Insurance Claims FAQ

Insurance Claims FAQ

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  • Q. How can I tell if I have hail damage? My roof isn’t leaking.

    A. If the hail is large and hard enough the damage is sometimes very evident for anyone to see, but often hail damage is difficult to determine right after a storm. It’s best to have a skilled, knowledgeable, licensed, professional roofing contractor provide you with a free storm damage assessment. Too often, hail damage is overlooked and not discovered until your roof starts leaking from accelerated damage resulting from hail or wind damage.

  • Q. The insurance company withheld depreciation on my roof. Can I get that money?

    A. Most homeowner property policies cover full replacement value. The first check the insurance company gives you is the Actual COST Value (ACV); what the roof cost to be replaced or repaired today after deducting for your roofs age, just like your car is worth less now than the day you bought it. The money withheld is called the depreciation, or technically, the Replacement Cost Value (RCV) and will be paid to you when the work is completed or, most times, upon the submission of a signed contract with a licensed contractor for the work specified in the insurance adjusters repair estimate.

  • Q. Why did the insurance company withhold depreciation?

    A. There are three reasons that the insurance companies hold some money back.  (1) To make sure that you get the work done.  Past experience has shown them that, if they give the customer all the money up front, some people end up spending it on something else.  (2) They want to make sure that you pay your full deductible and repair your property.  (3) And finally, if the roofing work cost you less than the adjuster’s estimated the insurance company will pay you based on that lower sum. That saves the insurance company money.  But to get a roof replaced for less than the adjuster estimated means that contractor is probably going to cut corners somewhere on your roof installation. You should choose to buy as good of a roof as the insurance has agreed to allow for with their estimate.  Legally you have to pay the deductible either way.  Go ahead and get the best roof you can.

  • Q. How can I avoid paying the deductible?

    A. Legally, you can’t.  You're legally bound, by accepting the terms of the insurance policy, that you are responsible for paying that part, the first part, of the cost of a claim.  Of course, a roofer in collusion with a homeowner can submit falsified invoices.  However, doing this is insurance fraud.  Insurance fraud is a felony. Please don’t ask ASAP Roofing to do this. We only do our work in a legal, honest, and forthright manner and this should be the kind of company you want to do business with.

  • Q. In the paperwork, it looks like my insurance company has already deducted my deductible from the check they sent me?

    A. The insurance company subtracts the homeowner’s deductible amount on the paperwork from the total amount the insurance company allows for the claim. The homeowner will pay their deductible directly to the contractor to make up that part of the total. The balance, after subtracting what the homeowner will pay directly to the contractor (the deductible), is the total amount the insurance company will actually pay for the claim.

  • Q. Why is the insurance company only paying for part of my roof? My neighbor’s insurance company paid for their entire roof.

    A. There are many factors that affect the damage an individual house receives, such as: age, quality and condition of the roofing, tree coverage, and how steep a roof is.  Your neighbor may have sustained extensive damage, and you may have received less or no damage.  The insurance company will only pay for the actual damage to your home. If the entire roof was not damaged, unfortunately the insurance company cannot pay for the whole roof.  However, if is it border line, it always beneficial to have your roofing contractor accompany the insurance adjuster to assist in the accurate assessment of all damage.  Sometimes insurance adjusters may not be able to see all the damage if they’re not able to walk on a steep roof and photograph certain areas.  ASAP Roofing ensures a helpful presence to look out for your best interest and assist the insurance adjuster if needed with proper ladders, damage assessment, photographs, and measurements.

  • Q. Should I get several estimates?

    A. When insurance is paying for the work, the dollar amount of the contractors estimate is not very important as long as it is equal to or less than the insurance company estimate. In all such cases, with ASAP Roofing, you will only be paying your deductible, so your cost with us will be what the insurance company pays, plus your deductible. For that we will provide you first class repairs or replacement as the insurance company has estimate for.

  • Q. What if your estimate is greater than the insurance company’s estimate?

    A. Often this is because of something the insurance adjuster missed in the scope of work to be completed.  We can almost always work something out with the insurance company.  We will submit what is called a ‘supplement’ with documentation in the form of pictures, measurements and paperwork.  The insurance company will review the supplement and upon approval, send an additional check or include the additional sum in the second check, for those extra costs needed to complete the required repairs.  The additional costs are borne by the insurance company, not the homeowner. The homeowner only ever pays the deductible.

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