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Roof Insurance Claim

mrfixitusa | Posted in General Discussion on May 5, 2007 08:59am

I’ve got hail damage to my roof and it’s totaled and I will be working through this claim with State Farm, my homeowners insurance.

I have an estimate for a new roof from a local roofing company:

*Remove 20 square

*Install 22 square of 20 year 3 tab composition shingles

*15 lb felt

*New metal edge flashing, pipe flashing, and closed valley

Bid price is $3,200

My deductible is $1,000.

State Farm pays $2,200. Right?

How does the roofing contractor get paid?

I assume I will write him a check for $1,000 when the job is finished.

But State Farm will not want to pay $2,200 until the roof has been replaced.

Does the check from State Farm for $2,200 go to me or the roofing contractor?

Thanks for any advice.

^^^^^^

 

a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

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Replies

  1. theslateman | May 05, 2007 10:22pm | #1

    It's your home and policy- the check will go to you.

    Sometimes it might be made out to both- requiring both signatures.

    1. mrfixitusa | May 05, 2007 10:28pm | #2

      That makes sense. I think they used to hand people a check up front and the homeowner would pocket the money and not do the repair.Now I think they will want something in writing for their file to show the work has been done.Thanks for the info.^^^^^^

       

      a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

  2. Geoffrey | May 05, 2007 11:12pm | #3

    Why not ask your agant? isn't that his job?

                                                                  Geoff

    1. mrfixitusa | May 06, 2007 12:10am | #4

      Yeah, good point, thanks !^^^^^^

       

      a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

      1. alwaysoverbudget | May 06, 2007 12:52am | #5

        is this for last years hail? i don't know of any since then. state farm just sent me the check.i can do with it what i want,but if it hails again i'm s.o.l . do you have a roofing co lined up?larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

        1. mrfixitusa | May 06, 2007 01:16am | #6

          Yes, this is for April of 2006 hail storm.I put off doing anything and then forgot about it and now I need to get something done.My estimate is from Larry Walty Roofing of Andover.I have a friend who is getting ready to have her roof done and I'm going to have that guy look at mine.He is a small, one man company.
          ^^^^^^

           

          a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

          1. alwaysoverbudget | May 06, 2007 06:18am | #10

            i had walty do a roof for me in dec. got right on it,did a nice job,good cleanup,1 day in and out. i would use them again. tell them where you stand on ins payment,they had no problem waiting until ins. paid.hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

          2. mrfixitusa | May 06, 2007 05:22pm | #15

            Larry, this is a different subject - are you having problems with ants this year?I have them every year in my kitchen and have tried spraying it myself I've tried ant traps. I also tried mixing powdered ant poison with powdered sugar and putting it on a plate in the crawl space.Nothing has worked thus far. The ants come and go as they please.This year I decided to bite the bullet and pay someone to do something about it.Yesterday I had my house sprayed for ants and spiders.The guy who sprayed works for a small two man company.He sprayed in the inside, outside, and the crawl space for $85.He provides a written report detailing the chemicals used.I notice today the ants are completely gone.^^^^^^

             

            a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

        2. mrfixitusa | May 06, 2007 01:41am | #7

          Another avenue is to do it myself.I could buy all the shingles, materials, flashing, and pay for a dumpster with the $2,200 from State Farm.I would then make $1,000 for my labor (by not having to pay the $1,000 deductible).Right?^^^^^^

           

          a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

          1. BilljustBill | May 06, 2007 05:41am | #9

            If you policy has a replacement clause and not a Depreciation clause, you should get your money for what it would cost to have a company tearoff the old and replace it with the equal/same quality roof.  Less your deductible, you should have gotten half of what's owed you and then the remainder when the job is completed.   Doing it yourself usually isn't allowed.

              I just bought some Owens/Corning 30 year pro shingles for my shed project.  With the sale of 15% off, they cost me $13.39 a bundle.  They are sculptured shingles and the Driftwood color seems to be good for the Southern sun.  A bundle of 3-tab shingles sells for about $12, are only 20 year warranted, and look so plain.  Go with a sculptured shingle.  It looks good and next time you have to replace them (when prices are going to be still higher) the insurance company will have to give you more money for a better quality roof.

