Can I replace my roof after hail storm damage before claim is settled with my insurance company?

[RichInFlorida]

My Florida home's roof was damaged by a severe hail storm. My claim with my insurance company has been denied, but I am actively disputing it with the mediation process run by Florida's Department of Financial Services.

I would like to replace my badly damaged shingles with a new roof very soon --- before the current hurricane season really gets active.

My question is: Can I replace my roof now before my claim is settled with my homeowners insurance company?

In other words, if I replace my roof NOW. And then go through and complete the mediation process during the next months, will having replaced my roof NOW give my homeowners insurance company some kind of excuse from paying me anything towards my claim during mediation? Or after the mediation process is concluded and I need to suit them?

Hopefully they can't claim something like: You replaced your roof and prevented us and our inspectors/experts from re-evaluating the damage to your roof because you went ahead and ripped off the damaged shingles and replaced them with a brand new roof.

Thank you in advance for any information you can share on this.

RichInFlorida

 

[marindependent]

What reason did they give for denying the claim?

 

[RichInFlorida]

My insurance company sent out their own inspector, a Licensed Professional Engineer (LPE). They claimed that they could only find 5 shingles that were damaged by hail on my roof. But the 3 different inspectors who have examined the damage on my roof at my request have written reports stating that 100's of the shingles (about 1/2 of them) are hail damaged and need replacing. One these inspectors said the hail damage on my roof was "the worst they had ever seen in all their years of inspecting roofs".

 

[fed up]

You have to realize that the people you sent up on the roof are there to sell you a roof. Take lots of pictures. Is the roof leaking? Your policy most likely says that they will repair or replace the damaged portion. How old is your roof? If it is more than 1/2 way through its life [ 20 years into a 30 year shingle) you are not likely to get anywhere with the arbitration. I dont think you should move forward with replacing the roof, it would be similar to repairing damage to a car and then asking them to se old damage through a new paint job

 

[marindependent]

Thank You

How old is your roof?

Yes, how old is the roof?

 

[adjusterjack]

My insurance company sent out their own inspector, a Licensed Professional Engineer (LPE). They claimed that they could only find 5 shingles that were damaged by hail on my roof.

Did you get up there and see for yourself? If not, did you ask for their photos? If not, can you get them and post them here. You can upload photos.

I'm a retired property claims adjuster. I should be able to tell you if it's hail or not.

 

[RichInFlorida]

Reply to "fed up":

>>> You have to realize that the people you sent up on the roof are there to sell you a roof.

I sent 3 different inspectors up onto my roof. Yes, the 1st one did work for a roofing company and their business wants me to sell me a new roof, you are right.

But the 2nd and 3rd ones were experienced home inspection companies that specialize in roof inspections (ironically they usually are hired by a new or prospective home buyer to prove the insurability of a roof to an insurance company --- not damaged and in good condition). They were paid by me and told by me to produce an honest, unbiased report on my roof after inspecting it. They both said 100's of shingles are damaged by hail strikes and the entire roof needs replacing.

>>> Take lots of pictures.

I took a few photos. But inspectors 2 and 3 took dozens of photos each and included them in their written reports.

>>> Is the roof leaking?

Not yet. But even a weak category 1 hurricane in the next few months could change that quickly.

>>> Your policy most likely says that they will repair or replace the damaged portion.

The policy has no such wording. No wording about repairs or replacements at all. Or damaged portions or sections.

In talking to the roofing companies and inspectors, Florida operates 1) under statues in state law that determine when damage is bad enough that the whole roof needs replacing AND 2) by convention usually between insurers and roofing contractors when a roof needs replacing.

>>> How old is your roof? If it is more than 1/2 way through its life [ 20 years into a 30 year shingle) you are not likely to get anywhere with the arbitration.

The house and the roof are 14 years old.

The shingles were sold/marketed as "40 year" shingles based upon their thickness. In reading about this type of shingle, different web sites are telling me they should last 20 to 25 years before putting up a new roof is necessary.

So the roof is either 14 years into 20 years OR it is 14 years into 25 years.

Many Florida roofing experts, including attorneys who sue homeowner insurance companies in Florida over unpaid claims, have told me the age of roof does not matter under Florida law. Claims are not pro-rated based upon how old the roof is versus its expected life. If the roof needs replacing, it can be 24 years into an expected 25 years, and the claim is supposed to be paid the same by the insurance company as if the roof was put up just 1 month ago. I find this to be fascinating, every time another professional in Florida tells me this.

>>> I dont think you should move forward with replacing the roof, it would be similar to repairing damage to a car and then asking them to se old damage through a new paint job

I really appreciate your advice. Thank you.

Do you still have the same advice after reading my answers to your questions?

RichInFlorida

 

[RichInFlorida]

Reply to Adjusterjack:

>>> Did you get up there and see for yourself?

Yes, I did. I saw tremendous damage to 1/2 my shingles. Looked like someone spend an entire day with a ball peen hammer on my roof smashing indentations and some holes into/through about 1/2 the shingles on the roof.

>>> If not, did you ask for their photos? If not, can you get them and post them here. You can upload photos. I'm a retired property claims adjuster. I should be able to tell you if it's hail or not.

Their dozens of photos are embedded in their reports. Both reports are PDF files. I unfortunately cannot upload them here unless I upload the entire report, which would be a bad choice for me to make as it has my name and the property's address in it. I may file a lawsuit after mediation and the lawyers have warned me about anything identifiable I put online could be successfully used against me by my insurance company in a lawsuit.

My questions to this forum is not whether it was hail or not, and is the damage major because it is. My question is can I put up a new roof now before the hurricanes arrive this season, or is it necessary for me to wait until the mediation is finished? Is there a gotcha that the insurance company can be exonerated from paying my claim because I did not proceed correctly?

Thank you!

RichInFlorida

 

[RichInFlorida]

I did not share one other fact about the hail storm damage to my roof that is pretty damning...

My house is on a street with 20 homes. And my house is identical to 7 of the other houses on the street in this respect --- same exact age, built by same builder, roofs are identical as far as pitch and design and the direction each roof section faces.

Since the hail storm about a year ago, the homeowner insurance company's insuring 18 of the homes on my street have paid the homeowner's claim in full. And there are 18 brand new roofs this year on my street. I was the only homeowner denied by my insurance company. And 7 of the 8 identical homes had their claims paid in full and now have new roofs, only mine was denied.

Only 1 other home besides mine still has hail damaged shingles all over their roof. They did not file an insurance claim. This person never leaves their home or talks to other people. Agoraphobia I am told and other issues.

RichInFlorida

 

[fed up]

I still would not replace until this is resolved. What neighbors have said and done has little bearing in how your situation is resolved. I had a claim last year for damage and heard same story of insurance replacing neighbors roof. I insured both homes. Neighbor was paid for approx 1/4 of roof by company. Many people on my street lost shingles in a wind storm, some had entire roof replaced and are now paying thousands because they had claim denied but ok'd work. Were you going to replace your roof this year? What is your deductible?