It’s the same story over and over again, homeowner A has been paying their home insurance premiums for decades. They’ve never had anything happen to their house, everything always been fine. After a couple of years a tropical storm, hurricane, or wind storm hits and out of nowhere you have a severe roof leak, or you walk outside and see dozens of shingles laying on the ground, your drip-edge hanging off your roof. You call your insurance and a they send their insurance adjuster out to file a report. A month later you receive a call or a letter from the insurance company informing you about how they’re denying your roof claim.
Maybe your adjuster had a bad day, maybe you reported the wrong thing, maybe the insurance company just doesn’t want to pay, whatever the reason, it’s the most frustrating and annoying thing in the world. When it comes to dealing with your insurance company, knowledge is your best weapon when it comes to insurance claims. In this article owner Ian Lloyd of Legion Roofing and Construction LLC in Kissimmee/Orlando Florida will cover FOUR of the main reasons why roof claims get denied.
1- Previous Damage aka Pre-Existing Damage
In many areas of the country, it’s unlikely to go 20 years without a storm that causes enough damage to warrant a roof replacement under a standard home insurance policy. However, bear in mind that your home insurance policy will not cover damage that occurred under a previous policy. Home insurance will only cover damage caused by the most recent event, so if a combination of old and new damage is causing your roof system to fail, they may deny your claim based on the fact that previous damage is the main source of the issue.
2- Manufacturers Defect
While manufacturers will try their best to maintain quality control on their products, sometimes defective products make their way onto your roof and will degrade long before the intended life expectancy. If it’s determined that a manufacturer defect is the cause of your roofing system failing, your home insurance provider is not responsible for replacement costs. However, almost all major manufacturers of roofing products have a standard limited warranty provided with the purchase of their products. What that warranty covers depend on the specific manufacturer and what warranty you have selected, so make sure to speak to your roofing contractor about warranties with additional coverage prior to installation.
3- Partial Damage
In order for insurance to approve a claim for a full roof replacement, the Insurance Adjuster needs to determine that enough damage has occurred to the roofing system that a partial repair cannot restore the roof to its previous condition. Unfortunately, the criteria for determining partial damage varies from insurance company to insurance company and ultimately can come down to the Insurance Adjuster who is sent to inspect your roof. This can be one of the most frustrating scenarios for homeowners after a storm when homes throughout your neighborhood are being approved for roof replacements, but your insurance company has denied your claim. Because the determination for partial damage is arbitrary in nature, partial damage is one of the most likely denials to be overturned.
4- Insurance Adjuster Interpretation
Whenever you have a roof inspection completed by your Insurance Adjuster, it’s important to understand that an Insurance Adjuster is not a professional roofer or contractor, and their expertise is often limited to the training they receive from the insurance company. Even the most well-intentioned Insurance Adjuster can miss signs of damage that could result in your claim being approved simply from lack of knowledge. This is why it’s always a good idea to have your Contractor of Choice meet your Insurance Adjuster on-site for the inspection, as we are able to point out the damage, and explain why it should be covered by insurance before it’s denied.
Get Your Claim Approved With A Knowledgeable Roofing Contractor
Your best weapon in avoiding a claim denial by your insurance company is knowledge, and an experienced roofing contractor will have all the tools and knowledge you need to get your claim approved. Your Insurance Policy allows you to work with your Contractor of Choice, so make sure to do your research and work with a professional Contractor who will guide you throughout the entire process from filing a claim through final inspection, allowing you to get the most value out of your home insurance policy.
Here at Legion Roofing and Construction, our team specializes in working with Insurance claims and helping homeowners to ease the whole process and provide you with a high-quality roof replacement, our team of experts serves the whole Central-Florida area. Call Us Today to schedule a FREE Inspection!