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What to Do If Insurance Denied Your Roof Claim

July 27th, 2022 | 4 min. read

What to Do If Insurance Denied Your Roof Claim

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Getting your storm-damaged roof taken care of through the insurance process is stressful enough. But having your claim denied takes that stress to another level. 

Unfortunately, I see this happen often. And when it does happen, it leaves homeowners with more questions than answers. 

But just know that an initial denial doesn’t have to be the end of the matter. So, what can you do if the insurance company denies your roof claim?

For over 30 years, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been transparent with homeowners about the confusing and long insurance process. Because of this, I want to help you understand your options when insurance denies a roof damage claim. 

This article covers the following:

  • Why would your insurance claim be denied?
  • What can you do if insurance denies your roof claim?
  • Is there anything a roofing contractor can do to get your claim approved?

Why would your insurance claim be denied?

Before we get to what you can do, let’s break down why your roof damage claim would be denied in the first place. Unfortunately, the insurance company can deny your claim for multiple reasons. 

Below are some common reasons why insurance denies a roof damage claim:

Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about most of these reasons. But whatever the reason, your insurance company should explain why they denied your claim. 

What can you do if the insurance company denies your roof claim?

After learning why, let’s get into your options after your initial claim is denied. Remember, most of the reasons are legitimate, and there’s nothing you can do about it. 

But if your claim is denied because the adjuster says they didn’t find any or enough damage, you can double and even triple check your roof if you're adamant it has storm damage. 

Requesting another adjuster

The easiest way is to ask your insurance company to send out a different adjuster to get a second opinion with a new pair of eyes. Unfortunately, I see some insurance companies deny homeowners a second adjuster. 

But just know that it’s your right to a second adjuster. After their inspection, they’ll either approve your claim or agree with the first adjuster that there’s no basis for a claim. 

Contacting a structural engineer

If you’re still adamant there’s roof damage and want to continue pursuing a claim after the second adjuster says no, you can reach out to a structural engineer. They’ll do an inspection and offer proof to the insurance company that the roof needs to be replaced because of structural problems. 

This is done on rare occasions and is only recommended if the insurance adjusters are unreasonable. However, there’s still a chance even this fails. 

If this happens, you’ll bite the bullet or pursue legal avenues that we aren’t qualified to speak on. 

Is there anything a roofing contractor can do to get your claim approved?

Most homeowners look to their roofing contractor when there are problems with their claim getting approved. So, I’ve had a lot of questions over the years regarding, “If you said I had roof damage, why is my claim getting denied?”

The truth is that it's completely out of your roofing contractor's hands if the claim is approved. They can look for and document any signs of storm damage, but the insurance adjuster has all the power to approve or deny your claim. 

Even if the roofing contractor is certain that you need your roof replaced because of storm damage, the insurance adjuster is the only one who can move the approval process forward. But this doesn't mean your roofing contractor is useless during the process. 

If you hire a roofing contractor with insurance experience, they’ll give you all the information you need to fight to ensure your policy is adhered to. They do this by documenting proof or pulling hail/wind maps to show your home was in the storm’s path. 

But helping you doesn’t usually stop after your claim is approved. They’ll also help you supplement your insurance claim to ensure your roof gets everything it needs. 

At the end of the day, a roofing contractor is your partner and guide during the insurance claim process. That’s why it’s crucial to find one with experience and that you trust. 

The top roof insurance claim questions answered

Now you know why your insurance claim would be denied, what you can do about it, and what a roofing contractor can do for your claim. Remember, the insurance adjuster has all the power to approve your claim. 

After reading this article, you should know your next steps for your insurance claim. Unfortunately, moving further into the insurance claim process only leads to more questions. 

Wouldn’t it be great if all the main insurance questions were answered in one place? Of course, it would be.

That’s why I wrote another article that answers the top 9 insurance-related questions homeowners have about their roof damage claim.

Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has guided thousands of homeowners in Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas through the insurance claim process. We work with you to ensure your roof is taken care of per your policy agreement.

Check out The Top 9 Insurance Roof Replacement Questions Answered to learn the answers to the most frequently asked questions by homeowners.

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