Roof Damage Claims

Property owners need to routinely inspect and document the condition of their property. This is important for two reasons. First, it establishes a baseline in terms of the condition of a property prior to a loss. Second, regular inspections will allow you to discover whether property damage has occurred which will require a claim to be filed.

If you own an investment property, you may not be aware of a storm hitting the building. Even if you are an occupier of your property, the storm may have happened outside of normal operating hours. You may assume there is no damage because you can’t see anything from the ground or you aren’t having any leaks. Wind and storm damage can cause damage that may not be readily apparent.

Another issue to understand is how wind damage may affect a water or flood claim. Most policies do not cover floods. However, you may have coverage for water/flood damage if the infiltration of the water occurred as a result of an opening caused by a covered peril (i.e. wind).

If you are a property owner in Texas, here are a few ideas on how to handle your storm claim:

• Be vigilant. Know the condition of your roof. If you are aware of a storm, go and inspect your roof quickly. Don’t wait. Insurance companies are more suspicious of claims that are made several months after the fact.
• File your claim quickly.
• Mitigate your loss. Make temporary repairs to the part of the building that was damaged. Make certain the repairs are enough to prevent further loss.
• Know your policy. Are you entitled to ACV or RCV? What are the exclusions under the policy? Are there coinsurance penalties? What is the deductible and how is it calculated? What are your notice requirements under the policy?

If you own property in Texas, chances are good that you will have an insurance claim for storm damage at some point. If you are having trouble settling your property insurance claim, get in touch with me.