Insurance Claims

Roof Replacement Due To Storm Damage

At Full Guard Roofing, we have experience in storms. Our owner, Sam LeMay, spent the beginning of his roofing career assessing thousands of homes for storm damage. Sam was also a HAAG Engineering Certified Residential Roof Inspector. HAAG sets the industry standard for storm damage and covered perils in the roofing industry. Through this rigorous training program, Sam was certified to recognize industry standard damage caused by wind and hail to shingle roofing systems. We are storm damage experts your community can count on to diagnose the problem, provide a transparent and fair estimate, and repair your roofing system.

Here, we’ve laid out the process for typical insurance claims to help our customers navigate the stressful process of filing an insurance claim on a portion of your home. We understand the process can be daunting, especially to homeowners who’ve never filed a claim. Let our experience work for you. Call Full Guard Roofing today to partner with you and help you with the insurance claim process.

Questions about insurance claims for roofing damage due to storms

How does the insurance claim process begin?

Typically, you (the homeowner) will call a roofing contractor like Full Guard Roofing to assess damage to the roof system. If Full Guard Roofing sees evidence of storm damage while inspecting the roof, we will let you know and you can reach out to your insurance carrier to begin a claim. You will be assigned an insurance adjuster who will come inspect the home for themselves, and it is best to have Full Guard Roofing on site for this inspection so the insurance adjuster and Full Guard Roofing can begin to work together. Think of it like taking a lawyer with you to court. We aren’t going to argue, but we know the industry specific language and guidelines and have your best interest in mind to help restore your home as quickly as possible.

 

Once your insurance company approves the claim, Full Guard Roofing will work together with the insurance carrier to complete the scope of work.

It is common for a roofing contractor and insurance adjuster to have differences in the estimated price. There are many factors that go into the estimated cost of repairs and replacements, and the adjuster and roofer will usually need to reconcile numbers a few times before a final cost is decided. This process is called supplementation. You should never be concerned that your estimate from Full Guard Roofing is different from your adjusters. Full Guard Roofing is trained and experienced in this process and can work with your adjuster directly to resolve the estimates to a final agreed upon price.

The deductible set by your specific insurance plan is predetermined in your contract with your insurance company as money you owe. Therefore, you cannot use insurance funds toward the cost of your deductible as it is homeowner responsibility. You are always required to pay your deductible before the insurance company will pay any portion of the claim, and the price of your deductible will not change. If you do decide to use a roofing contractor who charges less than your insurance estimates the job will cost, this savings goes directly to your insurance company and not to you. Essentially, you are saving your insurance company money on the work, and none of the savings is passed on to the homeowner. If you find a contractor willing to falsify invoices to the insurance company to pass savings on to you, this is insurance fraud and is illegal.

 

You will receive two checks from your insurance company. The first will be for the ACV (Actual Cost Value), and will be given to you to start work. Once Full Guard Roofing finishes your project, you will be asked to sign a Certificate of Completion. This acknowledges to the insurance company work has been completed, and you will then receive the second check for depreciation. These funds, along with the cost of your deductible and any upgrades you selected will be due to Full Guard Roofing.

 

Your roof has an RCV, or Replacement Cost Value. This is the current cost to restore your property. Your ACV, or Actual Cost Value, is the amount your property is worth once depreciation has been deducted. The same way the value of your new car decreases as soon as you drive it off the lot, your roof depreciates in value as it ages.

​For example, if your home had a 20 year roof installed 10 years ago, and the cost to replace your roof is $10,000. The RCV of your roof would be $10,000. Because it is 10 years old, half its life, your ACV would be half of the RCV, so $5000. The difference in these numbers is your Depreciation (because your roof has depreciated in value by $5000 since the time it was installed). Depreciation is held by your insurance company and paid after work has been completed. Some policies will have ACV only, and not allow for recoverable depreciation. This is not as common, and Full Guard Roofing can go over your policy with you to determine if this is the case.

 

You will owe Full Guard Roofing the cost of your deductible, and the cost of any upgrades in materials you choose. Your insurance will pay the remaining amount by check that you will pass on to Full Guard Roofing.