21 Sep TRICKS TO FILING A ROOFING INSURANCE CLAIM
If you like saving money and your not interested in lining the pockets of a salesperson when you are ready for your next roof replacement, here are the top 5 tips on the proper way to handle your insurance claim.
Tip #1: Do Not Allow A Contractor to File Your Claim Or Meet With Your Insurance Company.
Regardless of what you’re being told, insurance claims are not hard. Filing your claims is as easy as a five minute phone call. From there the insurance adjusters do everything on their end.
Most of the time you don’t even have to be home.
Whatever you do, do not allow a contractor to file your claim for you or meet with your insurance company.
The state of Texas actually made it illegal for contractors to represent homeowners during a hail and wind claim and perform the roofing services at the same time.
Not to mention, their aggressive “Maximize Your Claim” attitude typically does more harm then good.
The last thing you need is a greedy contractor ticking off your insurance company.
Remember, it’s your money. You are the one paying the premiums each month. It should be you looking the insurance adjuster in the eye during their visit.
An honest contractor should be focused on preparing a written estimate for the work that you need. Not attempting to see how much your insurance company owes you in claims damages.
Unlike contractors, insurance adjusters are licensed and regulated by the State of Texas.
They are required by law to complete classroom training, written exams, hours of continuing education and certifications to adjust claims and identify storm damages.
The last thing they should need is a storm chaser or middleman pointing things out to them.
If the insurance adjuster asks to meet with your contractor, tell the adjuster that you will be handling your own inspection and do not want your contractor involved in the inspection process.
This will keep your personal information private and the contractor out of your business until you are ready to hire.
Tip #2: Do Not Set the Appointment Date for the Adjuster.
Try to be extremely flexible if at all possible. Adjusters are extremely busy individuals. Most of them are running 6-8 appointments a day, 7 days a week and it doesn’t end there.
Try to be extremely flexible if at all possible. Adjusters are extremely busy individuals. Most of them are running 6-8 appointments a day, 7 days a week and it doesn’t end there.
As soon as their day work is over, their desk work begins. Hours upon hours of computer work to complete your damage summery and processes your payment to you.
Allowing the adjuster the opportunity to set his/her own date and time will go along way in expediting your claim.
They will very much appreciate your flexibility and understanding of what they deal with. This could very well mean the difference between a denial and an approval on a roof with marginal damages.
“It all comes down to the adjuster”.
That is a phrase we hear on a regular basis from homeowners and insurance companies alike.
Why not take advantage of it. You catch more fly’s with honey.
Tip #3: Do Not Breathe Down the Adjusters Neck
Allow the adjuster the space and time they need to properly adjust your claim and stay focused on their routine.
Allow the adjuster the space and time they need to properly adjust your claim and stay focused on their routine.This is a Biggy!
There is nothing more disruptive then a homeowner following an adjuster around asking questions about the claim, before they complete their inspection.
There are a lot of variables that go into adjusting an insurance claim properly. It’s not just looking at the roof.
Proper adjustments require that adjusters follow a very strict routine that must be conducted exactly the same , on every single claim, to ensure that nothing is missed.
Throwing your adjuster off their routine could lead to missed items and an under payment of your claim.
Introduce yourself, offer them a drink and then allow them to go about their inspection without interruption. You will have plenty of time to ask questions about the process before they leave your residence.
Tip #4: Keep your Insurance Information Private
The Better Business Bureau, CBS and FOX, have all ran stories warning DFW residents to avoid middleman contractors looking to handle their insurance claims. It’s all an effort to pocket all your insurance claims money.
99% of contractors doing business in the DFW area today are all middleman contractors chasing claims and then subcontracting the work out to someone else.
They are not hands on roof installers with your best interest in mind.
Always demand written estimates and keep your insurance information private.
Choose your contractor based on how thorough their estimates are, their pricing and their customer reviews.
Do not chose a contractor based on whether or not they will handle your claim for you.
Remember, handle your claim = keep all your money $.
Tip #5: Hire Direct And Avoid Jack of All Trades Companies
Most homeowners make the mistake of believing that insurance claims or finding and hiring contractors is hard.
So, out of laziness and fear they agree to hand their insurance claims over to a general contractor to handle all the work on their behalf.
This is a huge mistake $.
You are better off throwing your money right out the front door.
Always buy direct! At worst, you’re only going to need to make a few phone calls.
If you need new gutters, call a local gutter company and ask for an estimate. It only takes two minutes.
“Hello gutter company, I need an estimate at __________ address, thank you, bye.
Most contractors can stop by while you are at work and leave the estimate at your door.
The same can be said about fencing, windows, garage doors, etc..
Buying direct will save you thousands in middleman fees and also gives you complete control over who is at your home and when.
You can never be to safe these days. Why trust a General Contractor?
When a general contractor or middleman company says they provide multiple trades, all their really doing is hiring the same local companies from your area that you could have hired at a third of the price.
Who will they send? Who knows! Why risk it?
Avoid the middleman fees and choose your own contractors.
Following these tips will automatically put you on the right track to getting the most out of your insurance claims money.
If you simply hand your entire insurance budget over to a contractor, do you really trust and believe they are going to have your best interest in mind? Or are they more likely to try an keep as much of your money as possible.
Think about it.
Want to know what the true cost of a roof replacement really is? Check out the next blog below.
http://www.honestroof.com/how-much-does-a-new-roof-cost/
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