Tree in the backyard fell down this weekend and landed on the garage. Damage consists of three holes in the roof, two broken rafters and two pieces of cracked vinyl siding. I have a couple pieces of spare siding that could be used for the repair, but the roof is pretty old and I doubt an exact match can be found. Is it unreasonable to insist the insurance company pay for a new roof, since anything they patch it with will probably not match what’s there?
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Replies
In situations where I've been the contractor performing insurance repair work, replacing a whole roof so that all would match was understood. The adjusters not only agreed but sometimes they were the first to offer that suggestion.
I guess it could depend on how your policy is wriiten and what it actually covers. read your policy before talking to the adjuster just so you know what you are entitled to.
Chris Calhoun
Blackstone Builders
let the adjuster do their thing first and see what they come up with....
then get your pencil out and figure what all they missed...write it correctly but completely...
last time it happened to me the adjuster's estimate was less than $1,000....said that was all she could pay because 'that's all the computer will allow'...
after we were through the final checks she cut totalled over $5,000 not including the depreciation that will be recouped after repairs are completed...
was she just dumb or was she scammin' me?
Coulda been both.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Voltaire
The fact that she admitted she didn't know how to tell what the roof was decked with although she had supposedly been handling property claims for over 6 years says something.
Still think she was trying to scam me a little with that line about 'all the computer would allow her to pay'.
Just wanted me to take her initial check and go away.
Probably just trying to save the company some money. Same thing happens with auto insurance companies. I had an old but still good volvo that someone ran into and they only wanted to give me $500 till I ran searchs in a 100 mile raduis and for that make/model/year and condition the cheapest replacement was $2500 - settled for $2200 but probably could have gotten the $2500 if I wanted to argue it more, but I needed the replacment more than I need the headache.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
I'm sure she was trying to save the company some money - from MY pocket. She was also trying to save herself some time by telling me that line about all the computer will allow her to pay.
It ultimately cost 'her' (the company, actually) at least $1,500 more than it would have to just be fair with me to start with.
Cost her a lot of time too in having to re-do her 'estimate' about 4 times. And having to respond to me in writing about everything instead of a simple phone call.
You know, she actually tried to tell me that her company prohibited her from alllowing mark up and overhead since I wasn't using an outside 'contractor' at that time.
She added that back in to, ultimately, when I showed her supervisor the Board of Insurance ruling on the same issue.
What's the old saying about do it right the first time?
If enough damage is involved (big $$$) you might consider hiring your own adjuster a.k.a. Public Adjuster. The work for YOU; they get paid a cut usually 10% of the final claim amount.
They battle with the insurance company getting repair dollars you might not get going it alone. They have the experience and the know how and they know the insurance claim lingo to get top dollars so you get top notch materials and repairs.
10% on a small claim for a public adjuster ?
that would be a first.
could easily be 20 - 40 %.
carpenter in transition
I'm sure they must have a minimum.
But why would you even consider one for a SMALL claim?
i've seen it happen. i understand that in philadelphia, public adjusters are hired on at least 50% to 70% of all claims. here in the allentown area, it seems like 5% or less.
the sad thing is that i have seen them hired on cases where a total loss is involved. no matter what they tell you, you can't get more than your policy limit (plus a fixed percentage for demo and debris removal).
be careful.
carpenter in transition
I went through 2 situations very similar to yours in the past year. My summer home and in-laws house. In both cases getting the estimates from the insurance adjuster and then conversing with my contractor to receive a "real" estimate, lead to a stronger position from which to negotiate with insurance adjuster. In the end I felt the insurance adjuster wasn't out to have repairs be unsatisfactory for the homeowners. My roof was 2 years old and amatch was easy, the second home roof was not but ended up being replace. The numbers on the structural repairs and cosmetic worked to return both houses to pre tree damage.
Hey guys, as a related quesion, the "folklore" is if you put in a claim, your rates go up.
I've never put in any claims and my rates seem to go up anyway. ;-)
Any truth to the "urban myth" that claims mean increased rates?
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
I have not heard that for HOI (unlike car) that rates are increased. HOWEVER, it is not unknow for insurance not to be renewed/cancelled. DAMHIKT!
it's no urban myth.
for many companies, it's now if you have 2 claims or more in 3 years, you get surcharged.
but worst of all, you now have a claim history that follows you around, AND the claim history sticks to the house as well. that means (for instance) if there is a mold claim against your address, you perform the repairs and then you try to sell your house a year later, the mold claim history stays with your home and could present serious problems for the potential buyer to obtain insurance on the structure.
homeowner's insurance is becoming much more like auto insurance.
carpenter in transition
Rich,
I work for a large company that deals with adjusters on a regular basis.
Do not hire a public adjuster.
Simply find one or two contractors with estimators that you are comfortable with.
A good estimator will include everything possible in the estimate. At correct rates. His company is rewarded by recieving the repair contract from you!
THEN, the insurance adjuster will approve and pay, or adjust and pay.
TRIGGER