by Guest » Sat Oct 22, 2011 08:54 am
As a result of a recent hail storm in our neighborhood, many roofs are being replaced. I have three roofing companies so far stating that our roof should be replaced due to hail damage.
There are many shingles with obvious areas of missing granules and slight collateral damage. Our insurer denied our claim calling it a manufacturing defect. The shingles are branded with a 40 year warranty. The roof was inspected by a qualified home inspector during a pre-purchase inspection two years ago, with no damage found.
We don't have any manufacturer warranty because I am the second owner.Why is the insurance company denying the claim? What should be my next step in this situation. Please advice.
There are many shingles with obvious areas of missing granules and slight collateral damage. Our insurer denied our claim calling it a manufacturing defect. The shingles are branded with a 40 year warranty. The roof was inspected by a qualified home inspector during a pre-purchase inspection two years ago, with no damage found.
We don't have any manufacturer warranty because I am the second owner.Why is the insurance company denying the claim? What should be my next step in this situation. Please advice.
Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 02:03 pm Post Subject:
I'd take the denial letter from the carrier explaining that there is a defect in the shingle to the manufacture of the shingles and get their input. You don't need a warranty for this as they sold a product that was defective. If they don't agree, I'd go back to the insurance company. You may need to file suit for breach of contract.
First, I'd be sure that the claim was not denied for wear and tear... not a defect.
The home inspector 1) does not look beyond what he/she can see. If the roof _looks_ okay than this is what is reported and 2) there are a lot of home inspectors that don't have a clue.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 09:18 pm Post Subject:
Hail damage is not always very obvious on shingle roofs, especially if it is a darker colored shingle. One thing that I will always look for on hail claims is damage to metal roof vents. I would recommend doing some research on the size of the hail that was reported in your area, if it is at least 1 3/4" or golf ball size you could very easily have hail damage. However if you see that the hail was much smaller than this it would most likely not cause damage to an asphalt shingle roofing system.
Did the insurance company send out an expert as well as the adjuster? If they did then your best bet would most likely be to hire your own 'expert' to rebut their report. Anything you provide from a roofer that is bidding on your job is not going to hold much water as there is something in it for them to get the roof paid. You need an independent roofing expert to evaluate and report the findings of your roof.
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