When a big storm hits with winds and hail or if trees fall and hit your house, your roof is often the part of the home that takes the lion’s share of the damage. Depending on the amount of damage, your insurance company may either total the roof or decide that it can be repaired. To determine if it is a totaled roof, insurance adjusters will generally apply a formula to determine whether it needs to be replaced. Before filing a claim that may raise your insurance premiums, it is best to know exactly where your roof stands after the storm.
Determining A Totaled Roof
There is no set standard on what qualifies as a totaled roof. This can make it frustrating for anyone who has sustained damage to their roofs. There are general guidelines that insurance companies use to decide whether the entire roof needs to be replaced. In general, most will want to look at “test squares” on each side of a roof slope. A test square may be 10 x 10’ and they have a set amount of areas of damage that need to be in each square. The amount of damage varies between companies from as little as 6 to as many as 12.
Whether To File A Claim
Your homeowners insurance is there to cover any repairs that are needed to your roof, however, it is not always worth filing a claim. The problem is that if the damage is deemed not enough to be considered a totaled roof, then it may not be financially prudent to file a claim.
Most homeowners policies will have a deductible, usually between $500-$1000 or possibly 1% of the value of your home. If the roof is not totaled and the repairs cost $1,300, your insurance will pay for the repairs, minus the deductible. If your deductible is $1,000, that means they only pay $300. So unless the amount of the repairs or replacement is significant, many homeowners may want to pay for the repairs themselves versus going through their insurance company.
Get An Estimate From A Fort Worth Roofing Contractor
The best way to know whether to file a claim for your roof damage and to find out if you have a totaled roof is to have a professional Fort Worth roofing contractor inspect your roof first. Most roofing contractors are familiar with how the different insurance companies determine whether a roof is totaled. They can make an accurate assessment of exactly how much damage there is and what it will cost to repair or replace before you call your insurance company.
If you have hail or storm damage to your home, call the Fort Worth roofing company that offers quality workmanship and a free inspection for your roof. Old Pro Roofing has an experienced team that can determine how badly your roof has been damaged and whether it should qualify as being totaled.
Fort Worth Roofing Office: 817-929-ROOF (7663)
Dallas Roofing Office: 972-975-ROOF(7663)