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K-Guard Kansas City Blog

Hail Damage and Insurance Claims

Insurance Claims for Home Owners

Five Questions to ask Your Insurance Company Before Filing a Hail Damage Claim

 

Today, our focus turns to home insurance claims when your property is damaged by a hailstorm.

Our K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System is the strongest and most durable in today’s market. It is also resilient to most weather conditions. However, when it comes to larger hailstorms, even our system may take on some damage.

How Does Hail Form?

In Kansas City and other areas of the U.S., hail forms during the thunderstorms of the spring, summer, and early fall. When their updrafts are strong enough, they carry water droplets above the freezing level. These droplets form into hailstones.

The irregular lumps of ice can grow as additional water freezes on their surface. Once they get too heavy for the updrafts to handle them, they fall to the ground. Sometimes they’re mixed with rain. Other times, it seems like a snowstorm in the middle of summer.

How big can a Hailstone get?

The largest hailstone to fall in recent history was eight inches in diameter. However, that’s on the extreme side. Most storms feature hailstones about the size of a pea or a marble with a diameter between a quarter and half an inch. While these can sound scary as they fall on your roof, thee smaller pea-sized cause little or no damage.

Quarters or Larger

It becomes dangerous when hail is the diameter of a quarter, approximately one inch, begins to fall. From this point on, any hailstone at this size or larger is considered dangerous for humans and property. Even a short storm can cause significant damage to roofs and gutters.

What is Affected?

Any exposed area is a target during a severe hailstorm. The roof and gutters have the potential to be hit the hardest. Dents in the shingles and even on the gutter’s enclosure may incur damage if enough large hailstones strike. Other areas that can incur damage include downspouts, fascia boards, roof vents, siding, doors, and windows.

How the Damage is Repaired

Filing a damage claim with your home owner’s insurance company can help get the damage repaired. However, before you think of calling your insurance agent, check with a local roofer or K-Guard to make sure you have enough damage to warrant opening a claim.

Once you’ve determined a claim will be filed, here are five questions to ask your insurance company before or during the time you file a claim.

  1. Do they cover hail damage?

Most home insurance companies cover damage due to certain weather events like hail. But, it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask if you can’t find any information in your policy or on their website.

  1. What hail damage do they cover?

Some companies may only consider damage from the roofline and above. Others may encompass a wider area which covers siding, windows, doors, and gutters. These may be part of a comprehensive policy or electives you selected when you initially purchased the policy.

Before you file a claim, verify what is covered in a hailstorm. If an item is not included, you should ask how much it would cost to add as a rider to repair the damage.

  1. What is the deductible?

With most standard programs, policy owners need to pay a deductible toward repairs. How much this is depends on what you select when you first chose the plan.  This is usually all you have to pay when replacing roof and gutters unless you plan to upgrade materials to a stronger shingle or maintenance free guttering like K-Guard.

  1. What information is required to file the claim?

Does the insurance agency require you to provide images of the damage ahead of time? Or, do they need a detailed description instead? In many cases, the adjuster will come out, review the claim against what they see, and make the necessary changes.  We highly recommend calling K-Guard or your roofing, gutter, and siding contractor to be present with the adjuster to keep everyone honest.

  1. Can you hire a repair company or does the insurance firm supply their own?

If you don’t hire K-Guard for your repairs, we highly recommend calling a highly rated and reviewed general contractor to assist you in the claims process.  A good contractor will make sure you get the correct replacement materials that are up to date with local and state codes.  The last thing you want is an out of state roofer cutting corners.  We advise to stay away from the unknowns.

How can K-Guard Help?

We can determine the scope of the damage and help take care of the entire claims process.  We will guarantee your replacement products have real warranties, and can guide you every step of the way.  Need claims help?  Call us at today at 913-229-7550.

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