Q: How can I tell if I have hail damage?
A: Homeowners with hail damage may notice small dents on rain gutters or air conditioning units, missing or bent shingles, washout (granules accumulating in gutters or downspouts), moist areas on your ceiling indicating leaks, cracks or dents in windows or siding, shredded plants and flowers, leaves knocked off trees and dents in cars parked on the street. If your car has damage, or your neighbors are getting their roof replaced, chances are your property has sustained damage as well.

Q: What does a hail hit look like on an asphalt roof?
A: A hail hit on asphalt shingles looks like a dark spot, or bruise, where the roofing granules have been knocked away. In some cases you may find holes, cracking, or missing shingles on roofs that have been damaged by hail.

Q: My home was hit by hail, but I don’t see any damage. What should I do?
A: It can be difficult to identify signs of hail damage, and almost impossible to do so from ground level. Have a trained hail damage restoration professional inspect your property and look for damage that can lead to leaks, flooding, structural damage and other serious issues.

Q: What are the risks of not fixing a hail damaged roof?
A: The most common problems associated with hail damage are leaking water and flooding. Over time, water that leaks through tiny holes in your roof caused by hail can cause serious issues including water damage, mold and structural damage, including roof collapse.

Q: My roof is damaged. Can I just fix it myself?
A: If your roof has been damaged by a storm and you are filing an insurance claim to pay for the repairs, there is no advantage to doing the work yourself. Hire a reputable roofing contractor, with hail damage restoration experience that is committed to quality workmanship.

Q: Can storm damage impact the resale value of my property?
A: Yes. If you plan to sell your home in the future, it is critical to address storm damage issues immediately. Many homeowners are shocked to learn they have costly storm damage to repair before they can sell, long after the time to file an insurance claim has expired.

Q: My home is fairly new. Won’t my homebuilder’s warranty cover the repairs?
A: No. Storm damage is almost always a named exclusion in manufacturers, homebuilders and contractors warranties, which are designed to cover issues with materials and workmanship, not storm damage, or other factors beyond control.

Q: My roof is leaking. What should I do?
A: You have two basic options. First, you can try to fix the problem by repairing or patching your roof. Or, you can completely replace your roof. If you are filing an roof insurance claim, you should contact a reputable insurance roof claim restoration contractor who can help you determine the best option for your situation.

Q: What does hail do to a roof?
A: On shingle roofs, hail causes damage to the tiny granules that protect your roof from the sun. As the asphalt underlayment is exposed, the corners start to curl up and become brittle. Hail damage can cause your roof to leak and on tile, slate, and shake single roofs, hail can cause cracking, breaking and accelerated shingle aging. The most common hail damage issues are:

• Leaking, dripping and water stains in your house
• Hail damage accelerates shingle aging and granule loss
• Reduces the value of your home
• Can cause mold and structural damage
• Voids manufacturer warranty for materials

Q: How much damage does my roof need to require a full replacement?

A: Typically, if your roof has 10-16 verified hits per 100 square feet, your insurance company will declare your roof a total loss, and replace your roof.

Q: Do I need to get my roof replaced right away?

A: The devastating nature of hail damage is that you might not start experiencing problems, such as leaking, mold, or structural damage right away. But, because most insurance companies limit the time you can file a claim, it is important to get your roof inspected and fixed immediately, before your time to file a claim expires.

Q: Why would my insurance company pay to replace my roof?

A: The purpose of insurance is to protect your property against losses that affect value, functionality and safety. If your home has sustained damage, your insurance company will provide compensation to have your property repaired. If you fail to file a claim to have the damages repaired and more damages occur such as mold, wood rot and drywall damage from water intrusion after the period to file a claim for the hail storm that has affected your area is closed there is a good chance your insurance company will drop you from the policy for negligence or what they like to call “deferred maintenance”.

Q: I had a damage inspection and initially my insurance company denied my claim. So, I called a contractor and requested another inspection with my contractor present. During the second inspection, my insurance company concluded there was significant damage and “totalled” my roof. Why such a dramatic turnaround?

A: There are many reasons why this can happen, but it’s a pretty common story. Sometimes insurance adjusters are inexperienced and don’t know what to look for. Other times they simply make mistakes. Sadly, it is becoming more common for insurance companies to deny claims, hoping you won’t re-file. Remember, your insurance company is in business to make money, so protect yourself by always having a contractor that specializes in Storm Roof repair and replacement is present during inspections.

Q: What are the worst insurance companies for denying insurance claims?

A: The American Justice Association (www.justice.org) produces an annual list of the worst insurance companies for denying claims across the insurance industry. If your insurance company is on this list, make sure you hire a reputable contractor like www.johnsonroofingorlando.com to fight for your rights.

1. Allstate
2. Unum
3. AIG
4. State Farm www.statefarm.com
5. Conseco
6. Wellpoint
7. Farmers
8. United Health
9. Torchmark
10. Liberty Mutual