If you live in Minnesota, chances are you have experienced a severe storm or two. Minnesota ranks fourth nationally in severe storm events, trailing only Texas, Colorado and Nebraska. These storms can bring hail damage to your home, particularly to your roof. If this happens to your home, you may be entitled to file an insurance claim for a replacement roof! In this blog, we’ll discuss what kind of hail damage warrants an insurance claim and how to go about filing it.
What Kind of Hail Damage Qualifies for An Insurance Claim?
If your home has been hit with large hailstones, there’s a reasonable chance that your roof has sustained some damage. Generally speaking, if the hail is larger than 1-inch in diameter, it is likely to cause some damage. Of course, the severity of the damage will depend on the size of the hailstones as well as how long they last. It’s important to know that even if your roof doesn’t have noticeable signs of damage from hail impact, it could still have damage. That’s why it’s always best to contact an expert who can inspect your roof for any potential damages and help you determine whether or not it’s worth filing an insurance claim.
Filing An Insurance Claim
If you decide that you should file an insurance claim for hail damage on your roof, here are three steps that will help guide you through the process:
1. Have a professional help you determine the extent of the hail damage
You should first assess the extent of any visible damages caused by hail before filing a claim with your insurer. This will give them a better idea of what kind of repairs need to be done and what type of coverage they need to provide for those repairs. Keep in mind that many insurers require photographic evidence as part of their claims process so make sure you take plenty of pictures!
2. Contact Your Insurer
Once you’ve determined the extent of the damage and gathered all necessary documentation (including photos), reach out to your insurer and let them know that you want to file a claim for hail damage on your roof. They will then provide instructions on how best to proceed with submitting all necessary paperwork and documentation associated with making a claim.
3. Have Your Roof Repaired or Replaced
Once all paperwork has been filed and approved by your insurer, it’s time for repairs or replacement work to your property! Make sure that you hire professional contractors who are licensed and insured so that any work done is up to code and meets all necessary safety standards set forth by local building codes. And make sure the contractor you hire has experience working with insurance claims.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to file an insurance claim for hail damage to your roof is up to you. It’s important to remember that if you choose not to pursue a claim, you will be responsible for any repair or replacement costs. On the other hand, if you decide to move forward with filing a claim, consider these three steps and make sure to follow them as your guide throughout the process. The result could be thousands of dollars in savings on roof replacement costs!
Turn to the Pros at Shelter Construction
At Shelter, we perform free inspections and consultations. We will perform minor repairs during the examination to small damage that we find. Call us at 612-284-6985 or schedule an inspection today on our website!