In August 2020, Columbus Inn, an iconic restaurant in Wilmington, DE, sustained wind damage from the F2 tornado that had touched down nearby. The cedar shakes on the roof had visibly been blown off. I approached the business owner and explained that he could settle for repairs, or, if he allowed me to work with him and his insurance carrier, I could potentially get his roof replaced for the cost of his deductible. Though it took a few months and a little elbow grease on my part with the insurance carrier, the insurance claim was approved and the legitimate damages were paid in excess of $85,000. The out of pocket expense to this business owner was $500 and another happy client was in the books. Handling a storm damage insurance claim the right way is exactly what turns a little visible roof damage into a fully covered replacement.
Why File a Storm Damage Insurance Claim?
Severe storm events are usually specific to a locale, but it is the neighboring properties and surrounding areas that sustain less visible and often ‘hidden damages’. Many of these homeowners and business owners have no idea that they should have their legitimate damage inspected by a qualified contractor and their insurance carrier. There is no punitive recourse to filing a claim for wind or hail related storm damage. Why? This is because a policyholder is bound by their contractual obligation in the ‘duty’ section of their policy to bring to the attention of the insurance company any storm related activity that they feel may have occurred to the property. If you decide to file a claim, don’t Go It Alone. For a plain-English overview of the process, the Insurance Information Institute explains how to file a homeowners claim.
Don’t Navigate a Storm Damage Insurance Claim on Your Own
The biggest mistake I see homeowners and business owners make is thinking that they can file a claim and navigate the claim process on their own. Wrong! I have handled tens of millions of dollars of insurance claims over the last decade and in my experience, it is my most learned policyholders that often think they can play ‘the claim game’ better than someone who does it for a living. These types typically call me once they achieve the predictable unsatisfactory result; a denial, or an underpaid partial approval. They then ask me to help them out. Doing this makes my job far harder than it ever needed to be. Had they just allowed me to work with them from the beginning, I would have had a much better chance of getting the desired results.
I founded Marathon Restoration because of my passion to serve others and be an example to my kids. My time is spent educating myself and others how the insurance process works. I know the traps carriers set to trip up ‘chuck in a truck’ contractors and unwitting policyholders. The insurance company may very well be nice and professional, but they are not your friend! An insurance claim is a game of chess, not checkers. My HAAG certification, continuous attendance at industry specific storm restoration conferences backed with years of experience is what separates Marathon from the rest. A qualified, certified, experienced contractor is a must if you file a storm related insurance claim.
I see beyond the repair to the potential for a full roof and siding replacement. A recent homeowner didn’t believe me when I explained that just a few blown asphalt shingles could warrant a full roof replacement. Like countless others, I advised him to take the leap of faith with Marathon, and in the end, that I would blow his mind. Upon meeting his insurance adjuster and inspecting the property damage with him, I successfully showed that the legitimate storm damage, much of it hidden to the untrained eye, warranted not only a full roof replacement, but all four sides of his ugly and dated aluminum siding needed replacement too. Policyholder paid his insurance deductible and I installed his new roof and siding with the $42,0000 of insurance money.
Client’s mind blown! I love my job.
Dealing with storm damage? See how our storm restoration team handles the repair and the claim, or call us anytime.