This week Martha, our Marketing Director, and Chris Balsiger, Owner of Balsiger Agency were on Fox21's Loving Living Local to talk about our best tips and advice for filing a hail damage claim.
Comfort Restorations is seeing an increase in homeowners insurance claims for hail damage right now, so we want to make sure our neighbors are well prepared to file a claim if they need to. Watch the video interview above, or read on for a summary of the interview.
Here are the top things to remember about hail damage:
How do I know if my house has hail damage?
The Front Range is called "Hail Alley" because we receive 3-4 catastrophic hail storms each year. The likelihood of your home getting damaged by hail is very high. If you know your neighbors have hail damage, you almost definitely do too.
How do I know if I should file a hail damage claim?
Some hail damage is not widespread enough to warrant filing a homeowners insurance claim. We recommend getting a professional inspection to determine a) If your home has hail damage and b) If it is enough to require filing a claim. For your safety, we don't recommend climbing on your roof to look for hail damage yourself. It is simple and free to get a professional inspection from Team Comfort. Simply call 719-439-0611 and we can schedule an expert to examine your home within 10 days.
We will be up front with you about if you have damage, how much, and if it is worth filing a claim. We never try to get you to sign an agreement before you know the price for repairs or if your insurance policy will cover the work.
How long do I have to file a hail damage claim?
Most insurance policies provide a one-year window from the time of a damaging hail storm to the latest date you can file a claim and expect maximum coverage. If you discover hail damage outside of that window, some insurance companies may cover the repairs at a decreased rate.
What documentation do I need to file a hail damage claim?
Insurance companies recommend having photos of the damage, the date of the storm (or your best estimation), and an estimate for the repairs. Your best bet is to contact a restoration company first, before filing a claim. Balsiger notes, if you call your insurance company's 800 number it will automatically open a claim, but you shouldn't initiate that process until you know you have enough damage.
To make sure you get the maximum coverage under your insurance claim, call a general contractor like Comfort Restorations, rather than a roofer. Most roofing companies will only replace your roof and use the full amount of your claim, leaving you to pay for any other damages out of pocket. We do a comprehensive hail damage inspection and include all necessary repairs in your insurance claim, to make sure you get complete exterior restoration, not just a new roof.
How can I protect my house from hail damage?
Balsiger shared that insurers in Colorado are no longer seeing hail as a random act of God but rather as a predictable event and are adjusting actuarial tables accordingly. This is a recent shift in the insurance industry. As a result, insurers are increasingly implementing higher deductibles, such as 1% or even 2%. With this in mind, there is a growing demand for higher-quality roofing materials to mitigate the risks associated with hail damage. Balsiger recommends materials like tile roof or stone coated steel roof tiles.
When you schedule a roof inspection with us, our roofing expert can recommend the best material to help your home weather many hail seasons.
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