Why is Insurance Asking You to Get Multiple Quotes for a Roof Claim?

Does your roof have storm damage? Is your insurance company asking you to get multiple quotes?

Under normal circumstances, it's never a bad idea to get multiple quotes for a roof replacement. But insurance work is completely different. 

In fact, it's almost another industry by itself, which is why there are storm chasing companies that only do insurance work. Unfortunately, there's something fishy going on if the insurance company is asking you to get multiple quotes. 

This isn't the way the process is supposed to work. But why would they ask you to get more than one estimate if insurance is supposed to be on your side?

For over 35 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has guided homeowners through the confusion and misinformation when it comes to roof damage claims. That's why I want to clear the air when it comes to getting multiple quotes when insurance is involved. 

By the end of this article, you'll learn the answers to:

• Why is insurance asking you to get multiple quotes for a roof claim?
• Why shouldn’t you get multiple quotes for a roof damage claim?

Why is insurance asking you to get multiple quotes for a roof claim?

The insurance company asks you to get multiple quotes when a claim is involved for one reason: they want you to find the lowest price possible. Not only does this make you do more work, but it also makes no sense.

The insurance company is supposed to provide an initial scope of work with a price. Reputable and experienced roofers can’t usually replace a roof for the initial price insurance sets, which is where supplementing a claim comes into play.

Well, this is a problem for insurance companies that have replaced so many roofs due to the extreme weather patterns in the United States over the last five years. So now insurance companies are trying to stop the bleeding.

First, they started recommending specific roofers they know will do the work for the payout provided with no pushback. When that didn’t work, they’re now asking homeowners to get multiple quotes.

After all, it’s your right as the policyholder to choose your own roofer. So, now it seems like you’re the one choosing, but really the insurance company is the one who actually approves the estimate they want.

This is not how the insurance claim process is supposed to work. And with the insurance industry trying to get out of roofing, roof coverage is getting massively cut down or left off completely.

So, it’s crucial to get a quality roof from a great roofing contractor with your approved insurance claim, because this may be your only time to use it.

Why shouldn’t you get multiple quotes for a roof damage claim?

At this point, you know why the insurance company would ask you to get multiple quotes. Unfortunately, some homeowners get multiple quotes whether the insurance company tells them to or not. 

So, it's important to hammer home exactly why there's no point in getting estimates from more than one roofer when insurance is involved. 

Let's break down all the reasons why you shouldn't get multiple quotes for a roof damage claim, such as:

• The insurance company determines the scope of work and cost
• You don’t get to keep leftover money
• It makes you vulnerable to bad roofers
• You risk pushing away reputable roofers
• It wastes your valuable time

The insurance company sets the initial scope of work and cost

As I said at the beginning, the insurance company is supposed to provide the initial estimate with the scope of work and payout to replace your roof. You’re just mudding the waters by getting quotes from different roofers when the initial price is already set.

However, any reputable and experienced roofer’s estimate will be higher than insurance. Now, if the insurance company is the one telling you to get multiple quotes, it's because they're looking for the lowest price. 

I'm not saying pricing isn’t important, but it shouldn’t be the main hiring qualification when insurance is involved. Instead, you need a single roofer who can read claims correctly, has insurance experience, and will give you the tools and information needed to supplement your claim.

You don’t get to keep leftover money

It’s highly unlikely that the initial insurance estimate will cover the entire cost of your roof replacement. However, you don’t get to pocket any leftover money if the quote ends up being lower than the insurance price.

If you don’t get to keep any money that’s left, getting multiple quotes to find the lowest price is pointless. And if you have an RCV policy, keeping anything left after insurance’s scope of work is illegal.

This policy requires proof that the scope of work was followed correctly before they’ll send a final payment. And even when you get the final check, it’ll go to the roofer to cover the rest of your roof replacement.

It makes you vulnerable to bad roofers

Insurance work brings out the worst in the roofing industry. After a storm hits an area, storm chasers and bad roofers try to scare and scam homeowners who are desperate to get their roof taken care of as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, getting multiple quotes for a storm-damaged roof makes you vulnerable to bad roofers. Once they know insurance is involved, they'll say they can do it for the price insurance sets. 

This sets you roof up to get shoddy work, low-quality materials, and plenty of headaches. And if they offer to pay the deductible, add insurance fraud on top of it.

That’s why finding a local roofer you trust is the best way to avoid this happening to you.

You risk pushing away reputable roofers

Reputable roofers with insurance experience are happy to walk you through the process, support your approval if there’s viable damage, and give you tools to supplement your claim. However, doing everything is right creates a pretty big workload for your roof. 

They have to guide you through a confusing and frustrating process while also dealing with insurance companies/adjusters, slow progress, constant follow-ups, lower profits, and everything else that goes into working a claim properly.

All of this is also on top of the normal process of inspecting your roof, creating an estimate, and helping you make the right decisions outside of insurance’s scope of work. So, getting multiple quotes when insurance is involved risk pushing away any reputable roofer.

There’s no reason to spend all the time, energy, and company resources just to hear another company got the roof. That’s why roofers who don’t focus solely on insurance work always ask if you’re getting multiple quotes.

Trust me, this isn’t to be disrespectful. Using my personal experience, I can’t tell you how often I’ve done all the front-end work and worked tirelessly to get the claim approved, only to have it given to another company because they’re cheaper.

It wastes your time

Your life is already busy and full of time-consuming activities. Do you really want to waste your valuable time getting multiple quotes when you don’t have to?

I think the answer most people will give is a resounding no. Getting multiple quotes means more research, appointments you need to be home for, sitting through multiple presentations, and reviewing different estimates while also dealing with insurance.

Not only does it waste your time, but it also makes a slow process even slower. So, do your research, find a roofing contractor you trust, show them your insurance claim paperwork, and get your roof taken care of in a timely manner.

What do you need to know about the insurance process for roof damage?

After reading this article, you know why the insurance company is asking you to get multiple quotes and why you shouldn't. At the end of the day, the insurance industry is tired of paying out for roof damage claims. 

So, they've started finding ways to mitigate losses, and having you "choose" one of multiple estimates is just the newest way to do it. Unfortunately, it won't be long until roof coverage is no longer offered in policies. 

So, if you have roof damage and an RCV policy, you should take advantage of all those years of paying premiums. But before going any further, it's important to understand what you're about to get into. 

That's why I wrote another article breaking down the things every homeowner needs to know about the process when filing a claim for roof damage. 

Check out 7 Things You Need to Know About the Insurance Process for Roof Damage to go into the process fully prepared for anything and everything.