Don’t let this happen to you! Take action now and protect your business. To ensure that your roof hail claim is not denied or underpaid, it is important to have a detailed record of all roof maintenance and repairs, including photos, dates, and descriptions. Additionally, it is important to thoroughly read and understand the language of your insurance policy to ensure that you are aware of any exclusions or limitations that may apply.

Numerous factors affect how a roof covering responds to hail events. Some of these include the roof covering’s age, type, quality, condition, and supporting material as well as variable storm attributes such as hail density, wind direction, and angle of impact.

What are common reasons why insurers deny or underpay hail and wind roof insurance claims?

There are several common reasons why insurers may deny or underpay hail and wind roof insurance claims:

1. Damage not meeting the deductible: Many insurance policies have a deductible that must be met before the insurance company will pay for any damages. If the cost of the repairs is less than the deductible, the insurance company will not pay out the claim.
2. Pre-existing damage: Insurance companies may deny claims for damage that was present on the roof prior to the storm. Policyholders need to have a clear understanding of the condition of their roof prior to filing a claim.
3. Failure to maintain the roof: Insurance companies may also deny claims if the Policyholder has not properly maintained the roof. This could include failing to repair leaks or replacing damaged shingles.
4. Age of the roof: Insurance policies may have restrictions on coverage for older roofs. If the roof is past a certain age, the insurance company may only pay for a partial replacement, rather than a full replacement.
5. Dispute over the cause of the damage: Insurance companies may dispute the cause of the damage, especially if there were other factors at play, such as poor installation, deferred maintenance, improper installation, or inadequate ventilation.
6. Incomplete or inadequate documentation: Insurers require detailed documentation of the damage, including photographs and repair estimates, to support the claim. Failure to provide sufficient documentation can result in a denial or underpayment of the claim.

It is important for home and business owners to review their insurance policies carefully and to work with an experienced contractor to ensure that all necessary repairs are documented and completed to the insurer’s satisfaction.

• Impact tests and field observations have shown that for laminated, glass-fiber reinforced asphalt shingles, hailstones striking perpendicular to the roof surface must be frozen solid and 1 -1/4 inch in diameter or larger before bruises (fractures in the reinforcement mat) and punctures are likely to occur.
• Hail impacts on a TPO roof system are characterized by tears and punctures or fractures of the single-ply membrane.
• Many roofing tiles are designed with a longitudinal interlock to allow proper water shedding in order to match the current surface elevation. The high kinetic energy of the hail impact on the lower corner of the roof tile can cause a point load break, or crack at the over lock corners.  This is not a manufacturing defect of the product, but a point-loading impact that has occurred in a concentrated area.
• Polymer-modified bitumen membranes are composed of fiberglass and/or polyester reinforcement, and their top surfaces are protected by surfacing such as factory embedded granules, factory-bonded foils or field-applied coatings. Hailstones of sufficient size and hardness can puncture, tear or bruise a polymer modified bitumen membrane where they strike and reduce the membrane’s weatherproofing capability. A roof system’s expected service life can be reduced when hail disrupts the membrane’s protective surfacing and exposes its coating bitumen.
• Lastly, it is important to document all hail damage and file your claim as soon as possible.