              Last thing that might help is to wait for the "Ambulance Chaser" roofers to clear out and stay with a local business so if a problem arises, they are there....   After a hail storm and several houses and happy owners using a roofing company, I had the same roof company which was based 20 miles away in Grandbury, Texas, to roof my house.  It leaked and caused the eight year old carpet in the livingroom to become damaged as it also flooded and damaged a 1940's Mahogany dining table.   To my worst nightmare, the owner of the company was a CROOK....even though he said he "taught a men's class's Sunday School teacher" on our first meeting and estimate. 

            In Texas, if a business causes you damage, they are only responsible for the cost of the damage...LESS TIME/DEPRECIATION, but he told me to order new carpeting and it would be paid for as would the repair to the table top.  He took my dining table and had it refinished.  But when it came time to settle on the leaking roof damages, he went to the business that refinished it, picked it up and took it to his home.  He called me and told me he would KEEP IT until I agreed to sign a release for the depreciated amount.  I'd already turned the leak damage over to the Insurance company, so I actually couldn't give him a release, it was up to the Insurance company to do that.  Knowing we were to have family over for the holiday, it was dark the evening before Thanksgiving, when he brought back the refinished table.  It wasn't until the State Farm agent called him,  that the Roofing Crook brought my table back.  Thank goodness for the staff at State Farm.

               Bill

          2. Piffin | May 06, 2007 12:45pm | #14

            "...then the remainder when the job is completed. Doing it yourself usually isn't allowed."That hasn't been my experience at all. BTW, those sorm chasers are called Hail-hounds 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          3. User avater
            BillHartmann | May 06, 2007 05:38pm | #16

            Another problem is that storm chasers will come to town and find a roofer or two that would like to retire.Just buy them out. Then they have local yellow pages ads and the phone number that has been in use for 20 years. No body know that they aren't locals that have been around for a long time..
            .
            A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

          4. Piffin | May 06, 2007 12:40pm | #12

            right 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  3. User avater
    robberp | May 06, 2007 05:41am | #8

    If your contractor has good references and you have a contract paying the 1000.00 up front is not too much to ask to get the job done quickly. Most insurance companys send a check to both the home owner and the contractor that way they know the claim has been completed. we operate with a contract with the home owner and when the job is complete we are payed. If the contractor is known up front by the adjuster there is usually no question.

    Nothing says you can't do it yourself if you are confortable with the process but three tab may not be what you wan't to install if hail damage is a problem there are a lot of laminated shingles that show less damage.

    I hope this helps.

  4. Piffin | May 06, 2007 12:38pm | #11

    for a small claim like this State farm may just write you the check.

    Sometimes the check is issued to you AND the roofer.

    I have also done insurance work where the check was isued directly from the ins company to me, but that required another level of paperwork.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  5. Piffin | May 06, 2007 12:41pm | #13

    That's because your kids knocked the outhouse over Mr Stuck-Up!

    ;)

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. User avater
      Matt | May 06, 2007 07:36pm | #17

      OK - I deleted the post and will restate it in a little kinder manner :-)

      To the OP:  You might want to look into a little better 3 tab shingle than 20 yr.   The 20 yr shingles are minimal at best.

      1. Piffin | May 07, 2007 12:28am | #18

        Wanna know what's strange - I have seen many of the old 15 year three tabs last thirty years better than the current 20 year ones last twenty years. I guess we are all aging faster...;) 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        1. User avater
          Matt | May 07, 2007 02:44pm | #19

          I've had bad luck with the 20 yr.  On the starter homes with new construction, they seemed extra prone to damage, and would often get messed up before the house was completed.  You know, siding guys walking on roof, gutter guy leans ladder against edge of roof, etc.  Granted that may not apply as much to re-roofs.  Further though, I feel that when possible, the major components of a house should last if not as long as the mortgage, at least for more than half.  Really though, a roofer (not me) would have to speak to the useful life of 20 yr shingles.  I can only suspect ~12 yrs, depending on environmental conditions.

