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Most homeowners will at some point find themselves in a situation where they need to make a claim on their homeowner’s insurance policy. The summertime storms that we receive in Northern Colorado bring damaging wind and hail that can wreak havoc on your home. When the time comes to call your insurance agent and make a claim, there are a few things to be aware of to ensure you make the most of your experience.

The first step after a hail storm

If you believe that your home may have sustained damage from a hail storm, the first action that needs to be taken is to call in your claim to your agent. There’s absolutely no penalty in doing so, and your agent will provide you with a claim number on this initial call. Additionally, they may or may not provide you with the date to meet your inspector. If this doesn’t happen at the initial call, they will either call or email you at a later date with this information.

It’s very important that you let your contractor know when this appointment is. All professional roofing contractors in Northern Colorado will want to meet up with the inspector to review your property on your behalf. This is one of the most important opportunities to get your roofing contractor involved in the process. An experienced contractor will assist the inspector in pointing out all of the damage to your home.

The process can be complex as they will be evaluating your roof, siding, paint, windows, and garage doors. Most homeowners are only concerned with their roof, and that is a mistake. You’ve paid for a policy to cover your entire home, not just the roof. If a claim is approved, you are going to be responsible to pay for your deductible whether you have a $20,000 claim on your roof or a $120,000 claim for your roof, windows, paint, garage doors, and siding. The cost to you is exactly the same in both situations.

What to look for in a contractor

It’s important to remember that your insurance policy is designed to bring your entire home back to the condition it was prior to the storm. To ensure that your carrier makes good on their end of the bargain, it’s important for you to hire a competent contractor who can help you get all of the funds that you’ll need.

One important thing to note is that roofing contractors should be trained and understanding of all trades regarding the exterior of your home. The roof is the most important part of your homeowners’ insurance claim, but the other trades shouldn’t be ignored. It’s unfortunate that most insurance adjusters will conveniently exclude other trades, so as an informed consumer, you should know what else to look for. These trades include siding, paint, decks, fence, gutters, windows, garage doors, and even landscaping. Just remember that you are paying for a whole home policy, not a roof-only policy.

How to evaluate your claim with your roofing contractor

9 times out of 10, your carrier is not going to give you enough money to hire a contractor to do all the repairs that are needed. This is where the process of supplementing comes in. It’s absolutely essential that you ask your contractor about their process and experience in supplementing. If they aren’t familiar with the procedures required to negotiate with your carrier, then you need to find a new contractor. Many incompetent contractors will sidestep this part of the process, which is a huge disadvantage to the homeowner.

Most of the time, roofing contractors will be properly compensated for the work done to the roof, so they may be indifferent about the money granted to repair your windows, garage door, or paint on your home. You want a roofer who cares about all of these trades.

Ready to move forward

If you live near Ft. Collins or Timnath, roof repair will most likely be required after a severe hail storm. As an informed consumer, you should perform a quick Google search about your contractor of choice and be sure to read reviews to confirm that they are competent and are a good fit for what you value in a contractor.

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