Peak Adulting: Navigating Insurance

Part 1: The Key Players

Whether you're new to homeownership or have 30 years under your roof, navigating an insurance claim can feel overwhelming. It's something we only do a few times in our lives, if at all, and let's be honest - there are words thrown around that we don't hear every day. But rest assured... with the right team in place, you are not going into a major home repair alone.

In every roof claim, there are a few key players.

1)      The Homeowner. This is you, obviously. You are the ultimate decision maker and “the boss” in this process. Your main role is to file the claim, choose a contractor, and stay in communication throughout the process. You hire a contractor to work on your behalf and complete the project, whereas your insurance policy is the contractual agreement between you and your insurer to share financial responsibility for damage to the home. You pay your insurer for coverage (your premium), and they pay for your claim if/when you incurred damage.

2)      Your Contractor. As your contractor, we advocate for you - the homeowner - only. Our job is to use our expertise in roofing structures and systems to thoroughly inspect your roof and surrounding structures for damage and to build you a high-quality new roof. Your contractor ensures that you are covered for everything to which you’re entitled after incurring damage. Oftentimes, insurers conveniently “overlook” pricey damaged items like gutters, siding, windows, facia and underlayment. It’s our job to ensure you are compensated properly so all damage can be repaired.

3)      Your Adjuster. The insurance company will assign an adjuster to your claim. Adjusters work for the insurer to validate that damage is legitimate and write an estimate for repair. This estimate is essentially your settlement offer. Your contractor will work with the adjuster to ensure the offer is fair and reflects all known damage.

4)      Sometimes, a Public Adjuster. Occasionally, your contractor and adjuster don't agree on what the homeowner is entitled to in their claim. When insurers refuse to cover damages that a homeowner is entitled to, you may involve a public adjuster. As your contractor, we're experts in construction and not licensed to argue insurance policy language, but a Public Adjuster can. The Public Adjuster works solely on for you, not your contractor or insurer, to resolve a dispute.

The bottom line is, even if it’s your first insurance claim, you’re not alone and even if it sounds like Greek, we'll help you understand everything. There are checks and balances throughout the process and hardly a scenario we haven’t seen and dealt with.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - From Inspection to Completion.