Answers Await:
Dive into Our FAQs
FAQ's
Most Asked Questions by Our Customers
A hail or wind damage claim is a result of a natural weather occurrence, disaster, act of God etc… As such, it occurred naturally and not as a result of any action on the home ownerspart. Therefore an insurance company cannot raise your premium as a result of the claim.
Insurance companies typically drop policy holders as a result of multiple damage claims by the policy holder, relating to damage to the property which, is directly related to the homeowners’ actions or negligence. i.e. the policy holder forgets to shut off the upstairs bathtub which results in substantial water damage to the property. The property has unsafe conditions which result in injury claims. The policy holder backs out of the garage without opening the garage door causing substantial damage.
Disaster claims like hail and wind damage are an act of nature and not caused by the
homeowner.
Topshop’s Representative completes a thorough inspection of your roof, the exterior and interior (if applicable) of your property to determine if damage due to hail or wind is pbr/resent. We assist you in filing the claim with your insurance company and in communicating the events which likely caused the damage and extent and areas of damage to your home. We meet with the Insurance Adjuster on the day of their inspection of the property to communicate and clearly identify the damage from the roof down.
Topshop further reviews the insurance company scope of work or estimate to determine if all the necessary repairs have been considered by the Insurance Adjuster in their estimate and as in many cases if not, we counter with our estimate of repairs. Topshop makes sure your repairs are completed according to current building codes and standards. For example, the Adjusters estimate will in most cases exclude key code compliance costs which will be required to be completed by your local building Code and Compliance Department. Topshop insures the costs are covered under the claim. In other more severe cases the Adjuster may only call for repairs to a roof or siding which, in most cases would leave your home with an unsightly patch work of repairs, devaluing your home. We work to insure that you receive the maximum benefits afforded under your policy and that all repairs are completed to pre-storm quality.
Nobody wants to get a ticket but, it happens. In most cases it’s best to have an Attorney when you go to court. Meeting with an Insurance Company Adjuster and dealing with an insurance company is much the same. It’s best to have an advocate on your side representing your position and insuring your claim is handled properly throughout the process. We stay with the insurance claim through completion to insure all necessary repairs and restoration is completed and to the highest level of quality of repairs available.
Topshop’s inspection is inclusive of your homes entire exterior, interior and surrounding personal items.
Our Field Representative will examine your home from top to bottom including your roof, roof components like skylights, chimney’s, and vent penetrations your siding windows doors, gutters, garage doors, and sheds as well as exterior personal property like cabanas furniture, grills, playsets or any outdoor items which, may have been potentially damaged extending to landscaping including plants and trees. The inspection concludes with the review of any interior damage. Like water spots, sagging dry wall, mold or other suspect condition with the final review of your roofs substrate from inside the attic. It could reveal water damage undetectable from the exterior. No one else provides such an all-inclusive inspection as a standard review of your home.
Unless it’s obvious like a tree lying on the roof, shingles falling off or water stains on the interior it’s hard to tell from the ground. A Topshop Representative will come out to your house and complete a fifty point inspection, to determine the cause of any suspect issues. Topshop will research recent storm activity at your location and determine if the existing damage is storm related.
If the inspection reveals storm related damage sufficient to warrant the replacement of your roof, or any major components of your home its time to start the claim process. A review of your homeowner’s insurance policy will confirm the coverage of the damaged items. Your Topshop Representative will file the claim with you to insure the communication of important claim information to the insurance company.
You can file the claim yourself with the insurance company however; it is highly recommended your Topshop Representative be present at the time of the claim filing. This can easily be accommodated by a conference call. It’s extremely important that certain claim information be communicated properly from the initiation of the claim process. Critical dates relating to the storm, damage type and the extent are just a few of the items your Topshop Representative will handle on the call. Setting the stage from the beginning of the process is one of the keys to a successful claim, adjuster meeting and ultimately an approved claim.
The claim filing call takes approximately five to ten minutes. At the conclusion of the call a claim number will be issued. This number will be used throughout the process as a reference to your claim. Keep it handy. Your Topshop Representative will provide you with a customized document jacket which provides the claim number and key contact information and important instructions for you the home owner.
This is a joint effort with your insurance company; they will want to reach out to you with important information like the date they want to come out and inspect the property and who will be coming out to inspect the property. That same information will be needed to be passed on your Topshop Representative. He or she will need to know the date and time to meet the adjuster for the initial home inspection.
This is the single most important meeting between the insurance company and your Topshop Representative. We don’t want to miss it!
If there is a big day in the process, this is it. Your Topshop Representative will show up early and in most cases will take time to highlight any damaged areas. They will look over all surfaces to insure nothing is over looked and set up ladders to provide roof access for the inspection. You can expect the adjuster meeting to last at least one hour. The adjuster and your Topshop Representative will complete a thorough inspection of your property and will identify all evident damage during the process. The Insurance Company adjuster makes the final determination and will complete an “Estimate of Repairs” for any and all damage determined to be storm related.
Although somewhat rare, it does occasionally happen. There are a number of factors which can contribute to a denial. Your Topshop Representative will determine the best course of action in the event of a denial. In most cases a re-inspection request can be initiated to have the claim reconsidered. In others, an appraisal by a third party may be necessary to provide sufficient neutrality of the parties in the claim.
Claims for issues for which you as the homeowner are responsible, like leaving you bath tub on and flooding your house, or driving through your garage door etc., are considered claims which you as the homeowner have been negligent.
Claim for issues for which you had no control like a severe thunderstorm which brings hail, wind and lightning and damages your home exterior, for which you are not responsible.
Act of nature claims or storm damage claims for which you had no control or responsibility would not cause your insurance company to directly raise your premiums or drop you as a result of this type of claim. If there is damage to your home from a storm, it is better to file the claim and have your home repaired. This type of damage can cost into the tens of thousands of dollars to repair properly. Even when compared to potential slight increase in your annual premium, the claim repairs provide substantial benefit to your home’s value, your family’s safety and security and the resale value at some future point.
QUICK INQUIRY
Are You Looking for Roofing Service?
Have questions or ready to start your roofing project? Contact TopShop Roofing today for reliable and professional roofing services.
