Why did the insurance estimate go up from the initial estimate?
The initial estimate may change in price based on supplements by your contractor or insurance company. The reason for this is we make sure that the roof is up to code and if anything that is not paid for that should have been is paid for by the insurance company. We always want to make sure that we are able to give our customers the best possible roof they’re able to have and to do this we may have to increase the price that the insurance company gives us. At no point is the customer responsible for these price changes when we go through insurance only the insurance company is held responsible for these changes.
If insurance depreciates my roof, will I have to pay more out of pocket?
No, even if the insurance company holds depreciation back on the roof you do not have to pay more out of pocket. The reason that they do this is yearly your roof depreciates in value, so they only pay for what is currently worth at that time that the inspection took place,however they will release the remaining funds on normal policies at the end of the job once the work is completed. They just want to make sure that work is fully completed and up to their standards before they pay out all of the funds!
Will a lighter color shingle help lower the temperature of the attic?
There has always been a myth that a lighter color shingle will help lower the temperature of the attic. At one point in time this may have been found true but with the type of roofing felt that industry leaders use at this time it does not cause much of a difference at all.
Will filing a claim make our premiums go up?
When filing a claim due to an “Act of God” or storm related damage your premiums are not going to increase. As a homeowner you cannot control when a storm hits your property so because of this you are not allowed to be penalized for so. Anytime you file a claim because your property has been affected by storm related activity you are not to be penalized for doing so.
What is the benefit of upgrading from 3-tab to architectural shingles or architectural to impact resistant?
The main reason Homeowners should upgrade from three tab to architectural shingles is because the wind resistance is much higher on an architectural shingle versus a three tab shingle. With three tabs being such a flat surface and not having many layers and texture to it, it is much easier for the wind to get underneath it and rip off or crease during a storm. Another reason is because you could receive insurance premium reductions due to having a longer lasting shingle on your roof.
What is usually replaced in a typical roof replacement?
Here Burrage Roofing we rip off everything down to the bare-bones of the decking when it comes to replacing the roof. The reason for doing this is, if we do not replace all the structures that were originally on the roof you are more at risk for a leak to accrue in the compromised areas that were not repaired. This consists of all shingles and current felt being replaced, Pipe boots replaced along with being reflashed and any other structures that may need to be addressed.
How do insurance companies determine the price of my roof?
Insurance companies use a software system known as Exactimate to determine an exact price of your roof. The way they do this is similar to real estate, they use what it has cost your neighbors when they had their roof replaced,and the current market value of the items, labor, and overhead to determine what the Insurance estimate should be. The reason Burrage Roofing goes off of the insurance estimate is so you know we are always giving you the fair market value and completing your roof based on the price that comes directly from your insurance company. This also allows us to make sure that insurance does not leave off any code items that may need to be replaced or installed. The INS only pays for what is currently on your roof, however that does not mean that your roof is up to code. There are new code items every year depending on where you are located, that is why it is our job to notice this and make sure insurance has included this on the estimate.
How do insurance companies determine if my roof needs to be replaced?
Insurance companies use a licensed adjuster to report and record damage that is associated with the roof. They are trained and undergo a class to determine what it is and not storm related damage. Just because something is slightly damaged now does not mean that it will not become worse in the future, insurance knows this. Since they only give you a limited time frame to report damage they know they must replace it if it is going to cause further damage later down the line. This is why Burrage Roofing always sends our own trained representative to represent you in this process just as the insurance and someone that represents them.
