How do I get homeowners insurance to pay for my roof in NC?
Before we go into answering the question we need to figure out a few other questions to determine if insurance will be an option. Sometimes insurance companies can be difficult to get a hold of for these common answers, once you have answered the following questions you will have a much better idea if insurance will pay for your roof.
The following 5 questions may provide you with a quick answer:
Did something happen to your roof over the last couple of days? (wind storm, hail damage, heavy rain)
Why do you believe that your current insurance company should pay for your new roof?
Was your roof damaged or is it just older and worn from the elements?
Have your shingles been faulty or started falling off in numbers? (the roof is under 5 years old)
Was the roof not installed properly and looks bad?
Some people believe that their insurance company should pay for a new roof even when nothing has happened to the roof besides aging over the years. If you strongly believe that the insurance company should replace your roof then you need to be prepared to answer questions such as:
What damages have occurred to the roof? This could be things such as wind, hail, heavy rain, tornado’s, falling trees etc.
Did the damage happen in 1 single day or over a stretch of time? Your roof may have been lightly damaged several times before you notice a leak or shingles missing from the sides.
Is the roof leaking anywhere or missing various shingles? This is usually a very strong case the insurance company will consider when covering the costs of a new roof. Let's say for example a tree falls onto the roof due to strong winds and smashes a 3 foot hole in the roof. If your insurance company understands the unforeseeable source of the problem they are much more likely to help fix it.
Now that you have determined that your insurance company will most likely cover the costs it is time to report a claim. Reporting an insurance claim is pretty simple, all you have to do is call your insurance agent and they will give instructions step by step how to get the claim report started. When you contact your agent and start the claim it is very important to give reasons why you want them to cover the cost of a new roof. The more reasons and facts you have the better.
Once the insurance company has received the roof replacement claim they will respond within a reasonable time. In most cases your insurance company will send what is called an “acknowledgement letter”. This letter goes over any additional information the require for the claim, and potential coverage issues if any. Once you receive this letter the next step in the process is to have an inspection done, usually your insurance company will send someone out to look at the damages/roof.
If the roof damage was caused by weather and the damage happened within the policy period the likelihood of getting them to pay for it is high. Whether they pay for a roof repair or entire roof replacement will be determined by the inspector. If the damage is sufficient and requires the roof to be replaced then the insurance company will send you a check in the mail with an estimate going over the damage and costs. If your claim is without merit then in most cases it will be denied and you will be required to cover the costs of roof repair or roof replacement.
There are some claims that will be denied upfront if it is obvious that you simply want them to buy you a new roof. For example if you write in the claim “We recently moved into a new home and the roof is brown but we have always wanted a black metal roof, will you replace it for us?” you will most definitely get denied. Be sure to include in the claim details about why the insurance company should pay for a new roof, get as specific as you can. Our business works with many different insurance companies across the city, give us a call today to get your new roof replacement started.
Some claims may be declined upfront without inspection. The declination will come in writing from the handling insurance company representative. Should your report to your insurance company contain facts such as, “I bought this house 2 months ago. The house has an ugly green roof and I want a blue roof. I am demanding that you as my insurer pay for me a new blue roof to my liking. “ You probably will get a letter quoting the policy declining the claim.
The following 5 questions may provide you with a quick answer:
Did something happen to your roof over the last couple of days? (wind storm, hail damage, heavy rain)
Why do you believe that your current insurance company should pay for your new roof?
Was your roof damaged or is it just older and worn from the elements?
Have your shingles been faulty or started falling off in numbers? (the roof is under 5 years old)
Was the roof not installed properly and looks bad?
Some people believe that their insurance company should pay for a new roof even when nothing has happened to the roof besides aging over the years. If you strongly believe that the insurance company should replace your roof then you need to be prepared to answer questions such as:
What damages have occurred to the roof? This could be things such as wind, hail, heavy rain, tornado’s, falling trees etc.
Did the damage happen in 1 single day or over a stretch of time? Your roof may have been lightly damaged several times before you notice a leak or shingles missing from the sides.
Is the roof leaking anywhere or missing various shingles? This is usually a very strong case the insurance company will consider when covering the costs of a new roof. Let's say for example a tree falls onto the roof due to strong winds and smashes a 3 foot hole in the roof. If your insurance company understands the unforeseeable source of the problem they are much more likely to help fix it.
Now that you have determined that your insurance company will most likely cover the costs it is time to report a claim. Reporting an insurance claim is pretty simple, all you have to do is call your insurance agent and they will give instructions step by step how to get the claim report started. When you contact your agent and start the claim it is very important to give reasons why you want them to cover the cost of a new roof. The more reasons and facts you have the better.
Once the insurance company has received the roof replacement claim they will respond within a reasonable time. In most cases your insurance company will send what is called an “acknowledgement letter”. This letter goes over any additional information the require for the claim, and potential coverage issues if any. Once you receive this letter the next step in the process is to have an inspection done, usually your insurance company will send someone out to look at the damages/roof.
If the roof damage was caused by weather and the damage happened within the policy period the likelihood of getting them to pay for it is high. Whether they pay for a roof repair or entire roof replacement will be determined by the inspector. If the damage is sufficient and requires the roof to be replaced then the insurance company will send you a check in the mail with an estimate going over the damage and costs. If your claim is without merit then in most cases it will be denied and you will be required to cover the costs of roof repair or roof replacement.
There are some claims that will be denied upfront if it is obvious that you simply want them to buy you a new roof. For example if you write in the claim “We recently moved into a new home and the roof is brown but we have always wanted a black metal roof, will you replace it for us?” you will most definitely get denied. Be sure to include in the claim details about why the insurance company should pay for a new roof, get as specific as you can. Our business works with many different insurance companies across the city, give us a call today to get your new roof replacement started.
Some claims may be declined upfront without inspection. The declination will come in writing from the handling insurance company representative. Should your report to your insurance company contain facts such as, “I bought this house 2 months ago. The house has an ugly green roof and I want a blue roof. I am demanding that you as my insurer pay for me a new blue roof to my liking. “ You probably will get a letter quoting the policy declining the claim.