A properly maintained roof should last for many years. However, there are several factors leading to roof damage that you can’t control, namely including Mother Nature. If your roof becomes damaged, you may be able to file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company to receive compensation for the roof repair or replacement costs.
Unfortunately, filing an insurance claim is often a more complex process than it needs to be. Here, we’ll help you navigate the process of filing an insurance claim for Denver roof damage so that you can quickly restore your roof’s condition.
What’s Covered Under Homeowner’s Insurance?
As far as roof damage goes, there are limits on what most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover. That said, there are several types of roof damage that homeowner’s policies do cover. These typically include:
- Fire
- Lightning strikes
- Falling objects, like a tree in a storm
- Vandalism
- Natural disasters and other “acts of God”
What About Wind And Hail?
Especially in states like Colorado, where severe hailstorms are relatively common, home insurance companies have put limits on coverage for wind and hail roof damage. Many companies require homeowners to purchase a more extensive policy in order to receive wind and hail damage protection.
Options may include roof replacement cost coverage, which will cover the full cost of a roof replacement if you need one, or actual cash value coverage. Actual cash value coverage can be purchased for wind and hail damage for roofs that aren’t new enough to qualify for replacement cost coverage. With actual cash value coverage, your insurance compensation will be determined according to the depreciated value of your roof when the damage occurs.
Other Exclusions
Beyond wind and hail roof damage, there are other limits on the compensation that you can receive from your homeowner’s insurance company. For one, if your roof if poorly maintained and the lack of maintenance arguably contributed to the damage, you probably won’t be able to receive compensation for repairs or a replacement. Or, if the roof is at the end of its lifespan, your insurance company won’t cover the cost of getting a new roof installed.
Flood and earthquake damage to your home, including the roof, isn’t covered under homeowner’s insurance policies. For protection in these cases, you should look at purchasing earthquake or flood insurance.
Step By Step: Filing a Claim For Roof Damage
If you find yourself with Denver roof damage that should be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy, the next step will be to file a claim. An experienced roofing company like RME can help you through the filing process to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible.
The steps of filing an insurance claim for roof damage include:
- Documentation
As soon as possible after the damage occurs, document it with photos and written notes. Photograph the damage as well as whatever caused it, if possible. For example, if a tree branch fell during a storm and punctured your roof, snap a picture of the branch as well as the puncture in the roof. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to keep receipts from any roof repairs during the claim process.
- Call your insurance agent
Next up, call your insurance agent promptly to tell them about the damage. Time is of the essence, given that any time you wait to report the damage could be used to argue against your claim. At this time, you should confirm with the agent that the type of damage is covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. The agent can also give you a timeframe in which you need to submit the claim.
- Complete the paperwork
Submitting the required paperwork to your insurance company will start the claim process.
- Adjuster visit
An insurance adjuster will likely be sent to your home to examine the damage. They’ll likely consult with both the insurance company and your Denver roof repair company to determine the cost of restoring your roof’s condition so that you can receive compensation.
If your roof in Denver has sustained damage, contact RME today to get started on the repair process. We’ll help you file a claim and get your roof back to its previous condition.
