βMy roof is fine.β
- According to someone I see every week.
- He said all the roofs around him are getting replaced but his is fine (even though he hasnβt had a proper inspection).
Why it matters: When you live in one of the top insurance markets for roofing like DFW, cynicism is easy.
- Sometimes itβs appropriate.
π₯ Reality check: Roofing is an unlicensed trade in Texas, which means we have more than our share of shady contractors trying to game the system.
- Insurance companies have endured lots of large losses and are becoming more bold in their willingness to tell homeowners something equivalent to, βYour roofer is just being greedy.β
βοΈΒ How it works: Here are some helpful guidelines for you and your friends to keep in mind.
πΒ If you see several roofs in your neighborhood being replaced, have a trusted roofer inspect yours.
- Hail damage on shingles is hard to see from the ground β sometimes impossible to see.
- Legitimate hail damage rarely results in immediate leaks β but the damage reduces the life of the shingle and leads to leaks in time.
πΒ Insurance carriers have started reducing coverage for roofs that are older than 12-15 years.
- A client recently got a letter from insurance stating his roof coverage was going to decrease by 50% once the roof hit 12 years old on August 8.
- He had enough damage to file a claim, and the roof is approved for replacement.
πΒ The likelihood of hail damaging your roof is based on 2 main factors:
- The size of the hail β> Must be at least golfball size.
- The age of the roof β> 10 years old or newer is probably ok unless the hail was baseball size or bigger.
β Β For your Smart Homeowner list
- Please educate yourself on the type of policy you have.
- Putting all the pieces together β> Weβre going to see lots of roofs 12-18 years old that have been totaled by hail but donβt have full coverage.
Best,
Travis