DFW Roof Insurance Claims

Dallas Fort Worth Roof Insurance Claims

At D&G Roof Systems, LLC, a significant percentage of our business consists of re-roofing residential buildings due to storm related damage, such as wind and hail. D&G Roof Systems is committed to working closely with the homeowner and their insurance company to ensure that the claim is paid fairly and properly. We take great pride in providing a turnkey service to the homeowner to ensure that their property is restored to its pre-loss condition with as little inconvenience to the homeowner as possible. In addition to the roof, our restoration services include gutters, fences, window glass, skylights, window screens, siding, drywall, carpet, interior and exterior painting. We have the knowledge and expertise to restore every aspect of your home, saving you time from having to contract all of these services separately. We perform free pre-claim inspections for homeowners and provide this service to several insurance offices in the markets we serve as well. We use the same methods as insurance adjusters to determine the extent of the damage to a property.

What You Should Know About the Insurance Claims Process

In most cases, homeowners will call their insurance agent when a loss occurs. Most agents will recommend that the homeowner have a contractor inspect the damage to help determine the extent of the loss, and whether or not the damage warrants a claim. In the event that the loss qualifies for a claim, the homeowner calls the claim in to their insurance company. The claims department will then schedule an adjuster to go assess the damage and write the claim. Once the adjuster has written the claim, the homeowner is issued a Claim Summary that outlines what the insurance company is agreeing to repair or replace, and the fair market replacement value of the work needed.

Along with the claim summary, the homeowner will receive a portion of the money owed on the claim. This first installment is the depreciated value of the loss, minus the homeowner’s deductible. The deductible is the portion of the loss that the Homeowner is responsible for paying, as defined in their policy. At this time, the homeowner can chose a contractor to complete the repairs. Once all work is completed, the homeowner can recover the withheld depreciation amount, at which point all additional money owed on the claim is paid. The only exception to the homeowner being able to recover the depreciation is if the policy is an Actual Cash Value policy. However, Actual Cash Value policies are somewhat rare in regions with frequent hail storms.

How D&G Roof Systems Can Help

D&G Roof Systems is committed to working closely with the homeowner and their insurance company to ensure that the claim is paid fairly and properly. We take great pride in providing a turnkey service to the homeowner to ensure that their property is restored to its pre-loss condition with as little inconvenience to the homeowner as possible.

We perform free pre-claim inspections for homeowners and provide this service to several insurance offices in the markets we serve as well. We use the same criteria as insurance adjusters, to determine the extent of the damage to a property. This approach is important to homeowners for several reasons. First, it helps prepare the homeowner for what they can expect from their insurance company should a claim be necessary. Second, it minimizes discrepancies between all parties involved. Lastly, it ensures that D&G Roof Systems can effectively reconcile the claim to ensure that it is paid properly and fairly and that the insurance claim covers the entire loss incurred by the homeowner.

If a homeowner chooses D&G Roof Systems as their contractor, we work with them to complete all of the work on the claim. We use only high quality roofing products and materials that are all backed by the manufacturer’s warranty. All installations are done by our professional crews and backed by a five year workmanship warranty. A project manager oversees each job and is responsible for all aspects of the process, including: the initial inspection, reconciling the claim, supervising completion of all repairs, final walk through with the homeowner upon completion, invoicing, and requesting release of depreciation on behalf of the homeowner. D&G Roof Systems provides a truly turnkey process for our customers. Of course, references are available upon request.

Is It Legal For A Roofer To Waive My Deductible?

D&G Roof Systems has completed thousands of insurance roofing and restoration projects over the years, and our sales associates are commonly asked by customers whether it is possible for us to “cover the deductible” on an insurance claim for roof repairs. This puts our associates in a difficult position because it is a delicate subject that most homeowners are not completely educated about. Many contractors that seem legitimate approach homeowners and tell them that it is legal to cover a deductible on insurance repairs. In fact, it is a common practice for some roofers, and you may even see them advertise a “Free Roof”. It is not our position to tell homeowners they are being unethical or committing insurance fraud for asking about something they see openly in the market. What we can do is explain the insurance claim process and let homeowners determine for themselves what is a legal and ethical business practice.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, it is an illegal, yet disturbingly common trend for contractors to cover deductibles, and the prices they offer can be tough to compete with. However, rather than compromising our ethics and cutting our costs by using cheaper labor and materials, we spend the time to educate our customers on the insurance claim process, the quality of our roof system, and the importance of using a reputable contractor. The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” certainly applies in this situation, as there is a significant difference in quality between a roofing contractor that covers deductibles and one that doesn’t. The biggest risk to homeowners in these situations (aside from committing a crime) is doing business with dishonest contractors with low overheads, poor workmanship, lower quality materials, and no warranties. Insurance companies are not overpaying claims by any means – they pay exactly what it should cost a reputable company to complete the job correctly, with fair profit and overhead. By kicking back money to customers, contractors can’t afford to provide a quality service with the small amount of profit that is left after they cover the homeowners’ deductible. It’s not only illegal, it’s also not a sustainable business model.

The illegality of covering deductibles comes from the insurance fraud aspect of it. Most insurance claims are written with Replacement Cost Value (RCV) provisions in the policy, which pays homeowners in multiple parts for repairing their home. The only way to get all of the money from an insurance claim is for a contractor to provide the invoice to the insurance company for the completed work. For example: a hail storm hits a home, the homeowner files an insurance claim and a claims adjuster is sent to inspect the damage. The adjuster determines it will cost $15,000 to complete the repairs. There is a $1,500 deductible, which is subtracted from the estimate. The roof isn’t brand new, so that depreciation (e.g. $3,000) is also subtracted from the estimate. The insured is given a first check for $10,500 instead of $15,000 ($1,500 deductible and the $3000 depreciation are withheld). The remaining $3,000 worth of depreciation is only recoverable when an invoice of $15,000 or greater is received from a roofing contractor or general contractor (a homeowner can’t bill for the work without an invoice) and that check is then sent to the homeowner.

If an insurance company knows the work is being completed for less, they will provide less money. They won’t just give you the extra money for you to keep. For example: If the homeowner was able to complete the work for $13,000 instead of $15,000, insurance would only release $11,500 total instead of $13,500 (using the totals above, minus the $1,500 deductible) to the homeowner. When a contractor says they will cover your deductible, they are billing the insurance company for the entire amount on the claim ($15,000), but only charging the homeowner $13,500. The discrepancy between the price billed to the insurer and the price billed to the homeowner is a breach of contract, or fraud, between the insured and the insurer. It requires both the homeowner and contractor to falsify information given to your insurance company.

Our advice to homeowners is to check references, never give money to a contractor before the materials show up, and make sure you’re not getting put in a situation where you may be breaking the law just to get a “better deal” – and of course – call D&G Roof Systems for a free, no obligation inspection!

To learn more about insurance laws- go to http://www.tdi.texas.gov/index.html

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