The Timeline For the Insurance Process to Get Your Roof Replaced: What You Need to Know
The insurance process for roof repairs or replacement can be time consuming, so it’s important to know how long it could take!
Getting your roof replaced can seem like a huge ordeal–which it is–but it is beneficial to add value to your home whenever you sell it and of course, prevent any further damage to the structure of your home. No matter if your home needs to be replaced due to a major storm, hail, wind, or even if the lifespan of it is up, there are many reasons why your roof could need some special attention.
When your roof is damaged due to natural causes, such as a storm, wind, hurricane, or any other inclement weather, a claim with your homeowner’s insurance is needed. It’s important to know what this process looks like and even how long it could take to get an estimate and then receive the proper replacement or repairs needed.
If you need to get your roof replaced, let’s explore more through a deep dive of the timeline of the insurance process and what to expect after making the phone call!
Need Your Roof Replaced? Consider Calling Horizon Roofing and Restoration
There are many reasons why your roof could need repairs or replacements, but if you notice any leaks, shingles missing, sagging, or other types of suspicious damage to your roof, consider calling Horizon Roofing and Restoration! Based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, the expert team at Horizon uses advanced technology to inspect your home and give you an estimate for free before doing any necessary repairs to your roof. They even have experience working with insurance companies if you need to file a claim to make sure you get the most money necessary for the damages to your home.
Types of Reasons to File for an Insurance Claim for Roof Replacement
There are tons of reasons why your roof may need a full replacement that can be covered by insurance too!
Roof replacement is a tedious job that can take a long time to complete, but it will help to reinforce your home and its value. Image courtesy of Nationwide Blog.
There are many reasons why it’s important to stay on top of taking care of your home. Not only does it help to increase your home value for moving later on, but it also prevents any damage that can cause severe issues if not taken care of quickly. While having homeowner’s insurance is important, they will only cover your roof repairs or replacements due to damage from weather conditions as normal wear and tear is not included, so it’s important to know what they will pay for.
What is a Covered Peril?
When it comes to insurance companies and their policies, it will depend on who you go with and what state you live in, which ultimately determines what they will and will not cover. In most instances when your home suffers damage from inclement weather conditions, insurance companies consider this as being caused by a “covered peril”.
A covered peril is when your home’s roof suffers damages due to weather conditions, and many quality for roof repairs or replacements. Some of the most common types of weather conditions that can damage roofs that insurance companies will cover include:
- Windstorms
- Hail
- Falling objects (such as tree branches)
- Fire
- Snow/Ice build-up
- Lightning strikes
- Heavy snowstorms
It is important to remember that normal wear and tear will most likely not be covered by your insurance. This is a part of normal upkeep of being a homeowner in this case where it is important to make the proper repairs necessary to prevent any future damage such as leaks that can cause structural damage.
Always Check Your Policy
Something that is important to do before signing up for any insurance company is to check the policy beforehand. If you live in an area where hurricanes, tornados, or earthquakes are frequent, or if there is inclement weather conditions all year round, it’s important to make sure that the policy you’re signing will cover any damages to your roof.
By reading through the insurance policy, you’ll be able to get an idea of the type of damages that they will cover and any exclusions that may apply. It is also important to look at your deductible to see how much you will have to pay before the insurance company will cover the rest of the damages.
The Insurance Process For Roof Replacement and How Long it Will Take
Roof replacement isn’t an easy job, especially when contacting your insurance is involved to fix the damages!
Filing a claim with your insurance company for a roof replacement due to a storm can be a long process depending on the damage.
There are plenty of reasons to file a claim with your insurance company if you notice damage on your roof after severe weather conditions. It’s important to know the process for filing a claim and the timeline of how long it could take to get repairs or a full replacement done to prevent any further issues to your home.
Signs That Your Roof Needs Repaired or Replaced
It’s first important to notice the common damage that you can see from storms on your roof to see if it’s necessary to make a claim. These signs can range from mild to severe and include the following:
- Noticeable leaks or water stains on your ceilings
- Curled or broken shingles
- Algae, moss, or mold growth
- Sagging roof
- Missing granules
- Blocked gutters
When Should You File an Insurance Claim on Your Damaged Roof?
For a damaged roof, there should be no waiting around to contact your insurance company to file a claim. As soon as the damage occurs and you see the damage is when you should call the number to directly send you to the line where you can file an insurance claim. While reviewing your insurance policy is necessary in this case, most companies allow you to file within thirty days of the incident happening to make sure that your roof replacement is covered.
For storm damage, customers usually have one year to file a claim and for water damage, it should be reported within 48 hours to prevent any long-term damage, such as leaks and structural issues within your home.
What Are the Steps After I File an Insurance Claim?
After filing the insurance claim, an agent will get an adjuster, or a roofing contractor to come out to get an estimate of the damage on your roof. The adjuster will then approve the claim to allow the roofing contractor to start to make the necessary repairs. You will have the option as well to select the roofing contractor that you wish to repair or replace your roof, but if you have no personal preference, your insurance company will choose one to do the job.
It’s also important to keep in mind what adjusters will look for when coming up with your estimate. Here are some of the most common steps in giving the proper estimate for a roof repair or replacement:
- Measurement of the roof
- Roof pitch
- Roofing material used
- Cost per square foot
- Removal of old roofing material
- Flashing replacement
- Valley repairs
- Labor costs
- Permits and inspections
Insurance claims can usually take a couple of weeks to become approved and even the roof contractor needs to be approved too. Realistically, it could be up to a month before the roofing contractor comes out and repairs and replacements are made to your roof.
How Long Will it Take For Your Roof to be Replaced?
Another common concern is how long it will take for your roof to be replaced after filing the insurance claim and getting an estimate for the cost of the repairs. After an estimate is made, it will usually take a few weeks to a couple months to get the work done. It’s crucial to keep in mind that this time frame could also fluctuate due to the extent of the damage, the availability of the materials used, the workload of the roofing contractor, or even the weather conditions.
Insurance companies know that it may take a while for the process of the replacement to fully come into effect. With the uncertainty of how long it could take to finish a roof replacement, insurance policies usually allow you to use the claim coverage for a time frame of up to one to two years after the damage happened.
What Happens After Your Roof is Replaced?
Once the roof contractor states that your roof has been fully replaced, insurance companies will usually want proof that it is completed. This could be something as simple as providing picture evidence and contractor invoices, then the insurance company will send out a payment to the roof contractor minus the deductible once they receive proof of the completed roof.
The timeline of an insurance claim for a roof replacement can be an intimidating process. With so many steps to complete, it can be hard for homeowners who are going through this for the first time, but your insurance company and trusted roof contractor can help to make this process go smoothly to keep your home protected with repairs and replacements.
If you are having an issue with your roof and think it needs repairs or a replacement due to damage from a storm or other weather conditions in Charlotte, NC, consider calling Horizon Roofing and Restoration for all of your home needs!
