April 2020 - Should you file a claim?

Speaking with homeowners has its ups and downs. After getting into this industry 13 years ago, insurance was always something that became a topic readily. But one thing I noticed in the majority of these situations was the lack of knowledge in how roof claims actually worked. Recently I started breaking homeowners into 4 categories. 

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  1. -People knowing their roof was old and paying out of pocket was their only option (and the ethical one at that)

  2. .-People that knew their insurance wasn’t going to pay but still want to submit a claim in hopes that the adjust just so happens to want to bless them with some money

  3. .-People who have a legitimate claim from damage which is fewer than most believe

  4. .-The completely oblivious. The customer that downright believes they’ve paid insurance for 15 years and now it’s time for them to pay it back. Pay it back like insurance is some time of bank account waiting to fix up your home because you have set zero money aside for actual maintenance.  

Needless to say, dealing with the first 3 is something I don’t mind dealing with and I’m willing to go above and beyond to help the homeowner out. But to be honest, the last type of customer needs to be schooled in home ownership. So, let’s break it down. 

TIRES… what do tires have to do with roofing. Well nothing, but it makes it easier to break down for individuals who think insurance owes them a roof. If you purchase 100,000 miles tires and they blow a flat at 100,000 miles, the tire shop isn’t going to give you a new set. Simply because they have lasted the life expectancy at which they were supposed to. SO WHY when your 20-year-old roof goes bad at 20 years, why do some hold their hand out expecting a check? 

 TV’s… could you imagine the 12-year-old TV that’s outdated nearly worthless at this point get stolen? Yes, you may have paid $3000 for it when new, but now the same TV you can buy for $250 on amazon shipped to your door. The insurance is going to give you current value pricing minus deprecation. 

  1.  I could go on and on with analogies, but I feel like this should be straight forward. If you are a homeowner reading this and not knowledgeable on what is maintenance and what is something you can file a claim against, ask yourself a couple quick questions. -Was there a storm that caused damage recently?

  2. -Is your roof leaking and 10 years or newer?

  3. -Has there been structural damage from falling debris? 

If the answer is yes, then you have a shot. But for the love of god, if you are just trying to get a free roof because you think the insurance is made for that, THEY ARE NOT. There are plenty of companies that will help do jobs with no money down, accept credit cards or even offer monthly payments. When you purchase a home you also take on the responsibly of updating and maintaining the home. Roofs 99% of the time are maintenance.