home owners insurance claim?

Sassy_Cassie · November 2010

We recently had some big storms around here so there was a roofing company in the neighborhood last week offering "free inspections." They said we had some minor damage and that our insurance would probably pay for a new roof.

Now, I know they not out of the goodness of their hearts... but I checked on the company and they're very reputable. I didn't feel pressured by them or anything. And they are working on a few homes in our neighborhood.

But I've never had to file a homeowners claim. Does it cause your rates to go up or anything? My husbands argument is that if we can get a new roof now and have insurance pay for it... it will be better than trying to pay to replace it ourselves down the road when it's leaking or caving in! lol!

Any insights?

sophabelle · November 2010

my mom has had to file many claims due to storm damage.

obviously you'll have to pay your deductable, so depending on what that is, and how bad your damage is, may sway your decision. but it can make your rates go up. since my mom had A LOT of damage, she was paid quite a large sum (like 15-20K) to fix what was damaged, so her rates have doubled this year compared to the last couple years.

i don't know if it's something less if it would impact your rates or not.

Genevieved · November 2010

It could make your rates go up I would call you insurance company and ask how much your rates would go up and how long before they came down again.

I know for auto insurance when my brother took out an electric pole he had to pay to replace it $1000. when my mom called the insurance company they told her she could put it threw insurance but with how much the rates would go up they would pay for the pole many times over in the next few years.

Be sure to ask that question because they aren't always willing to tell you that in the long run it would be better for you to fix it yourself.

Meg41208 · November 2010

we had wind damage from the winds from hurricane ike. our insurance adjuster only agreed to the replacement of the front of the roof and the sides (we have a hip roof) that are visible from the street because the damage was limited to the front only. We opted to replace the entire roof so we had to foot the cost of the back plus our deductible.

GladToBeMrs.SRS · November 2010

If it's minor damage, there's no way I would file a claim. Homeowner's insurance is a funny beast, with whom you don't want to tangle if you don't have to. Your rates could go up, you could get denied renewal next year, and you'll have to pay your deductible no matter what. I'd only file if it truly was a significant loss.

Meg41208 · November 2010

are you missing shingles, or are some of them just lifted a little?

We lost a couple of shingles on a windy day prior to hurricane ike blowing through, and DH was able to fix those himself. We lost several shingles during Ike and we definitely needed work done.

MrsBlayne · November 2010

We are dealing with a hail damage claim right now. Per both the adjuster and my mom (who used to work in insurance), claims from a storm do not make your rates go up. In our case, our deductible is $1700 and the insurance said we have $8000 in damage between the roof and the gutters. In our case it is totally worth it to file the claim. Plus, your roof protects your whole house so if it leaks it will cause other damage. I think it would at least be worth talking to an agent. When choosing a roofer, check the BBB and try to get personal recommendations or references. When they tear off your old roof they can cause other damage if they are not careful, or leave your yard full of nails, so it's good to talk to someone who has used them before.

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