Storms have hit Indiana, some involving hail but don't be too quick to contact your insurance agent.
Home owners feel that by contacting their insurance agent they are protecting themselves. Contacting your agent is not a bad idea but if it's found that you do not have hail damage or there is not enough to "buy your roof" this could still be counted as a claim causing you to incur higher premiums in the future.
What You Can Do:
1. Look at your roof, roof vents, siding and gutters but don't forget, safety first. Hail damage will look like jagged, black marks typically in an uneven pattern. Remember, hail hits randomly, so, just because your neighbor has hail damage, doesn't mean that you automatically will.
2. Contact a reputable roofing contractor in your area. They should provide you with a FREE assessment which should include pictures and a written explination of what they found.
3. Not all hail damage will buy you a new roof. Some hail may only be minor and require roofing repairs if anything at all. Be sure you are properly informed by the roofing contractor.
4. If it has been determined that you indeed have hail damage, requiring a new roof, siding or gutters, get the information from your contractor (detailed proposal, pictures, etc) and send this to your agent. At times, the insurance adjuster may not agree with the roofing contractor's assessment, requiring a meeting between the two to walk the roof and discuss the assessment. Believe it or not, there have been times where the adjuster is wrong.
5. Most importantly, don't get fooled by a roofing contractor knocking at your door telling you that they have evidence of your damage. Get more than one roof inspection so you can assure you are protected.
ABC Roofing offers FREE storm inspections and has a highly trained staff that is equipped to work with you and your agent every step of the way. If you feel that you have experienced hail or storm damage, call us today- we would be happy to provide you with a detailed roof, siding or gutter inspection.
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