely on the roofing company to provide honest advice and information. But if you make the right hire, you’ll get the guidance needed to ensure the process is followed correctly for a smooth experience.
2. You’ll learn if your roof actually has storm damage
Proving you have roof damage is literally half the battle. So, one of the biggest reasons you need to hire a roofing company with insurance claim experience is they know how to actually spot storm damage.
Having the right experience means they know what to look for, where to find it, and what’s needed to determine if there’s a viable claim. They’ll also know how to correctly mark roof areas with noticeable damage and to create clear reference points.
And once their inspection is done, they know what photos to take and how to frame them for the insurance company.
3. Roofers with insurance experience will fight for you
The number one way roofing companies help homeowners throughout the insurance process is by being on their side. Some insurance companies and adjusters are difficult to work with, so hiring a company that has your back is crucial.
If a roofing company has the right experience, they should have no issue standing up for you if insurance is being difficult or unreasonable. Of course, any roofer should behave professionally when dealing with an insurance representative or adjuster.
But roofing companies that have worked on enough claims know what to say, how to say it, and the right way to refute things that are commonly pushed back on. This becomes even more important if a claim gets denied, especially when the damage is clear.
4. They can walk you through supplementing
An RCV (Replacement Cost Value) policy is supposed to cover the full cost of restoring your old roof to a brand-new version of itself. However, the first estimate is never enough to cover a reputable roofing company’s pricing because they leave things off.
So, you’ll need to supplement your claim to get all or most of it covered. A roofing company with insurance claim experience can walk you through the process, help compare line items, and make the appropriate changes to submit for approval.
Just know every roofing company handles it differently. I provide homeowners with a Supplementing Checklist to recognize the line items insurance should cover with an RCV policy.
Unfortunately, it’s rare to get everything or most of the changes approved without hassle. Some homeowners don’t want to deal with it, so it’s really your decision.
If you’re happy with the payout and don’t want to deal with supplementing, just pay your deductible and the difference in the estimates.
5. They know how to read and follow the scope of work correctly
After an RCV policy claim is approved, your roof must be replaced per the estimate provided by the insurance company. A roofing company with insurance experience will make sure this happens by reading and following the scope of work correctly.
They’ll also know what photos the insurance company requires and how to submit them to prove the scope of work was followed. This is absolutely crucial because it’s how you get the second check for the recoverable depreciation.
The insurance company will only send the recoverable depreciation if everything checks out, so you need to rely on the roofer to do everything correctly. Hiring a roofing company with insurance experience is the only way to ensure this happens.
How do you hire a reputable roofer for an insurance claim?
Now you know the 5 reasons it’s crucial to hire a roofing company with insurance claim experience. This will help you have a smooth experience, even if it’s sometimes frustrating.
However, having insurance experience isn’t the only thing you need to look for when hiring a roofing company to work your claim. Bad roofers can have insurance experience, but still take advantage of homeowners.
So, knowing how to identify a reputable company is crucial. Luckily, there are signs you can look for to help you do this.
Check out 7 Tips When Hiring a Roofing Company for an Insurance Claim to ensure you find a great company to take care of your storm-damaged roof.