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Started By
Message
Homeowner's claim - roof damage from hail
Posted on 3/17/25 at 10:36 pm
Posted on 3/17/25 at 10:36 pm
I have never filed a homeowner's claim before and thought I might check in here for any dos and donts or any other knowledge you guys would like to drop in the thread.
Was out of town over the weekend and we had some bad weather where I live (MO), pretty heavy winds, hail, and a small tornado about 10 miles away.
I came home to find my truck had obvious hail damage so I checked my roof and could see several impact spots, my roof is about 7 years old and has architectural shingles.
A doorknocker guy came around after the last hailstorm (about a year ago) and offered a free roof inspection so I let him and he said he couldn't find any damage, he texted me again this time so I said sure since he had been honest last time.
He said there was quite a bit of shingle damage, the ridgecap had been punched through, dimples in the gutters, several cracked pieces of vinyl siding, etc, also showed me photos he took of the damage. He recommended I file a claim.
There's already someone in my neighborhood getting their roof replaced and another getting started so I probably will file a claim. I have insurance through Progressive and received a "we hope everything is good after the recent hail storm" form email today.
Not sure what will happen but looking for any knowledge, recommendations, etc., as this is something I've never dealt with before.
Was out of town over the weekend and we had some bad weather where I live (MO), pretty heavy winds, hail, and a small tornado about 10 miles away.
I came home to find my truck had obvious hail damage so I checked my roof and could see several impact spots, my roof is about 7 years old and has architectural shingles.
A doorknocker guy came around after the last hailstorm (about a year ago) and offered a free roof inspection so I let him and he said he couldn't find any damage, he texted me again this time so I said sure since he had been honest last time.
He said there was quite a bit of shingle damage, the ridgecap had been punched through, dimples in the gutters, several cracked pieces of vinyl siding, etc, also showed me photos he took of the damage. He recommended I file a claim.
There's already someone in my neighborhood getting their roof replaced and another getting started so I probably will file a claim. I have insurance through Progressive and received a "we hope everything is good after the recent hail storm" form email today.
Not sure what will happen but looking for any knowledge, recommendations, etc., as this is something I've never dealt with before.
14
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:44 am to SidewalkTiger
Really depends on your policy. Be mindful that if you contact your insurer, they will create a claim and it will show as such regardless if you collect on it or decide against it. Those factors play a part if your insurance company drops you and you go policy shopping. On the other hand, I would absolutely make a claim based on what you posted.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 7:21 am to SidewalkTiger
Don’t sign anything with any roofing company right now
Contact progressive and start a claim (this is what you pay insurance for, and sounds like you have a no questions legit claim)
They will send an adjuster , make sure to point out the damage to vinyl, look at fences, gutters, chimney, screens , anything you can think of
They will then give you an estimate
Then contact a few roofing companies, look for local smaller operations
They will try to help mitigate your deductible with referral bonus, advertising allowance (pay you to put thier sign in your yard ) etc but legally can not just write off your deductible
Ask around for recommendations
Contact progressive and start a claim (this is what you pay insurance for, and sounds like you have a no questions legit claim)
They will send an adjuster , make sure to point out the damage to vinyl, look at fences, gutters, chimney, screens , anything you can think of
They will then give you an estimate
Then contact a few roofing companies, look for local smaller operations
They will try to help mitigate your deductible with referral bonus, advertising allowance (pay you to put thier sign in your yard ) etc but legally can not just write off your deductible
Ask around for recommendations
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 7:22 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 11:09 am to SidewalkTiger
Are you in North Louisiana? I just ask because we just had a pretty bad storm here this past weekend. I have a roofing and construction company up here and would be glad to give you a second opinion.
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 11:10 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 1:05 pm to iwyLSUiwy
Would take you up on it but I'm in Missouri. 
I'm having a local company come out for a second opinion inspection this evening, will probably go with them as the owner lives like 3 minutes from me and they have a good reputation in town.
I'm having a local company come out for a second opinion inspection this evening, will probably go with them as the owner lives like 3 minutes from me and they have a good reputation in town.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 4:03 pm to SidewalkTiger
How big was the hail?
