Allen TX homeowners deal with a steady humid continental climate. Therefore, they can expect mild summers and extremely strong winters. As a result, many homeowners ask about hail damage insurance claim time limit.
Some of the questions Allen TX homeowners ask about insurance:
- Can you claim hail damage twice?
- Should I file an insurance claim for hail damage?
- Dealing with insurance adjuster on hail damage
- How much does insurance pay for hail damage?
In addition to answering these questions on this post, homeowners will know more about the average benefits of hail damage insurance, steps to claim their insurance benefits, and what happens when they bypass their hail damage insurance claim time limit.
Average Benefits of Hail Damage Insurance
In Allen TX, homeowners have two insurance options:
- A general property policy
- And a roof-only policy
Both items offer different grades of roofing insurance. True enough, each will have different hail damage insurance claim time limit. In fact, different insurance providers will set different deadlines for all claims.
Read more about both types of insurance policies here.
General Policies
Insurance providers offer general policies that cover a part or the complete cost of damages your roof sustains from extreme weather. However, because it includes the walls, interior, foundations, and other aspects of your property in its coverage, general policies will only provide limited benefits once you make a claim.
Therefore, you might get lower roof insurance benefits for your roof with a general policy if you compare it with roof-only policies. In addition, its hail damage insurance claim time limit is shorter if you compare it with the other insurance type.
However, if other parts of your house suffer damage from almost any extreme weather, you get reimbursement or immediate repair or replacement services. In fact, general policies are greatly helpful during heavy floods that bring immense water damages
Related: How Does Water Restoration Services Work?
Roof-Only Insurance
As the header implies, roof-only insurance will cover your roof. In the event extreme weather damages both your roof and siding, the insurer will only provide roofing aid.
Roof-only policies offer complete restoration or replacement without costing you anything. Of course, the cost comes from having paid your regular premiums, which can be as high as general property policies.
However, because of its high premiums, you will definitely find a clause that protects you from hail damage.
In addition, its exclusivity to your roof will likely give you a longer hail damage claim time limit. On average, this can be up to 12 months after the incident.
Hail damage can severely damage and reduce the lifespan of any roof. It can leave dents and blisters that can take away years of protection for your home.
Steps to Claim Your Insurance Benefits
Now that you know the type of roof insurance you possess, it is time to make an insurance claim for hail damage to roof.
Most homeowners feel insurance claim procedures are complex. On the contrary, it is quite simple. If you follow these steps, you’ll obtain your hail damage insurance claim benefits in no time.
Read Your Terms and Conditions
Both general and roof-only policies have different insurance triggers. Therefore, if you know the exact moment the benefits of the insurance triggers, you can make a claim as soon as the next day. In addition, you’ll know the specific hail damage insurance claim time limit too.
Furthermore, reading your insurance terms and conditions informs you about the actual benefits you’ll receive. True enough, most homeowners expect their insurance to cover the entire costs of the roof.
While this is often true for roof-only policies, you might find the clauses different for general property insurance. Furthermore, you must make sure that hail has caused the immense roof damage through an effective inspection.
Plan Your Claims Earlier Than the Time Limit
It is possible to have a 6-12 months hail damage insurance claim time limit. However, it is better to initiate the process before the time limit to avoid expiring the policy.
In addition, you prevent additional damage from happening to your roof. Initiating the process minimizes possible long-term damage and even additional costs to your roof.
Do a Roof Condition Audit With a Reputable Contractor
True enough, you can have the contractor initiate the restoration process. Unfortunately, your insurance company might only accommodate its trusted contractors. Therefore, your local roofer can only do a roof condition audit.
Most contractors offer free consultation especially after a strong hailstorm passes through your area. Take advantage of this offer. In doing so, you’ll have a first audit of the complete hail damage to your roof. Additionally, you’ll have another roof audit by way of your insurance adjuster’s trusted contractor.
Contact Your Insurance Adjuster
Once your local trustworthy contractor gives you a complete audit, you can contact your insurance adjuster. It is possible your local contractor offers to represent you against your adjuster. In fact, it is highly advisable to take advantage of this free service.
Most insurance adjusters will arrive with their trusted roofing contractor. In doing so, you can compare the two roofing reports and combine them to create a comprehensive roof audit.
With an accurate picture, your insurance adjuster will stipulate all the roof damage benefits you will receive as per the report.
Your insurance adjuster is likely to bring their own roofing contractor. However, this helps make the roofing evaluation more accurate with two roof audits.
Finalize The Roof Restoration Period
At this point, your insurance adjuster will set the final dates for the restoration of your roof. Additionally, they will indicate whether your local or their trusted roofer will handle the restoration process.
Some insurance adjusters allow your third-party contractor to repair your roof if the terms and conditions do not mention any exclusivity to an insurer’s roofer of choice. Therefore, it pays to clarify this point before the meeting ends.
What Happens When You Go Beyond The Hail Damage Insurance Claim Time Limit?
A hail damage insurance claim time limit protects both the insurer and insurance beneficiary from false claims and accurate provision of benefits.
Therefore, going beyond the terms and conditions-stipulated time limit will always result to an invalidation of the insurance policy.
True enough, some insurers offer an alternative insurance cash-out that allows homeowners to take back half or a percentage of the total insurance payments they made over the years. However, this is a huge loss compared to maximizing the benefits of the policy.
It is possible your insurance adjuster alows a third-party contractor to perform all repairs and restoration. Consult them with this before the meeting ends.
Wrapping Up
Now that you understand the entire process behind a hail damage insurance claim time limit and claiming your policies, make sure to remember them should a hailstorm hit your home.
In addition, always call on a reliable roofer to help you out to represent you during your insurance adjuster meeting.
If you haven’t found a trustworthy contractor yet, we at Storm Pros extend our hands to help you with our FREE hail damage roof consultation, complete hail-damaged roof restoration, and other roofing services.
With our years of experience, we’re confident in providing the best roofing services just for you! Call us today!
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