How to Initiate an Insurance Claim
When you call your insurance company to initiate your claim, we strongly recommend contacting the claims department directly, not your local insurance agent. The claims department is there for a reason. Your insurance company has systems in place to help expedite claims, starting with the trained representatives in the claims department.
Your Insurance Claim
The claims processor will ask what type of damage you’re reporting or the cause of the damage. If it was just hail, simply tell them your roof has hail damage. If it was just wind, tell them it is wind damage. However, there are some instances when a combination of hail and wind caused the damage. In that case, tell the claims specialist that the damage is specifically from hail and wind. We don’t want you to incur two claims, one from hail that happened last week and possibly one from wind that occurred a few months ago. If there are two claims, there will be two deductibles, and that’s not what you want.
Surprisingly, many insurance agents do not know much about the claims process. Some will suggest that you get several bids for the work you anticipate having done. This is not a requirement of any insurance company, and it is a waste of everyone’s time. Most roofing contractors will agree to work for the amount that the insurance company agrees to pay to restore the roof, gutters, and other parts of the property back to the condition it was in before the event that caused the damage.
Your Steps For Filing An Insurance Claim
Step 1
Have your policy number and the date of the damaging event at hand when you call. For the best service and fastest response from your insurance company, call their customer service claim line.
Step 2
Explain that your roofing contractor, the Jack Caton Roofing Team, has inspected your roof and found sufficient damage to warrant initiating a claim.
Step 3
The claims specialist will ask when the damage occurred. If you do not know for sure, ask Jack Caton Roofing Team or tell the representative that we discovered the damage recently when we inspected the roof. Next, they may ask which parts of your home were damaged. Inform them that the roof is definitely damaged, but there may also be some damage to the siding, paint, and possibly the gutters and downspouts.
The claims representative may set a date and time for an adjuster’s inspection at that moment, or the adjuster may call you later to arrange the details. Regardless of when you schedule the adjuster’s inspection, it’s crucial to gather all the necessary information, including the adjuster’s name and phone number and the date and time of the scheduled inspection.
Step 4
Next, you need to say these magic words: “I want my contractor, the Jack Caton Roofing Team, to be present at the adjuster’s inspection.” If they ask you why, state that you want to have representation for yourself as the homeowner. We’ll get on the roof with the adjuster to make sure they are aware of all the damage and walk through the property with them to make sure that they note all damage.
Our experience is that a homeowner gets a more comprehensive claim when we are present for the adjuster’s inspection. Also, the adjuster will be more likely to stick to the time they initially scheduled if you make it clear that we will be there too. If the adjuster changes the date or time, please let us know.
Step 5
Call Amy at Jack Caton Roofing Team with the adjuster’s meeting information, or send her an email at jackcatonroofing@gmail.com. You can reach Amy at (719) 338-1441.
Step 6
We will meet the adjuster and ensure they complete a thorough inspection of your house’s roof and other components that were damaged by storms. When the adjuster’s inspection is complete, we will contact you regarding their findings, as will the adjuster.
Step 7
It is vital to share the insurance claim estimate with us because we will know if the insurance adjuster included the necessary details. We will ensure the adjuster has been fair and just, allowing an adequate amount of money for each component of the job.
We Review the Claim Estimate
If we find that everything is in order with the claim estimate, we will contact you with our findings, answer your questions, and address any concerns you may have. If we find issues with the claim estimate, we will contact the adjuster, discuss our concerns, and reach a satisfactory resolution. Adjusters understand that their priority is to get the property back in its original condition. For the most part, they prefer to err on the policyholder’s side because they want to keep you as a customer.
If you have already had your roof inspected by your insurance company and have a claim you would like us to review or explain to you, we will be happy to do so with no cost or obligation.
You can reach us by calling (719) 338-1441 or filling out the contact form below.
We Invoice the Insurance Company
We will submit the invoice for the work we have done to the insurance company in the format they prefer. You do not have to worry about doing this yourself. When there are supplements (the fee for the building permit, the starter course, or overhead and profit), we include all necessary documentation with the invoice we submitted on your behalf. Plus, any questions from the insurance company are directed to us rather than you.
We must emphasize that the original claim is an estimate, not the final amount the insurance company will pay. The initial claim estimate and the amount the insurance company finally agrees to pay may initially be quite a bit apart. Insurance adjusters don’t always have the correct pricing information or missed items that should have been included. In some instances, a claim will include Overhead and Profit or O&P. This is the contractor’s overhead and profit, to assist contractors in earning a fair profit. It is not a bonus to the policyholder and belongs to the contractor.
When We Invoice the Homeowner
Once the insurance company has approved the final invoice and payment to the homeowner, we will issue the Jack Caton Roofing Team’s invoice to you. Our invoice will reflect the total amount charged for our work, any payments credited toward the total amount, credits that we extended, and the balance due on the account.
Our invoice does not break down every item. We itemize these charges on the insurance claim estimate and the invoice submitted to the insurance company. We have found that any further itemization will only complicate an already somewhat confusing and complex experience. The invoice will be emailed to the homeowner.
Along with the invoice, you will also receive a certificate of completion and a lien waiver affidavit releasing the homeowner and the property from any mechanics liens upon payment of the balance, due in full. We recommend keeping this paperwork in case there are any questions about what material we used or the color of the shingles. Please feel free to contact us at (719) 338-1441 or fill out the contact form below if you have any questions.
Why Choose Jack Caton Roofing Team
to Help with My Insurance Claim?
The best answer to this is to read our reviews, ask your real estate professional about the Jack Caton Roofing Team, ask us for a list of recently completed projects. We are dedicated to doing what many other contractors don’t do. We keep you and anyone else who may be impacted by a roof replacement informed, and make sure the property is at least as clean and neat as when we started the project. Smoking and music are not allowed on property. We inform the neighbors that we are installing a roof and ask them to call us if any trash from the job ends up in their yard. We’ll be happy to come by and pick it up.
Check out our glowing
Google Reviews
(Link is also in the map)
Jack Caton Roofing Team
Serving Colorado Springs
And the Pike’s Peak Region
(719) 338-1441
Business Hours
8:30 AM to 5 PM Mon-Fri