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When I look at my roof, I don’t see any hail damage. What’s all the fuss about?
Hail Damage can’t be seen very easily. The best thing to do is have your insurance adjuster actually go up on your roof and inspect it for damage. You usually will never see actual holes or indentations. Hail will drastically shorten the life of your roof. Imagine going up on your roof and hitting it a couple thousand times with a hammer. The effect is similar.
How does my insurance company know I had large hail in my neighborhood?
Insurance companies subscribe to different hail reporting and tracking services. These services can track the hail size and exact location it fell. This helps the insurance companies decide the validity of hail claims. If you had
damaging hail, they already know it.
What about my siding?
You should check your exterior walls closely, preferably when the sun is a little lower in the sky (morning or evening). This will make it easier to see the denting. Old aluminum siding will show the damage more than wood or vinyl unless the vinyl actually has holes in it.
How do I know I’m dealing with a reputable and experienced company?
The 1998 hailstorm brought a new breed of companies to our area – The Storm Chasers. After the storm business dried up, most of them left but some decided to stay. It is important that you as a consumer have a company you can turn to if you have any warranty issues down the road, after the job is done. A great way to figure out how long the company has been around, is by looking at how many digits they have in their state license number. Any 4 digit number tells you that the company was here prior to state licensing which started in 1992. When you see those 8 digit numbers, you will know that they are relatively new companies. Ask for referrals. New ones and old ones too. Try to avoid companies that just seem to be interested in putting a sign in your yard.
Who do I call first to start a claim?
Your first call should be to your insurance agent. The agent will turn your claim in to their claims center. Calling a roof contractor to profess hail damage is not an effective approach. The adjuster has to think you have hail damage. You should then call a contractor to give you an estimate on your damage. You can do this either before or after you get your paperwork from the insurance company.
What’s the relationship between the contractor and insurer?
We will negotiate with the insurance company if it is necessary. Most adjusters do a good job pricing what the repairs will cost in the area, some don’t. If the adjuster must be contacted to discuss price issues, we will be happy to do that for our clients. We successfully completed hundreds of storm damage repairs from the 1998 hail storm and we have the experience needed to work on your behalf. In almost all cases, we will accept the insurance settlement as full payment.