          1. Piffin | May 07, 2007 10:59pm | #21

            Well, you can't blame the shingles if you let jerks ruin them. start backcharging and see how quick they learn to behave. 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  6. GHR | May 07, 2007 03:21pm | #20

    You can do the job yourself.

    The insurance company will give you a check in your name only if you ask.

  7. User avater
    draftguy | May 08, 2007 01:16am | #22

    We had hail damage to our slate roof last October. Long story short, we're finally getting it taken care of. The insurance company is writing the check to us, and we hand it over to the contractor. But (at least in Ohio), because it's over $10,000, we also have to have the mortgage company cosign it.

    The insurance company is paying half now, and the remainder upon completion. And they'll send someone out to check the roof once construction is done (so no new Mercedes in our future) <g>

  8. bayviewrr | May 08, 2007 05:23am | #23

    I did insurance for 20 yrs prior to changing over to a real job in construction.

    You have to go back to the policy and read the terms and conditions.  In general terms, you probably have replacement cost valuation on the home.  This means your company will pay for you to replace whatever is damaged with like kind and quality.  If you don't replace it and pocket the money (which is your option under the contract), the insurance will pay the depreciated value of the roof (in either settlement, less your deductible). 

    In practice, what the insurance companies usually do is they adjust the claim on both a depreciated and replacement cost basis.  They will issue you the check immediatley after the loss in the amount of the DEPRECIATED valuation and then reimburse you for the replacement value upon completion of the work.   In all my years, I have never seen a company issue a check directly to the contractor, or in your name and the contractor's name, since the insurance contract is between you and your carrier.  They will issue the check in both your name and your mortgage company's name (if you have a mortgage on the house) and the mortgage company may require proof of completion prior to endorsing the check (they want to make sure their investment is repaired).   The mortgagee clause of the contract requires both names on a settlement check.   

    One thing to watch out for is any required upgrades for code.  In general, the companies will not pay for you to upgrade to meet current code.  Example....if you have an old three tab shingle roof which is damaged and current local code requires you to replace any roofs with architectural shingles, the insurance company will pay for a new three tab and not the architectural shingles, even though that is what the local code will require you to install.   Code upgrades are a HUGE insurance issue where I live on a barrier island out in the Atlantic.  Can you say "hurricane windows"?

    Hope this helps.

    Brian.....Bayview Renovations

     

     

     

     

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | May 08, 2007 07:01am | #24

      I have had 3 claims over the years.One was for a freeze and minor water damage.And one was for a small fire. In both of those cases they use an independnet adjustor and I got a check joint check with the a contractor. Turns out that the ajuster had a a friend that he brought around. In the case of the water damage the "contractor" could not be found afterwards and the company re-issued it in my name.For the fire I also had a few thousand in personal property and I had to go through the two stage depreciated and then replacement value routine. A real PITA trying to remember when I got a tool box and each tool that was in it and when each was bought.The last was for hail damage on the roof and they wrote we a full check. But the first one was for repairing it. The adjuster did not understand the difference between comp and wood roofs and wanted to replace individual shinges.BTW, I also have a code rider that will be any adition cost to meet current codes. Don't remember the cost, but it was not much..
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

    2. Piffin | May 08, 2007 11:30am | #25

      "In all my years, I have never seen a company issue a check directly to the contractor, or in your name and the contractor's name, since the insurance contract is between you and your carrier."That is strange. I saw that all the time 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

    3. User avater
      RichBeckman | May 09, 2007 05:52am | #26

      "They will issue you the check immediatley after the loss in the amount of the DEPRECIATED valuation and then reimburse you for the replacement value upon completion of the work."That explains one of my jobs last year. He had an amount from the insurance and paid that promptly. He said he would get the rest from the insurance company, but his explanation of the second payment didn't make any sense to me. I was a bit concerned about whether I was gonna see the rest of the money or not.

      Thanks.

      Rich BeckmanThis signature line intentionally left blank.

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