Owning and running a business is no easy task, especially when things don’t go well. In the case of commercial roofing insurance claims, business owners find themselves in one of two situations:
- Their insurance company readily handles their claim, covers all costs as per the coverage, and operations get back to normal as quickly as possible.
- Their insurance company pushes back on the claim from the start, keeping the business from getting back to normal operation longer than necessary and refusing coverage based on their assessment of perceived roof damage.
It should surprise no one that the latter has started becoming a much more common occurrence. Then again, this also has to do with the uptick in popularity for metal roofs in general. In recent years, metal roofing panels have become a go-to construction material for commercial projects because of their durability, low maintenance, and resilience to the elements. Advances in technology have made their manufacturing much more precise, their methods of installation varied to cater to different applications, and an overall better product.
Metal roofs are also a bigger investment upfront than other roofing materials. This, in turn, means that should something happen to the roof, insurance companies are on the hook for a lot. And if there is one thing to know about insurance companies, it is that they do their best to not have to pay out claims.
When it comes to commercial metal roofing, business owners are in a bind. Whenever there is any kind of weather that rolls through, they need to be sure to get their property checked out if anything may have been compromised. This includes the following:
Damage Identification
Things such as denting, cracks, and punctures from either hail or fallen limbs are easy to identify. Even the layperson can pick those out. However, it takes an experienced contractor proficient in assessing minute details to come out and identify where damage is that may not be readily visible. This then introduces the major role of terms in one’s insurance policy such as cosmetic damage and its contrast to functional damage.
Functional damage corresponds to the visible issues an inspection will identify easily. Cosmetic damage has to do with the damage that is not so easily visible. For many insurance companies, even dents in metal panels might be identified as cosmetic. There is no crack or other compromise to the material, thereby the panel is still working as it should. However, an experienced metal roofing specialist will note that pooling water over time will introduce rust. This impacts the integrity of the panel, leading to severe damage down the line.
An Insurance Adjuster and a Professional Inspection
Business owners need to be sure to cover all their bases. When filing their insurance claim, they need to have as much information on record as possible. Documentation will be their best friend and most welcome ally when it comes to getting all of the necessary money they will need to make repairs. This may likely mean divergent reports from an insurance adjuster who is looking for (and not looking for) certain damage, as well as an experienced third-party contractor who is well-versed in all things metal roofing. The three most important words that business owners must keep in mind during the process are as follows: time is essential.
At the end of the day, smart business owners filing commercial roofing insurance claims need to be sure they have someone on their side. THR Roofing Solutions is a Texas-based company that prides itself on its advocacy for clients. Our goal is to make sure all damages are fully repaired, including all parts of the property that were impacted. Click here to see some of our most recent work and call us today for a free consultation.
