Deciding Whether to File a Roof Claim

What Is Deciding Whether to File a Roof Claim?

Whether to file a roof claim is an economic decision, and the inputs should be gathered in the right order. First establish the real scope with an inspection, because the decision turns on documented damage, not on a guess: hail damage that looks minor from the ground can justify full slope replacement, and a dramatic-looking limb strike can scope below the deductible. Then compare the likely claim value against the deductible — commonly 1 to 2 percent of the dwelling limit in hail-prone states, so a $400,000 dwelling limit can mean a $4,000 to $8,000 deductible. A claim that nets little or nothing after the deductible still enters the owner's claims history (carriers share loss history through the CLUE database for seven years) and can affect renewal pricing. Weather events striking a wide area are generally treated differently from single-home losses in underwriting, but the record still exists. Most policies also set deadlines for reporting a loss, so the decision should be made deliberately, not indefinitely deferred.

Important Distinction

Note: Filing a claim and being paid on a claim are different events: a claim filed below or near the deductible can enter the owner's claims history without producing any payment.

Also Known As

These are the search terms and phrases that commonly refer to this topic, so you can find it however you describe it.