Know What Your Policy Covers

It’s probably safe to say that every homeowner dreads the day they’re told they need a new roof. Roof replacement in Kansas can be a costly endeavor, one that most homeowners have to plan for. Even minor storm damage in Kansas can sometimes be expensive, depending on the extent of the damage. Fortunately, most homeowners have insurance that takes care of these issues.

But what if the insurance company suddenly changes the criteria for paying out on roof damage claims?

This is what appears to have happened with at least one of the biggest insurance companies on the market. According to some local roofing contractors in Lawrence, State Farm has recently changed its guidelines around what types of roof damage qualify for a claim. This change in policy—not communicated to customers as far as we can tell—makes it much more difficult for homeowners who need roof repair in Lawrence to get reimbursed for storm damage on their Kansas homes, especially hail damage.

Hail Damage Is a Huge Problem for Insurers

According to an article on AccuWeather, State Farm paid more than $3 billion in insurance claims for hail damage alone in Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado in 2020. In previous years, hail damage claims were reimbursed if the hail knocked the granules off the asphalt shingles, exposing the bare surface of the shingles to moisture and other weather elements. Now, we’re hearing that hail damage claims are only reimbursable if the hail is substantial and shingles are visibly broken, chipped, or missing. Any minor divots in the shingles are now considered cosmetic and are no longer reimbursable. This leaves many homeowners with a hefty tab when they need storm-related roof repairs.

Most disturbingly, many homeowners—and their roofing contractors—are unaware of this significant change in policy until they try to file a claim for hail damage. That’s when they figure out that things are different now.

Dropping Customers

Another distressing trend seems to be the tendency for insurance companies to drop customers who’ve had multiple hail damage claims within two or three years. This forces homeowners into an untenable situation as they scramble to pay for much-needed roof repairs and find a new company to provide homeowners insurance at the same time. This situation appears to be happening in other states and countries such as Canada and Australia.

So what does all this mean for homeowners in Lawrence, Kansas?

It means that homeowners need to stay on top of their homeowners insurance policy. Read all communications that come from your insurance company. If they don’t make sense, call your agent for an explanation. You need to know what your policy covers at all times, even if—especially if—the rules are changing.

Shamrock Roofing Can Help with Insurance Claims

Shamrock Roofing and Construction has been in residential roofing for over 55 years. We’re very familiar with the way the homeowners insurance claims process works. We’re also quite familiar with the major carriers in the area. We can help Lawrence homeowners work through the claim process for hail and other storm damage, eliminating some of the stress that goes with this task.

If you need help with roof repair on your Lawrence home or have storm damage in Kansas, contact us at Shamrock Roofing. We’re here to answer your questions and get your roof taken care of. After all, it’s one of your hardest-working assets. Contact us today for more information.