How to Get Your Roof Damage Paid for by Homeowners Insurance
Wind and hail from large storm events can wreak havoc on a Maryland and Pennsylvania home’s roofing and siding. The good news is that under most standard homeowners insurance policies storm-related damage is a covered peril, meaning it is something that insurance companies owe for. The bad news, however, is that if the claim is not handled properly you could fail to get the full amount of money that you are properly owed. Insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums and minimizing payouts, and for most people a paltry settlement check can still feel “better than nothing”. The truth is, if your roof is damaged from wind and hail you are probably entitled to enough money for a full roof replacement. Securing a proper settlement can be trickier than it seems, and more complicated than it should be. Finding a reputable, certified PA & MD roofing contractor who will execute the work for the approved price can also be a challenge. Here are some steps to take to make sure you handle your claim correctly and get qualified restorations and repairs.
Use a Competent Storm Damage Roofing Contractor
The insurance restoration industry is a massive one. Storm-chasing contractors and travel the country repairing storm damage and making life easier for homeowners and policyholders. Like every industry, there are some bad apples here: disreputable contractors who won’t return calls if things go wrong and who leave a trail of shoddy workmanship in their wake. Don’t let that stop you from seeking professional claim handling assistance if your claim has been denied or if you are worried that it might be – just do your research and make sure you know who you’re hiring. Roofers and other contractors who specialize in storm damage roofing are skilled at handling claims and can walk you through what to say, how to file, etc. Even better, public adjusters can handle your claim for you entirely and can represent you the way a lawyer represents a client in court. This can be an invaluable service for homeowners with large losses. But none of this is to say that you cannot handle your claim yourself. So if you’re going to DIY your claim, below are some tips for taking matters into your own hands.
Hire a Public Adjuster or Use a Contractor Who is Affiliated with One
A public adjuster is a licensed insurance claims expert who handles your claim the way an insurance company’s adjuster handles the claim for the insurance company. This can often result in many times more money for your claim. Most public adjusters work on a contingency fee (somewhere from 5% to 30%) that is taken directly out of your insurance settlement. This can be a good option for homeowners with complicated claims, large losses, or who had a claim wrongfully denied in the past (most claims can be reopened within 2 years of filing).Have a conversation with your public adjuster first and make sure they can are confident that they will get more than their fee! Otherwise, it just isn’t worth it. A public adjuster (and some true insurance restoration expert contractors) will have engineers that they can hire to challenge the insurance companies’ engineering reports, and will know how to handle the appraisal process.
Make sure you interview any restoration contractor, roofer, or public adjuster thoroughly before signing anything. Your storm damage professional should be properly licensed, have good online reviews, and experience working insurance claims, meeting with adjusters, writing estimates using the insurance industry-standard software, etc. Anyone you hire will have the same interests as you: getting the most for the claim as possible, so once you make a hire you can rest assured that you’re finally actually “in good hands”!!
Having a keen interest in the field of technology has given Ruchi Gupta a very strong foothold in the digital market scene. She has been reading up on a lot of different news and helps readers by proving the most useful tips in this regard. She is a well-known blogger.