Posted on 3/18/25 at 4:17 pm to SidewalkTiger
Tigerpaw did a good job of laying things out. Just keep in mind that you're really not looking for the best price since insurance is paying for it and you should only be out of pocket your deductible as long as your not upgrading or adding on. You just want to make sure the roof is replaced correctly. You don't want any roof components being re-used like vents, jacks, valley metal. The insurance company is paying for all new components so make sure your roofer doesn't spray paint the vents and pocket that cash. This would be fairly obvious with real hail damage unlike the majority of BS we get down here.
For underlayment, I would consider synthetic felt underlayment as opposed to traditional 15# or 30# felt - the insurance co will pay for what you actually had.
Ice & water shield is likely code in your area and is generally installed along the eaves and in lieu of valley metal.
If you are concerned, you can also request the roofer tape the seams on your decking. If there ever is a strong wind storm that blows your shingles off, this will limit/prevent water intrusion. I don't know if that is a big concern in your area or not. This can be a negotiated add-on or you may have to pay a little more.
Do your homework on the type of shingle that not only looks good on YOUR house but is durable. Owens Corning Duration and Atlas Pinnacle hold up well. Choosing the wrong shingle color is a gigantic mistake that you will have to live with for a long time.
I wouldn't let the roofer see the insurance companies estimate. This way you can get multiple estimates and negotiate with the roofer for add-ons like taping the seams or an upgraded shingle, roof vent, skylight, leaf guards - whatever fits your application.
In addition to checking your roof, gutters and downspouts, look at your window frames, screens, shutters, siding, stucco, lights, vinyl expansion joints, trench drain covers, pool equipment, patio furniture, grill, grill cover, playsets, shed, fencing, etc. Make sure the adjuster is checking all collateral damage and it's included in your estimate. Any structure or contents should be inspected.
Landscaping is not covered for damage resulting from hail.
For underlayment, I would consider synthetic felt underlayment as opposed to traditional 15# or 30# felt - the insurance co will pay for what you actually had.
Ice & water shield is likely code in your area and is generally installed along the eaves and in lieu of valley metal.
If you are concerned, you can also request the roofer tape the seams on your decking. If there ever is a strong wind storm that blows your shingles off, this will limit/prevent water intrusion. I don't know if that is a big concern in your area or not. This can be a negotiated add-on or you may have to pay a little more.
Do your homework on the type of shingle that not only looks good on YOUR house but is durable. Owens Corning Duration and Atlas Pinnacle hold up well. Choosing the wrong shingle color is a gigantic mistake that you will have to live with for a long time.
I wouldn't let the roofer see the insurance companies estimate. This way you can get multiple estimates and negotiate with the roofer for add-ons like taping the seams or an upgraded shingle, roof vent, skylight, leaf guards - whatever fits your application.
In addition to checking your roof, gutters and downspouts, look at your window frames, screens, shutters, siding, stucco, lights, vinyl expansion joints, trench drain covers, pool equipment, patio furniture, grill, grill cover, playsets, shed, fencing, etc. Make sure the adjuster is checking all collateral damage and it's included in your estimate. Any structure or contents should be inspected.
Landscaping is not covered for damage resulting from hail.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 4:45 pm to SidewalkTiger
I'm only speaking from experience in Louisiana, so take it with a grain of salt because I don't know what might be different in Missouri.
Progressive's claims department is solid.
In Louisiana, a claim resulting from weather damage is not something that an individual policy can be surcharged for. So while weather events affect the area as a whole, it wouldn't make a difference on your individual policy whether you file a claim or not.
Let the adjuster come out and give you their assessment and estimate before you sign any contracts with a roofer. Read any thing you sign carefully.
Make sure whoever you hire to do the job is licensed and insured. Ask for a certificate of insurance for their contractor's general liability coverage and make sure it has roofing as a covered class of work. If for some reason the contractor fricks something up and you have damage caused by improper installation or some other screwup by the contractor, their liability insurance is who you would be making a claim against for those damages. Your homeowners policy isn't going to cover damages caused from the contractor doing something wrong. People who hire unlicensed and uninsured handymen to do work on their house do so at their own risk.
