In the last couple of years, various parts of Texas have been battered with strong winds and hail almost every year. The insurance firm StateFarm released a table that highlighted the highest claim amount paid out state-wise who had homeowners insurance. The highest was more than $610 million which was paid out to Texas for hail losses in 2017.

Unfortunately, this year hasn’t been any better. The town of Allen reported 18 and McKinney reported 12 hailstorms between the months of January and April 2018. The average hail size that was reported was 1.3” and the biggest reported size was 3”. Allen hail damages ranged from minor cracks on the roof to gutters and siding damages.

Most people assume that their homeowner’s insurance covers all damages, but this isn’t always the case.

What Does Your Home Insurance Cover?

Most home insurances cover roof damages caused due to vandalism, fire, an “act of God” which include tornadoes and hurricanes.  Hail and wind damage are also generally covered, but the amount that is paid out depends on a number of factors.

It is best to read your policy documents to know what exactly is covered and what isn’t. In case of doubts please talk to your home insurance company to clarify.

Things that insurance firm takes into account while calculating payouts:

• What is the age of your roof at the time of damage? A useful rule of thumb is if you have a roof that’s less than 10 years old, in all likelihood the insurance company will reimburse the cost of repair or replacement for the damaged portion of the roof.
  On the other hand, if the roof is more than 10 years old they might calculate the depreciated value and payout repairing charges accordingly.
• If there is additional water damage due to flooding, moisture accumulation or dampness like mold growth and leaking, they aren’t generally covered by the homeowners insurance. Most insurance firms require you to take an additional policy to cover these damages.
• A large number of claims during hail season are due to damaged roofs.  The cost of replacing a roof in Mckinney and other parts of the country has gone up by almost 50% over the last 7 years. That’s why insurance companies are tightening the norms of roof coverage. If your roof is more than 20 years old, insurers might refuse to renew your insurance without an inspection.

A McKinney roof replacement is a must for those who fail the inspection, for renewing homeowner insurance. The life of a roof is between 8-12 years and it’s a good idea to invest in a new roof once your roof has aged.

If your roof has suffered due to McKinney hail damage, contact your insurance provider as well as roofing contractors who provide roof replacement services in McKinney and the surrounding areas.

Not all damages to the roof are so severe that they warrant replacement. Shingles, one of the most popular and commonly used materials on rooftops are frequently damaged due to hailstorms. Shingles are made from various materials like asphalt, wood shake, tile, slate or metal. Depending on the seriousness of the damage you might have to repair roof shingles in McKinney.

Asphalt shingles are the least expensive and slate ones are one of the most expensive shingles to replace. If you are looking for Mckinney shingle roof replacement, you’ll also have to have the old roof removed and that adds on to the total cost.

To make sure that your claim is successfully processed make sure of the following:

• Try and keep a set of pictures of your roof when it’s newly laid out or before the storm season. That way you will have before and after images to submit to your insurance company.
  
• Remove/cut branches that are too close to your roof.  In case of strong winds during a storm, the branches could break and damage your roof.
• Repair or replace roof shingles in Allen if you are aware that they are worn out or broken. Insurance firms could cancel your policy if they find out that you intentionally have left your roof unrepaired.
• Hailstorm or not, if your roof is more than 8 years old, get a licensed roof inspector to look at it. If there are any damaged areas that need repair, hire a roofing contractor and make sure they have roofing insurance.

McKinney & Allen Texas have been hit hard by hail, we will work with your insurance to save you $1000’s.  We have been helping home and business owners with roof repair and maintenance services for over a decade. Call us today at (972) 596-0159 for a free consultation.