How to Get A Free Roof With Insurance
How does getting a free roof sound? Well, it won’t be entirely free because your insurance premium payments need to be up to date, but at least you’re not paying for the entire thing out of pocket.
To most people reading this, a free roof will sound pretty good, but there is a big catch like most other things in life! Most if not all companies that offer a 100% free roof with a waived deductible are scams. Just about any roofing company that promises to reduce or eliminate your deductible is committing fraud, and you’re becoming a party to it.
How Does Homeowner’s Insurance Work for Roof Claims?
As a homeowner, there are three things that you should understand about most insurance claims, which are:
Legitimate Damage
For any claim to be valid, you need to have legitimate roof damage, and it shouldn’t be attributable to aging. If a roofing contractor visits you and says you’ll get discounted roofing, or it will be free, and you didn’t call them, then they are trying to drum up sales for new roofs by getting your attention. If anything, this isn’t a real offer, and there is something not right about it. In 99.9% of cases, aging isn’t grounds for a valid insurance claim.
You Continue Paying Your Deductible
Regardless of if you have a valid insurance claim, the deductible isn’t eliminated. For instance, if a recent storm has damaged your roof and your insurance claim is legitimate, that does not mean you don’t have to pay the deductible. So, the promise that your roof is free isn’t exactly honest. The deductible is a legal obligation under the insurance policy.
You Need an Experienced Insurance Company
You will always want to have an experienced roofing company with integrity that will serve as your advocate with the insurance adjuster. So, if you suspect storm damage or hail damage, for that matter, start by bringing an experienced roofing company on board, who will meet with the insurance adjuster. An expert can mean the difference between having a claim denied or getting every penny you deserve under the policy.
Beware of Insurance Scams and Storm Chasers
When you are getting insurance companies involved, there can be the possibility of scammers trying to take advantage of you. When a big thunder or hail storm occurs, scammers and storm chasers will cover neighborhoods with the guarantee of a new roof. Be aware that they are more than likely un-legitime businesses who just send out trained salesmen to try to get you to sign immediately.
So, how big is this problem? Are our roofing contractors willing to commit fraud and put themselves and homeowners in jeopardy? Fortunately, not many roofing contractors commit this type of fraud, but it is big enough to draw the attention of lawmakers in Texas. That led to the passing of a new law in 2019 that makes waiving any insurance deductible to be unlawful for a roofing company.
The law was in response to what many roofing companies would do after a major storm. The companies would swoop in and offer so-called free roofs. Eventually, homeowners would end up holding the ball, especially when it came to low-quality repairs by unqualified companies.
We strongly advise all home and business owners if they suspect that a storm has damaged their roof, then get a free inspection by a reputed roof repair company.
