Hail damage can cause many problems for business owners – especially when it results in significant commercial roof damage. While there may be obvious signs of damage to the property’s exterior, interior damage can also pose major issues if the hail is dense enough to puncture the roof. In these instances, one of the most important steps business owners should take to mitigate the potential financial burden of the destruction is to file a commercial insurance claim for roof hail damage.
Filing a Commercial Insurance Claim for Roof Hail Damage in Texas
Certain areas of the nation are more prone to inclement weather than others, including Texas. As cities and suburban neighborhoods continue to grow in the Lone Star State, so does the potential for a devastating hailstorm to strike a major city. Roof damage, in particular, is the single most-claimed item for repair or replacement after a hailstorm, placing numerous business owners at risk of hundreds of thousands of dollars in commercial roofing claims.
Because Texas can see many instances of severe weather in a single year, roof systems often suffer a great deal of damage. Even if insurance covers the repairs, navigating the claims process can be stressful and complicated, usually requiring multiple follow-ups with adjusters, contractors, and other third parties.
While most insurance providers require timely notice of damage, it can take days or even weeks to determine the severity of the loss. Though some policies allow for extensions when reporting claims, doing it sooner rather than later can be more beneficial. Timely claims reporting helps policyholders because it removes the potential for the insurance company to deny a claim for not being filed closer to the time of the event. Despite your timely and valid claims submission, insurers may still argue the hail damage was due to normal wear and tear. Additionally, even if the insurer agrees to cover the damage, they can use late reporting as a factor to pay for a portion of the costs rather than the full amount.
Before Filing a Roof Hail Damage Claim
After a business suffers hail damage, owners must quickly inform their insurance provider. However, in these instances, it is important to consider certain key elements well before hail or another damaging weather event occurs, such as:
- Timing: It can take weeks for a commercial property owner to discover the full impact of roof hail damage. In some instances, business owners may only discover it after the water has entered the building and caused interior damage. Because of this, property owners must be diligent in finding and reporting the damage to avoid creating additional claims obstacles.
- Adjacent properties: In the event of a severe hailstorm, multiple properties in the area may have suffered similar damage. The volume of claims carriers must process can leave claimants waiting for long periods before the damage can be reviewed, much less repaired. Inspectors, adjusters, roofers, and other necessary contractors may be overrun with demands, which can delay repairs and add to the cost of a claim.
- High claim volume: Hailstorms are a very big reality in Texas, which can see hundreds of hail events in a single year. The high volume of property damage caused by hail can increase the odds of claims being denied as insurers can only afford to pay out a certain amount in claims before it impacts their profits. So they will look for reasons to deny claims.
How to Start an Insurance Claim for Roof Hail Damage
Once a business owner has discovered hail damage is present to the property’s roof, the following steps must be taken to begin the claims process. Including:
- Assess and document the damage: Immediately after a hailstorm, commercial property owners should have a reputable roofing contractor help inspect roofs for damage. Even if a roof appears fine, there can still be internal damage or damage that is not visible that a roofer will know how to diagnose. If a roof has any standing water, if there are stained ceilings and walls in the interior of a building, or if there are obvious dents in a roof, it is likely to have suffered hail damage. These and any other points of concern should be documented with photos and video evidence that can be provided to the insurer as proof of damage.
- Contact the insurance provider: Business owners should contact their insurance provider immediately after the damage has been assessed and documented. The insurance company will then refer the property owner to a claims adjuster, who will further investigate the damage and review all supporting documentation.
- Secure the property: Damage from particularly large hail will likely not be contained to one area of the property. Damage to doors, windows, fences, as well as the property’s roof, can result in further losses from vandalism or injury claims. By working to minimize further losses by boarding up broken windows or adding extra surveillance commercial property owners can help ensure their claim is accurately processed.
- Make temporary repairs when necessary: When a property suffers hail damage, claims adjusters will usually want to inspect the damage for themselves. This can quickly lead to claims being undervalued if owners make attempts to clean up or repair the damaged property before the insurance agent has seen the damage. While some repairs may need to be made to mitigate further damage, these must be temporary changes like cordoning off dangerous areas and maintaining records of all repairs made to properly obtain reimbursement.
If an insurer approves a claim for roof hail damage, commercial property owners can then begin repairs. Unfortunately, however, this does not always happen and claims can be denied or grossly underpaid. While insurers deny or underpay claims regardless of the circumstances, a roof that is not regularly maintained may provide insurers a reason to deny the claim. To prevent this, property owners should conduct regular roofing inspections, keep the area clear of debris, and remove potential hazards like tree branches that could damage the roof before a hailstorm occurs.
Time Limits for Filing Commercial Roof Damage Claims
Insurance providers often have different deadlines for roofing insurance claims that should be specifically outlined in a commercial property policy. These timelines can vary based on the type of damage sustained. When it comes to storm and hail damage claims, there is typically a more generous time window for filing – however, all property damage claims should be filed as promptly as possible, regardless of the time limit. In most cases, commercial policies will allow owners to file hail and storm damage claims within one year of the damage occurring.
Protecting Against Hail Damage Losses
The most effective way for commercial property owners to avoid paying for costly hail repairs is to understand the potential risk for damage and ensure the business is protected before the next storm hits.
It’s imperative to keep in mind the weather conditions that could lead to hail formation. Haigh winds in a thunderstorm have the potential to blow rain higher into the air, freezing the rain and collecting it into heavy chunks of ice that can fall to the ground as hail. Meaning that if heavy rain, hurricanes, tornadoes, or any other form of severe weather is forecast, there is a good chance hail may be present.
Commercial property owners should also take certain measures to ensure a hail damage claim is successful. This includes refamiliarizing themselves with their current insurance policies. Knowing if the policy contains protections for all weather-related damage or only certain perils, if it only covers the cost of repairs or to replace the entire roof can help mitigate the potential of a delay, underpayment, or denial of the claim.
Additionally, having a good understanding of the current policy can help owners be informed of any coverage updates they may need to make. This is because the coverage that may have worked while a business was being established may not fully cover a budding commercial enterprise. Commonly overlooked policies can include things like business interruption insurance, which can help replace lost revenue and cover employee salaries while the company undergoes repairs.
Lastly, business owners of all types must maintain good records. The insurance company will need a variety of information to properly value the claim, including lost inventory, any out-of-pocket expenses that need to be reimbursed, as well as the amount of monthly operating costs. Maintaining good records of your assets, profits, payroll, and holdings can make the claims process work much smoother and help ensure a more positive outcome.
Commercial Property Insurance Claim Attorneys
Dealing with the aftermath of a hailstorm can be incredibly stressful. While business owners may be eager to get back to work after a storm, they may be faced with the time-consuming task of repairing a roof. Although policyholders may find comfort in having a commercial insurance policy that covers hail damage, insurance companies will do all they can to avoid paying out valid claims.
At Raizner Slania, we understand just how frustrating these situations can be. Our team of commercial property coverage attorneys knows the various ways insurers attempt to thwart the claims process for their financial gain. If your property suffered hail damage and you need assistance with a claim that has been delayed, underpaid, or denied, we can help.
