What to Know Before Filing a Roofing Insurance Claim in Wisconsin

Severe weather and good ole’ father time can turn your roof into a financial and structural hazard. To avoid such nightmares, you may want to purchase roofing insurance to avoid any worst-case scenarios.

However, do you wonder if filing a claim is a good idea or not? It all depends on the situation you’re faced with. 

Here’s what you need to know before filing a roofing insurance claim.

Is Your Roof Actually Damaged?

This may seem like a silly question, but it’s necessary. If you believe your roof suffered storm damage, your insurance company will send out an adjuster to inspect the damage done. 

If the inspector does not find any damage to your roof, your premiums might be raised based on making a false claim.

So, before you call your insurance company, check for damage to your roof, such as:

• Cracked or missing shingles
• Black granules around your property
• Indents and pools of water 

Schedule an Inspection

When your roof sustains damage, be sure to call a professional roofing company to perform a roofing inspection. This will help determine the extent of the damage, what the cause is, and how much it will cost to repair or replace. 

After the inspection, the roofing inspector should provide you with an estimate, which includes the breakdown of all materials and labor. This estimate is crucial when discussing the matter with your insurance company, so be sure to have it on hand when you talk to them.

Keep a Record of All Damage

You have one year from the first incident to claim roof damage. You should take detailed notes on that occurrence but may want to hold off on calling your insurance company. Take pictures as well, if it is safe to do so.

Let’s say this first incident of damage happens at the beginning of summer. The rest of this season might harbor severe weather, including flash floods, tornadoes, and hail storms. All this substituent weather can add to the damage to your roof, which can greatly increase the cost.

Since you have a year, sometimes it’s best to wait it out a while and see what other damage may occur, taking detailed notes of each event.

Cause of the Damage

If you experience roof damage, you will need to assess the cause. Perhaps severe weather, aging, or other factors caused the damage. Some insurance policies only cover certain types of roof damage, so ensure you review your policy before trying to file a claim. For example, an aging roof may not be covered under an insurance policy, while storm damage is likely covered. 

Know Your Deductible

Another positive with keeping the details of the damage and waiting to file is your deductible. Sometimes, the first incident doesn’t do enough damage to your roof to reach your deductible – which will leave you paying most, if not all, of the roof installation or repair.

Waiting out for a while can provide ample time for other events to occur, giving you the payout from the insurance company that you deserve. 

However, if there is significant damage, like water leaking into your home, then you should react immediately.

Hire a Public Adjuster

If at any point you have trouble with your insurance company or a dispute arises, you can hire a public adjuster to advocate on your behalf. Public adjusters are licensed professionals who help negotiate with insurance companies and maximize your claim settlement. 

Isthmus Roofing Helps With Insurance Claims in the Madison Area

At Isthmus Roofing, we not only repair and install roofing, but we can also help with your insurance claim!

With over 25 years of serving the Madison metro area, we also install and repair siding with our roofing services.

Request a FREE estimate online or give us a call at 608-949-4250 today!