If there's discrepancies between the roofer's estimate and the adjuster's estimate, ask questions to make sure everyone is on the same page. If the roofer's estimate is higher, make sure you get the additional amount approved by the adjuster before proceeding with the work.
Know what your deductible is. It will be subtracted from the amount Progressive writes a check for and you'll be responsible for paying that when you pay the contractor.
If you have a mortgage, the claim check will likely be paid to you and the mortgage company. So you'll have to contact the mortgage company when you get the check to find out how they want you to get the check sent to them to endorse.
If your claim held back "recoverable depreciation" then make sure you either send the adjuster a copy of the signed contract with your roofer and/or a paid receipt to make sure you recoup the recoverable depreciation.
Progressive's claims department is solid.
In Louisiana, a claim resulting from weather damage is not something that an individual policy can be surcharged for. So while weather events affect the area as a whole, it wouldn't make a difference on your individual policy whether you file a claim or not.
Let the adjuster come out and give you their assessment and estimate before you sign any contracts with a roofer. Read any thing you sign carefully.
Make sure whoever you hire to do the job is licensed and insured. Ask for a certificate of insurance for their contractor's general liability coverage and make sure it has roofing as a covered class of work. If for some reason the contractor fricks something up and you have damage caused by improper installation or some other screwup by the contractor, their liability insurance is who you would be making a claim against for those damages. Your homeowners policy isn't going to cover damages caused from the contractor doing something wrong. People who hire unlicensed and uninsured handymen to do work on their house do so at their own risk.
If there's discrepancies between the roofer's estimate and the adjuster's estimate, ask questions to make sure everyone is on the same page. If the roofer's estimate is higher, make sure you get the additional amount approved by the adjuster before proceeding with the work.
Know what your deductible is. It will be subtracted from the amount Progressive writes a check for and you'll be responsible for paying that when you pay the contractor.
If you have a mortgage, the claim check will likely be paid to you and the mortgage company. So you'll have to contact the mortgage company when you get the check to find out how they want you to get the check sent to them to endorse.
If your claim held back "recoverable depreciation" then make sure you either send the adjuster a copy of the signed contract with your roofer and/or a paid receipt to make sure you recoup the recoverable depreciation.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 4:56 pm to SidewalkTiger
What everyone else said but make sure you contact local roofers who have been in business for a decade or more and have their own crews. Prob 75% of roofing “companies” are just a shady sales guy paired with foreign transient crews. Keep everything independent and get make sure your terms are favorable and binding.
Wish I would have spent more time getting my last one. No nightmare story but do have some things I’d like to be different.
Wish I would have spent more time getting my last one. No nightmare story but do have some things I’d like to be different.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 6:47 pm to wickowick
quote:
How big was the hail?
Was out of town at the time but was told inch to inch and a half
Posted on 3/18/25 at 7:59 pm to SidewalkTiger
I’d probably get another roofer to look at it and give you an opinion. Not one of the door-knockjng, storm-chasing ones. Keep in mind, you’ll almost never find a roofer that tells you not to file a claim. In MO, I wouldn’t be too concerned over filing a hail claim. Let the insurance adjuster and the roofer fight it out.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:39 am to Cage Fighter Trainee
quote:
I wouldn't let the roofer see the insurance companies estimate. This way you can get multiple estimates and negotiate with the roofer for add-ons like taping the seams or an upgraded shingle, roof vent, skylight, leaf guards - whatever fits your application.
Lot of good tips you gave but I would disapgree here if you know the contractor is reputable and good with insurance claims. Unless you aren't wanting him to supplement the insurance and make the mistake of only getting the initial ACV payment.
