As Spring storms moved through Friday afternoon and over the weekend, I spent a good hour cleaning out my garage to make sure I could get a car inside in the event of hail (I’m not the only one who rarely parks in my garage, right?) With that in mind, our guest blogger today is my friend and business partner David Rambie with Dexter & Company. He is sharing timely and pertinent information on hail damage and home insurance coverage with us below! Thank you, David!
Hail is obviously a big issue in DFW and especially so this time of year. The age of your roof is probably the number one driver of homeowners’ premiums so it’s important to accurately reflect the age of your roof when obtaining insurance so that if/when claims do occur, there are no discrepancies or issues replacing the roof. We almost always suggest 1% wind/hail deductibles with our customers.
The insurance companies have very specific formulas when it comes to hail. Generally speaking, hail damage needs to be at least ping pong but usually golf ball sized hail in order to cause roof damage. Additionally, if there are very high winds then it could make sense for smaller sized hail to cause damage. You can tell the difference with high winds as the damage to the roof is usually pulled up and/or ripped shingles. The adjusters for any insurance company have access to an online database that will show storms that generate hail, the date, size of hail and wind velocity. They have tools that will show what damage was caused by which storm.
When it comes to hail claims, the actual owner of the home is responsible whether the house is their primary residence, used as a rental property and leased out, under contract with a new buyer, and even if the property is under renovation.
As with all claims, I always tell my clients to call me first so I can guide and advise them on the proper steps. I suggest getting an independent evaluation of the roof before filing a claim or even calling the insurance carrier. These days, even calling into the insurance company will show up on your insurance record for five years, regardless of whether or not you end up filing a claim.
Have other insurance related questions for David? Let us know. David Rambie is a resident of Lakewood. In his free time you will find him coaching baseball and soccer or playing golf with his 1st grade son, Tres.
