What Happens If My Roof Claim is Denied?

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Sustaining storm damage to your roof can be a stressful time for any homeowner. From the clean up process, to figuring out what steps to take, there’s a lot that goes into bringing your home back to its original condition. Plus, going through the insurance claims process can be overwhelming and time consuming. 

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Having your insurance claim denied can compound the stress factor, leaving homeowners feeling worn out and defeated. Unfortunately, we’ve seen this happen quite a bit, but the initial denial doesn’t have to be the final say. In this article, we discuss what happens if your roof claim is denied, and steps you can take to resolve the issue. 

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Table of Contents

- What Kind of Roof Damage is Covered by Insurance?

- Why Was My Roof Claim Denied?

- What Can I Do If My Roof Claim Was Denied?

   - Get a Second Opinion

   - Have a Structural Engineer Inspect Your Roof

- Can My Roofing Contractor Get my Claim Approved?

- Choosing a Roofing Company with Insurance Experience

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What Kind of Roof Damage is Covered by Insurance?

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We would first like to go over what roof damage is covered before answering the question, “what happens if my roof claim is denied?” There are certain instances where something may happen to your roof that your policy doesn’t cover, which would cause your roof claim to be denied. And for your insurance to cover roof damage, the damage must be caused by an extreme weather event. 

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This can include damaging winds from strong thunderstorms, snowstorms, hail storms, and tornadoes, just to name a few. Your homeowners insurance should also cover any roof damage sustained from fallen tree limbs caused by severe weather. Depending on your policy, homeowners insurance should pay to replace your roof if it has been damaged from any of the aforementioned weather events. 

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The final say will come from your insurance adjuster, and will depend on if they find enough roof damage during the inspection to warrant a roof replacement. With that being said, as long as the damage sustained was caused by extreme weather, then your homeowner’s insurance should cover the replacement. We highly recommend reviewing your insurance policy before severe weather strikes, in order to be more prepared for any situation.

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Why Was My Roof Claim Denied?

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Before we explain what happens if my roof claim is denied and what you can do about it, let’s go over a few reasons as to why your claim would be denied in the first place. This will vary depending on your insurance company and your specific insurance policy, but there are multiple reasons as to why an insurance company would deny a claim. Below are a few of the most common reasons a roof claim is denied: 

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• There was no damage found during the inspection
• The damage found was from a previous storm
• You waited too long to file your claim
• Your roof was too old when your policy started
• Your roof was not installed properly
• Your attic is not properly ventilated
• A manufacturer defect was found with your roofing materials
• Policy exclusions

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And that’s just to name a few! Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done under these circumstances. Either way, your insurance adjuster will let you know why your roof claim was denied, so you can move forward from there.  

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What Can I Do if My Roof Claim was Denied?

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If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering what happens if my roof claim is denied, and what you can do from here. So, let’s discuss your options after your initial claim is denied. It’s important to mention here that most reasons a roof claim is denied are legitimate, and in this case, there’s not much that can be done about it. 

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However, in some instances, there are things that can be done to try for an approval. For example, if your claim is denied because your insurance company said they didn’t find any damage, or enough qualifying damage, then you may want to have your roof inspected again. Especially if you’re insistent that your roof has sustained storm damage, then getting a second opinion is the way to go. 

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Get a Second Opinion

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The first way to go about this is to make a request for another adjuster through your insurance company. When they send out a different adjuster for a second opinion, they will be looking at your roof through a fresh and different set of eyes. They may be able to see something the first adjuster missed, or provide different insight on what your next steps should be. 

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It’s important to mention here that some insurance companies have denied homeowners a second opinion through a different adjuster. With that being said, you have a right to a second adjuster. After the second inspection through the new adjuster, they will either approve your claim, or back up the first adjuster, agreeing there is no basis for a claim. 

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Have a Structural Engineer Inspect Your Roof

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If the second adjuster agrees with the first and your roof claim is denied, there is one last thing you can do if you want to continue with the claim. From here, you can reach out to a structural engineer. A structural engineer is usually sent out when there is conflict or a dispute regarding the validity of an insurance claim and/or damages. 

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The structural engineer will do an inspection on your roof, and offer proof to your insurance company that there are structural problems, and that your roof needs to be replaced because of it. This is more of a last resort situation, and is only recommended if you are adamant about your roof damage, and your insurance company is being unreasonable. If this doesn’t work in your favor, unfortunately, the only options are to either pay for your new roof yourself, or seek the help of a legal team. 

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Can My Roofing Contractor Get my Claim Approved?

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What happens if my roof claim is denied? As a roofing company, this is a question that we get asked a lot, as many homeowners look to us to see if there’s anything we can do to help get an approval. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that your roofer can do to help you get your claim approved. 

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A roofing contractor can still look for, and make note of, any signs of storm damage that they see when inspecting your roof. This may help when presented to your insurance company, but the insurance adjuster is the only one with the authority to approve or deny your claim. This is why it is so important to work with a contractor who has experience working with insurance companies, as they will fight for you when it comes to your claim. 

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And when it comes to your roofing contractor, the battle doesn’t stop once the insurance claim is approved. They will also supplement your insurance claim to make sure that your roof gets everything that it needs. A roofing contractor should always be in your corner, and while they don’t have the authority to make decisions as far as claims go, they can surely help with the insurance process. This is why it’s crucial to work with an experienced and vetted contractor that you can trust. 

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Choosing a Roofing Company with Insurance Experience

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So, what happens if my insurance claim is denied? As you can see, there are a few possible outcomes, as well as a few steps you can take in order to get your claim approved if it was initially denied. And while the insurance adjuster holds the key of approval, working with a reputable contractor can help you with this process, and do what they can to advocate for you.

The crew at Elite Exteriors is proud to be insurance claim specialists, and work to help guide homeowners through the insurance process. We take the stress of navigating through the claims process, and work on behalf of the homeowner to ensure nothing is missed, and that the home is brought back to pre-storm condition. We also offer FREE initial consultations and inspections, and for more information or to schedule an appointment, call us today at 470-350-3024, or fill out our online form.

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