Just an example. You gave good advice in that every accessory on the roof needs to be replaced like your pipe boots, vents, turbines, etc. Plenty of companies will reuse them to cut corners. But if I give you a flat out estimate, it's going to include all new accessories and we always redo the chimney flashings. 95% of the time the adjuster is going to miss something and never pay for the chimney flashing. So say the adjuster misses 2 pipe boots, one turtle vent, no chimney flashing, and probably something else like valley metal or ice and water shield.
Well I'm doing all those things so I have to charge for them. But the insurance didn't pay you for them so now that's out of the homeowners pocket. But if I'm able to sit down with you and review the paperwork with you and show you what they missed and what I will be supplementing for we make the insurance pay for it, not you.
A good ol boy roof is nice and all where a guy comes out and looks at your roof and says yea I can do that for 15k. But I'd rather the guy that can sit down with me and explain the insurance process with me and tell me why it is 20k instead of 15k and why that is a good thing.
Taking the initial money and shopping around for the cheapest price is one of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make, that's how you end up getting a cheap roof with the roofer cutting corners. You don't want a cheap roof, you want an expensive one and want the insurance to pay for all of it (minus the deductible obviously).
Posted on 3/19/25 at 10:06 am to SidewalkTiger
Had a claim last spring and roof replaced in the summer. 100% covered from State Farm from a hail storm. About 25- 30 houses in the hood got covered.
Choose a local, established roofing company, not a door-knocker. Start a claim w/ your insurance now.
Choose a local, established roofing company, not a door-knocker. Start a claim w/ your insurance now.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 12:01 pm to SidewalkTiger
If there is a locally owned materials yard near you, call them and ask for a local roofing contractor (or a couple) they can recommend. It will definitely be someone that buys from them, but they more than likely wont be selling to the storm chasers, who have national accounts set up at the big supply stores.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 12:43 pm to Polar Pop
Had a local guy come out this morning, seems to have good reviews and he fixed part of my neighbor's roof a few years ago.
His opinion was that this should be s fairly easy claim based on the damage so I went ahead and filed.
I will probably end up letting him handle it, he recommended Owens Corning Duration for the replacement.
His opinion was that this should be s fairly easy claim based on the damage so I went ahead and filed.
I will probably end up letting him handle it, he recommended Owens Corning Duration for the replacement.
Posted on 3/22/25 at 5:09 pm to SidewalkTiger
UPDATE
Adjuster came out today and said he is recommending a new roof, gutters, and downspouts, also some vinyl replacement.
He says I will get a check from Progressive for the value of the roof then they will pay a second payout after we have a set number for replacement.
My main question is it seems like I should wait to start work until that second payout is received, is that correct? I don't want to be on the hook for anything other than my deductible.
Another question I have is do I have to replace the gutters to receive that payout money or will they pay regardless of whether it's replaced or not?
Adjuster came out today and said he is recommending a new roof, gutters, and downspouts, also some vinyl replacement.
He says I will get a check from Progressive for the value of the roof then they will pay a second payout after we have a set number for replacement.
My main question is it seems like I should wait to start work until that second payout is received, is that correct? I don't want to be on the hook for anything other than my deductible.
Another question I have is do I have to replace the gutters to receive that payout money or will they pay regardless of whether it's replaced or not?
This post was edited on 3/22/25 at 5:19 pm
Posted on 3/22/25 at 8:01 pm to SidewalkTiger
The 2nd check is to make sure you make the repairs and didn't just blow the first payment. All insurance works pretty much like this and most good roofing companies know this and will work with you.
Posted on 3/23/25 at 3:46 pm to SidewalkTiger
quote:
He says I will get a check from Progressive for the value of the roof then they will pay a second payout after we have a set number for replacement.
You won’t get the second check for depreciation until the repairs are made.
Posted on 3/23/25 at 4:07 pm to DukeSilver
Do not. I repeat….DO NOT HIRE A DOOR KNOCKER. Get referrals from friends, neighbors, etc.
Posted on 3/24/25 at 12:57 pm to couv1217
I live in a smallish town, roughly 1900 people. Several have recommended the company I had to do with my second inspection, they seem good but have only been in business 5 years or so. That's my only hangup with them.
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