Your house was damaged by hail or wind/debris and that is unfortunate because your home was just fine before the storm. The good news is that we have an opportunity to get it replaced the right way and make your roof and siding last longer than what had previously been on your home. Knowing that your General Contractor is replacing your roof and siding the right way means everything. How do you get peace of mind that you are turning this unfortunate event into a great opportunity?
Short answer? Hire Reliance Roof Troop. We install quality roof and siding systems with no shortcuts, no additional out of pocket costs, and a guaranteed long-term workmanship and manufacturer warranty. We are the company you can trust because we will take the time to properly assess, explain the process thoroughly, and then replace your roof and siding with quality products and craftmanship.
Now for the long answer: Let’s first talk about what to expect when starting the process to bring your home back to pre-storm condition. Before you call your insurance to file a claim, it is important to consult with a HAAG Certified inspector (that is us) and verify that there is in fact storm damage. Reliance Roof Troop documents all damage to your property and forwards the photo file to you for your records.
Once you file the claim with your insurance, a field adjuster will reach out to you within 1-3 days to schedule your inspection. The inspection is often scheduled 1-2 weeks out due to the adjuster’s workload. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Reliance Roof Troop provides emergency tarping services to protect your home while waiting.
When the adjuster schedules the appointment with you, it is important to notify Reliance Roof Troop. We prefer to come out not because the adjusters do not know how to do their job, but because we can articulate what kind of repairs are needed or if replacement is warranted. We are not experts on insurance policy. We are, however, the experts on applying proper construction practice. This gives us the opportunity to explain and show the adjuster HOW and WHY certain repairs or replacements are warranted. We also provide an extra set of eyes to ensure no damage is passed over.
Next question: how much will this cost me? You will either have an ACV (Actual Cash Value) or RCV (Replacement Cost Value) policy for your property. If you have an ACV policy, then you will be responsible for the depreciation amount along with your policy deductible. However, if you have a RCV policy, then you are responsible for just your deductible.
Will RRT cover your deductible? There always exist some unlicensed, under/uninsured, and uncertified contractors who will not require you pay your deductible. Both Illinois and Indiana state law require a person insured under a property insurance policy to pay any deductible applicable to a claim made under the policy. It is a violation of Illinois and Indiana state law for a seller of goods or services who reasonably expects to be paid wholly or partly from the proceeds of a property insurance claim to knowingly allow the insured person to fail to pay, or assist the insured person's failure to pay, the applicable insurance deductible.
Insurance companies frequently require proof of your deductible being paid. Failure to provide proof results in the suspension of Reliance RoofTroop's business and professional Licenses. Paying your deductible to a reputable and professional contractor ensures your roof is not receiving any shortcuts and your workmanship warranty stays intact with a long term company. Contractors willing to cover deductibles have a reputation of not staying in business long term. They often do not have the necessary liability insurance and licensing requirements and typically do not warranty their work.
Now let’s navigate the insurance estimating and payment process even further. When your roof or siding is approved for damages by your insurance, they create an initial estimate that provides the total amount approved. The total amount is the RCV amount. Upon approval you are issued only part of the total amount. This is called actual cash value. The remainder is withheld until repairs are complete. Insurance companies do this because they want to incentivize homeowners to actually get the repairs done. Here are the technical terms:
ACTUAL CASH VALUE – Initial partial payment of approved amount by insurance
DEDUCTIBLE – Amount homeowner pays out of pocket to Reliance RoofTroop
DEPRECIATION – The withheld amount approved by insurance. This is released once Reliance Roof Troop submits a certificate of completion. Disclaimer, if you have just an ACV policy, then insurance does not release depreciated funds. You must pay those funds yourself. Most homeowners, however, possess RCV policies. If you are unsure which policy you have, check with your insurance agent.
SUPPLEMENT – Additional amount paid and released by insurance with depreciation as an additional cost incurred or something forgotten and left out by insurance (permit, additional code requirements, etc.)
Because I love equations, here is another way to break everything down:
RCV = Actual Cash Value + Depreciation + Deductible
(Owed under ACV Policy)
And here is a good visual of what a basic claim looks like as an insurance summary:
We are not attorneys or expert licensed adjusters. We cannot advise you on your policy content. We are, however, experts in remodeling. We provide expert advice on proper construction practice, best materials and our historical record of accurate pricing based on our several years of experience working in the Chicago area.
Within a free market economy, prices can vary among providers for the same product or service. It is important to understand that insurance does not set prices, but rather uses software that acts as a reporter of market price information. While insurance carriers can offer accurate and fair pricing, they often leave important job costs and materials required by local building codes out of their estimates. Reliance Roof Troop submits these additional costs for insurance to approve and pay at no additional cost to you.
Insurance Law dictates that “a roof or siding replacement project is a unified product comprised of all its component parts and materials, including underlayment, flashing, deck sheathing, valleys, nails, caulk, drip edges, shingles, house wrap, backer board and accessory trim j-channels etc.” All components are integral to the roof/siding systems and are deemed a covered loss. After all, a system is only as strong as its weakest link. Reliance Roof Troop, a local General Contractor, can quickly determine what components need to be included so the job is up to local building code and manufacturer requirements and supplement as a code upgrade. These code upgrades give you both peace of mind and increased home value (ROI). The cost for you is nothing. You just turned an unfortunate event into a secure investment.
Some insurance carriers ask their policyholders to get three bids and choose the cheapest option. This is not a requirement, but only a request. Your deductible doesn't change if you find a lower estimate. Besides, if you were to get your knee replaced, would you get bids and go with the cheapest? Or would you research, interview and choose the best doctor that was focused on properly assessing and bringing your knee to a condition better than it was before? You don’t owe your insurance the cheapest bid. You do owe yourself the opportunity to interview and choose the right contractor. Here are things to consider when choosing the right contractor:
1) Is the contractor local? Licensed and insured?
2) What grade of shingle or siding are they using? What type of manufacturer warranties are offered?
3) What type of underlayment are they using? How much Ice & Water shield will be installed on the roof?
4) Is the contractor replacing or re-using roof accessories like leads, vents, step and chimney flashing, etc.?
5) What is the contractor's ventilation plan?
6) Is the contractor offering a workmanship warranty?
Don’t get fooled into choosing the wrong contractor. Why sacrifice quality when you have this opportunity? Hiring Reliance Roof Troop allows homeowners to receive a quality roof and siding system installed with no shortcuts, no additional out of pocket costs, and guaranteed long-term workmanship and manufacturer warranties.
In the event you are unsure if your home was impacted by a recent storm, feel free to reach out. We offer free inspections with proper documentation. Best case scenario, there is no damage, and we provide a clean bill of health. If any wear and tear touch ups are warranted, we can often do these repairs on site for a small fee. If there is legitimate damage from a storm, then we can advise if its worth filing a claim to replace your roof or siding. Our reps are HAAG Certified to properly inspect for both hail & wind damage. We do not believe in high pressure sales tactics so give us a call to set up your free inspection. We will take the time to explain everything and look forward to you interviewing us. You have nothing to lose and peace of mind to gain!
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