What can Hail do to my Roof?
What Can Hail Do to My roof
– A LOT – On asphalt shingles, hail can cause the loss of the protective granules on your roof surface. These granules block the UV rays from the sun.
Without the granules, the asphalt in the shingles begin to dryout, causing the shingles to get brittle.
The damage caused by the hail can void the manufacturer’s warranty on the roof. So it is important that you have your roof inspected after a major hail storm.
On tile roofs, hail can cause small fractures in the material that could lead to major damage to your roof as ice expands and contracts in these small cracks during the winter. If not properly addressed, the warranty on your 50 year roof could be voided too.
Will insurance pay for hail damage?
Yes! Your homeowner’s insurance protects you against losses to the value of your property. Hail damage is a financial loss. Your original roof may have had a useful life of 25 years but a serious storm could easily reduce the useful life of your roof down to 0-5 years
What can hail do to my siding?
Hail can damage siding too. Vinyl siding can crack, leaving visual breaks or holes. Composite or hardboard siding can also be damaged. Hail can chip or mar the surface of the siding and causing very visible cosmetic damage that could impact the value of your home.
Will insurance pay for my fence too?
Check your policy. Generally your insurance will cover physical improvements to your property. Don’t just settle for the replacement of your roof and siding. The stucco on your walls, the deck in the back, the trim around the doors and windows, your garage door, security lights, gutters and your fence too can be included in your claim. Find an experienced contractor who knows all the components of your house and who can help you understand your insurance coverage.
Will my insurance company contact me?
Insurance policies in general require the Homeowner to file all claims. So it is up to you with the assistance an experienced and competent contractor to get your claim filed. One of the biggest reasons that homeowners failed to get a claim on their hail damaged homes is that insurance company didn’t call and tell them to “file a claim.”
Picture of damaged siding
Picture of damaged stucco
Picture of damage garage
If I file a claim, will my insurance drop me?
Your insurance company cannot drop you due to you placing a new claim for wind and hail damage. In cases of massive catastrophe, insurance companies cannot cancel your policy for a disaster related claim.
Will my premiums go up if I file a claim because of this storm?
Filing a claim will not cause your homeowner’s individual premium to increase. Contrary to what many people believe, they associate having one claim filed with their rates going up. The fact is that claims don’t dictate the premium with regards to homeowner’s insurance. In cases of a massive catastrophe, an insurance company may raise their premiums for an area but not for individual policy holders because of their specific claim. Homeowner’s insurance does not act like auto insurance. Auto insurance has dozens, sometimes hundreds of tiers for premium rates. Your claim history, citation record, points on your license, and various other things contribute to the tier that you are placed in and the premium you pay.
Homeowner’s insurance focuses more on the region that you live in. The number of catastrophes your area has suffered in the past few years, the potential risk in your area, the type of residential home, and the amount of coverage you buy, and other factors dictate the bulk of your premium. Filing one claim will not spike your premium. Now, your premium may go up in the subsequent year, but do not put two and two together. Insurance companies are more concerned with the amount of claims you have filed in a given period. If you make three claims in one year, they will most likely drop your policy altogether, not raise your individual premium. The premiums are usually raised in bulk for a given region, not individually, and insurance companies can only submit rate increases once per year.
So, if you have a loss with significant damage, the right thing to do is file the claim. After all, you’re paying a premium every year, why not use your insurance for what it’s designed to do?
