Hail Damage to Your Home or Office
If you live in a state that has hailstones, it may come as no surprise that some hailstones can be the size of ping pong balls, if not slightly bigger. While it may sound like something from a TV show, these hailstones are not uncommon and can cause hundreds if not thousands of dollars in damage to your home.
After a hailstorm such as this, local insurance companies may be flooded with claims all at once. This influx of complaints may cause the claims process for hail damage to be longer and more complicated than usual.
Chances are you’ve had some hail damage to your business or home and are looking for information. This post will explain the essential steps to file a claim for hail damage with your insurance company and what to do if the outcome wasn’t what you were expecting.
What to Do Immediately After the Damage
If you’ve just had a hailstorm that has damaged your property, wait until the storm has passed and make some initial checks. While the storm is ongoing, take some photos of the outside, noting the exact time and date of the storm. You might also want to note how long the duration of the storm was.
Once the storm has passed, inspect your yard and home exterior in any places you suspect there to be damage. Start taking photos of the damaged areas first, and then take pictures of your home and yard. The sooner you take the photos, the better the detail will be. Make sure to take a lot of good-quality photos that show the true extent of the damage. This doesn’t mean you need a fancy DSLR for your images. A smartphone camera is more than enough.
Where there is damage to your property, you might want to take a photo of a hailstone next to a ruler or tape measurer. The sooner you do this, the better to ensure an accurate measurement before any hailstones melt away.
Check for Exterior Roof Damage
Next, be sure to check your roof for any signs of damage. This can include missing tiles or shingles. If you need a closer look, you can often use the zoom function on your camera or binoculars if you have any!
Don’t forget to check any exterior appliances for damage too. If you have an air conditioner condenser outside your home, make sure the unit isn’t damaged. You may want to take photos anyway, as large hail is known to damage air conditioners by denting the fins, which can cause blocked airflow.
It’s important to note that you don’t need to have a leaking roof to claim from your insurance. Sometimes policyholders mistakenly believe their roof needs to be leaking to file a claim, but this isn’t true. However, should you find that your roof is leaking, do what you can to prevent the spread of more damage and take lots of photos.
Check for Interior Roof Damage
To prevent yourself from discovering a roof leak later, it’s a good idea to get a roofing contractor to check your roof for any damage. Even if your roof looks fine on the outside, there may be interior damage that isn’t visible. By the time the leak is discovered, it may be too late to file a claim or add the damage to your existing one. Getting advice from a private adjuster and roofing contractor is a good idea to help assess your claim before you file with your insurance company. You should ask for an inspection and assessment to get a complete picture of any damage. These should be free as the contractor and adjuster will base their rate on whether your claim will be approved.
Get a thorough inspection
The roofing contractor you hire should be factory-certified. This means that they hold certification from GAF Master Elite or CertainTeed (among other credentials) and go through ongoing testing and classes to make sure they meet stringent standards. You might also want to check out reviews or talk to family, friends, or neighbors to see if they recommend any roofing contractors.
Once you’ve made your appointment, be sure you’re home on the day of the inspection. Confirm with the contractor that no repairs will occur on the day but point out the areas of damage you’d like checked out. This will ensure you’re both on the same page about what you expect to get out of the inspection. During the inspection, the roofing contractor can estimate how much the repairs will cost. This is important as it will give you a reasonable estimate of how much your insurance company should be offering you. Keep in mind that most states mandate licenses for insurance adjusters and roofing contractors are prohibited by law from negotiating insurance policy issues.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Once you have all your reports and photos gathered, it’s time to contact your insurance company to submit your information and get your claim number. The ball is now in their court, and they will assess the information to grant or deny your claim and how much should be paid out. As long as everything goes to plan, your claim should be approved, and the insurance company should cover the damages.
When things don't go as planned
At times, the insurance company may look into the fine print to deny a claim, or they may offer a lower payout than you were expecting. If this happens, it’s a good idea to contact a public adjuster to help you resolve your claim. Many public adjusters deal with standard and specialized claims. They have years of experience with claims and insurance companies. They offer advice and help if your claim isn’t going to plan or your insurance company isn’t budging on their low offer. As they work for you, they will ensure that you get the best outcome and guide you through the process, ensuring you’re kept informed every step of the way.
Hire a public adjuster today
These steps should help your claim for hail damage proceed quickly and efficiently. However, if you find yourself running into difficulty with the insurance company refusing or underpaying your claim, reach out to a public adjuster and show your collected documents for an impartial opinion on your claim.
