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Roof Damage Your Insurance Company Pays For

by Tony Martin, on Sep 9, 2019 11:01:19 PM

Wind damage on your roof is usually the easiest to see from the ground. It’s also obvious that if shingles are missing you have a much higher risk for leaks. But is there wind damage you can’t see? Yes, Wind damaged shingles can often seal back down on your roof. Sometimes homeowners you can hear flapping on your roof that gives it away. Or if inspected you may see photos of shingles that have crease marks or zippering (angled rows of shingles that pull up together).shutterstock_2161707

But what will your insurance company cover? Really its hard to say - because all insurance companies treat these situations differently. Some people a few missing shingles get a full roof replacement. Others with a lot of shingles missing on multiple faces get repair coverage. The reason being is because of multiple factors, who your insurance company is, age of the roof, amount of damage, and the quality of the install.  If you roof was installed improperly, your insurance may not cover damages at all.

The fact of the matter is that wind damage is often covered by insurance as a repair only and the price they give for a repair typically doesn’t exceed your deductible. Wind damage doesn’t always mean insurance will cover a complete roof replacement. But wind damage can be one of the fastest ways to have leaks in your home. So if you have missing shingles get your roof inspected quickly. Most roofing companies will give a free patch to cover the damages as a temporary repair and let you know the best way to proceed.

Hail is one of the largest reason roofs get replaced. According to Verisk “More than 10.7 Millions U.S. Properties were affected by one or more damaging hail events in 2017.”

What does hail specifically damage on your shingle? Hail damages the mat of the shutterstock_317066678shingle or knocks of granules exposing the underlying bitumen. This then creates a larger potential of water getting to the nails under the shingle which can create leaks.

So here’s thing thing, a lot of people don’t realize they have hail. As a matter of fact over 50% of hail claims don’t get filed until over a year after a damaging hail storm*. The reason being is its not easy to see from the ground and it usually doesn’t cause leaks immediately.

What insurance companies pay for is typically a full roof replacement. Reason being is hail often hits all faces of your roof, significantly decreasing its lifespan. In some cases hail is so wind driven it will only damage certain faces of your roof and insurance may pay for half of your roof to be replaced. (But that typically not good for the homeowner as its not easy to warranty half a roof).  Filing for hail damage can also be time sensitive. Some insurance policies have statute of limitations of 6 months! So don’t have any statute. So make sure to all a trusted roofer for a roof inspection after quarter size hail to make sure your roofs in good shape quickly after a storm.

*Source: Verisk “Hail: Hidden Risk to Properties

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