You filed a claim with your homeowners insurance company to repair or replace your roof, but your claim got denied. Now what?
Don’t get discouraged if your insurance company denies your roofing claim! Many companies look for reasons to deny a claim instead of looking for reasons to accept it. A denial is not necessarily the final say. In this article, we will teach you the common reasons a roof insurance claim got denied and what you should do to get a new roof.
Why Roof Insurance Claims Get Denied
Before you appeal your insurance company’s decision, you should learn why most roof insurance claims get denied. Top denial reasons include:
- Late claim
- Age of roof
- Cause of damage
- Lack of maintenance
Late Claim
Most insurance companies give you a year to file a roof damage claim. If you file it too late, you may find yourself out of luck. That’s why it’s so crucial for you to file a claim as soon as possible.
Age of Roof
If your roof exceeds the age limit in your policy, they may cover the depreciated value or nothing at all. That’s why it’s crucial for you to know your policy’s limits.
Almost every insurance policy written after 2010 in the state of Colorado only provides full Replacement Cost Value coverage on a claim for a period of 10 years. After the roof and policy reach that age the policy switches to Actual Cash Value coverage only, meaning the cash value of what the roof is actually worth in its current state. The customer’s premium on the coverage remains the same even though the coverage is no longer allowing for Replacement cost on the roof.
Cause of Damage
Many policies factor the cause of the roof damage into their decision. Most policies cover damage as a result of weather or other natural circumstances. Some of the most common natural causes of roof damage include:
- Hail
- Wind
- Sun
- Tree Branch Damage
Sometimes, fire damages your roof. While natural, most insurance companies handle fire damage differently. You will need to learn the details of your policy to learn if you are covered for fire damage.
Many people hire cheap contractors or do repairs themselves to save money, but shoddy work will result in problems. If the roof experiences damage due to poor installation, you will likely get denied by your insurance company.
Lack of Maintenance
A roof leak may not seem like a big deal at first. However, leaks often get worse with time. After time, you may notice water damage or mold. When this happens, your insurance company will consider it a “deficient roof” and not cover it.
If you notice a leak or problem, you have a responsibility to minimize the damage and fix the problem in a timely manner as part of regular roof maintenance.
Don’t fall victim to poor roof installation or let roof repairs go unattended! Ensure you get proper roof installation by choosing Advanced Consulting for your residential and commercial roofing needs.
What To Do After Your Roof Claim is Denied
You have options after your insurance company denies your claim, but you need to take action right away. Gather together the details of your policy as well as the denial letter and try the following methods to get the request approved.
Consult With Professionals
Always talk to a professional about the details of your situation to learn their opinion.
Advanced Consulting’s inspectors are HAAG Certified, just like your Insurance Company’s adjuster and can help you to better understand the process of making a claim from the policy in which you have invested.
With years of experience in roofing claims and a track record of finding damages that the average adjuster misses, we are often able to increase settlement for our clients by up to 30-50%.
Our team also partners with a Public Adjusting firm and law firm to help any clients that require further action.
Related Article: Advanced Consulting: Services
Dispute the Denied Claim
You need to let your insurance company know that you dispute their findings. When you file a dispute, the insurance company will likely schedule another inspection and reevaluate the situation. Advanced Consulting can help you dispute your claim backed with the right knowledge. Doing it yourself can possibly make things work, so talk to Advanced Consulting first!
Request a different adjuster so that a new set of eyes can examine the situation. During the second inspection, have a professional with you, either the public adjuster, attorney, or a roofer. The professional can explain what the original inspection might not have caught and help state your case.
Next, you need to wait for a decision, which can take some time. Ask for a resolution date and check back with your insurance company on that date to learn the decision. Asking for a resolution date can help to establish a case for Bad Faith. If the insurance provider knowingly ignores or delays the resolution date and the case is pursued by a lawyer, you might be entitled to double the amount of your original claim.
Can’t Reverse the Decision?
After a certain point, you need to give in to the fact that your insurance company will not cover your roof. While unfortunate, you need to have an adequate roof over your head.
Pay Out of Pocket
You can always pay out of pocket for your new roof, but this costs a lot of money. Save money on your roof by getting repairs instead of replacing the entire thing or using less durable materials. However, less durable materials will only lead to problems in the future. Only use less expensive materials if you plan to sell the house in the near future. If you have limited finances, talk to your roofing company about financing options they offer and pick mid-grade or high-end materials.
Advanced Consulting has financing options available if necessary for customers.
Related Article: Visit the Advanced Consulting Facebook Page!
Minimize Denied Claims in the Future
When you get your new roof, you should make a point to minimize the possibility of denied claims in the future. Try these tips to avoid this problem from happening again:
- Increase insurance coverage
- Use high end roofing materials
- Perform regular roofing maintenance and document properly
- Take action quickly when necessary
- Educate yourself by following Advanced Consulting on Facebook
Want help getting your roof insurance claim approved? Contact Advanced Consulting to have a HAAG-certified roofing professional go through the process with you. You can even get up to a 50% higher payout!