So I’m up in the northeast where we get hail sometimes, but it’s not super common. A few weeks back, we had a hail storm that didn’t seem that intense. But a few days ago, a roofing company knocked on our door saying they were assessing for hail damage in the area.
I thought it seemed a bit fishy, but my husband let them check things out. The salesperson told us our roof (around 7-9 years old), gutters, and siding had damage and said they could get it all covered by our insurance, with just our deductible to pay. My brother, who flips houses, thought the insurance might fight it but said it couldn’t hurt to try.
Then yesterday, an insurance adjuster came out. He didn’t even go up on our roof, but from what he saw on the ground, he thought the roof would look similar. He even hinted to my husband that we’re lucky the hail storm happened since it’s a reason to fix things up. He told my husband, ‘Congrats, you’re getting a new house!’ He said we’d get a check to use with any contractor we choose.
So now I’m super skeptical. Could we really get a new roof, siding, and gutters for just our $600 deductible? My husband says even if our rate goes up a bit, it’d take years to add up to what the repairs are worth. But I’m just nervous.
Is it a bad idea to go through with this? Someone once told me to only use house insurance for major things because too many claims could make us ‘uninsurable.’ But we definitely can’t afford this work out of pocket. Is this just luck, or could it come back to bite us? Would love any advice!
Dylan said:
Roofing salespeople can be pretty aggressive, sometimes feels like they’re just out to make money off these claims.
I had the same feeling! I even called them ‘storm chasers’ to my husband. After the insurance adjuster approved it, we told the original company we’d find a local contractor to do the work.
Dylan said:
Roofing salespeople can be pretty aggressive, sometimes feels like they’re just out to make money off these claims.
That’s a strong statement! Not every roofing contractor is out to scam people. Sure, some do exaggerate damages, but not all of them. Some of these companies help people understand what they’re entitled to.
@Hartley
What would you call companies that follow storms, start a temporary business there, do bad work, and then disappear after a year? ‘Storm chaser’ seems pretty fitting.
Pippin said: @Hartley
What would you call companies that follow storms, start a temporary business there, do bad work, and then disappear after a year? ‘Storm chaser’ seems pretty fitting.
Yeah, I get it. Some companies definitely do follow storms just to make quick money. But not all of them. Damage is real whether the company is local or not. Just don’t think it’s fair to label all of them as bad actors.
Vic said: @Wilder
Yeah, we were actually told by the adjuster that our old aluminum siding isn’t made anymore. He even said we could keep any leftover funds!
Good deal! Yeah, not many people do 8-inch aluminum anymore. Some people actually prefer the double 4-inch, but it’s a bit rare.
You should only file a roofing claim if you’re fairly certain it’ll get approved. If it’s denied, you get a $0 claim on your record. Sounds like you lucked out with a lenient adjuster or the damage was legit.
But expect a rate increase at renewal, and yes, some companies do non-renew based on claims history. Roof claims are risky for insurers, which is why deductibles and rules are getting stricter. Just be prepared that future roof repairs might need to be paid out of pocket.
RyanYoung said:
Did you guys file the claim directly, or did the roofer do it for you?
I think the roofer started it, but my husband spoke to the insurance company afterward. We’re going to go with a local contractor instead of the original roofing company.
This sounds strange since the adjuster didn’t even go on the roof. I’ve never heard of an adjuster approving without photos.
Did you file the claim, or did the roofer? Was the adjuster from your insurance company or someone working with the roofer? And was the hail storm actually bad?
@Zev
The adjuster was with our insurance company, and the roofer was legit with good reviews. We’re planning to go with a local company instead. No idea why he skipped the roof inspection; he just assumed based on the siding and gutters that the roof would be the same.
Tell those roofing sales guys to take a hike. They’re just trying to make a profit off your claim and might even say you need a whole new roof for a small issue. They’re a big reason premiums are climbing.