Should You Show a Roofing Contractor Your Insurance Estimate?

Do you have concerns showing a roofer your insurance estimate? If you’re a homeowner needing to replace your roof, chances are you’ve already contacted your insurance carrier.

Oftentimes, the insurance company will send out an adjuster to survey the damage. From there, you’ll receive an estimate of the repairs. But what happens when you start contacting other roofers for estimates?

And more importantly, should you show a roofing contractor your insurance estimate?

It helps to understand why some people don’t want to show it.

Your Roofing Contractor Will Use That Estimate Against You

Contrary to popular belief, most roofers are a homeowner’s advocate.

We often work with homeowners to check for additional damage your insurance adjuster may have missed. Oftentimes, this occurs in the supplementing process.

The first SOW (statement of work) from your insurance carrier does not have to be accepted and you are allowed a second (or third) opinion from roofing contractors. There is no reason that a roofer could or would use that against you, especially if you have already decided to move forth with this company.

We elaborate on this common roofing misconception in this article.

It is possible that a contractor may use the estimate against you. A roofer who is quick to agree to the estimate and ask for a deposit is concerning. If you feel any sort of unease with the current roofing contractor, call another one for an inspection.

Your Insurance Carrier Won’t Dispute the Claim

So even if you bring a roofing contractor in and they find more damage, you may think your insurance carrier won’t budge.

The opposite is true.

There are often discrepancies from homeowner to insurance carrier in claims.  Homeowners expect their policies to cover everything they intend it. On the other hand, it’s in the insurance company’s best interest to pay as little on a claim as possible.

In order to dispute your claim, it’s best to pick a knowledgeable roofing contractor that is familiar with the process (among several carriers). The roofer will be able to help provide sufficient evidence and guide a homeowner through the claims process.

Likewise, this knowledgeable roofing contractor should know exactly what to look for when comparing the insurance company’s SOW against the damage they see.

The goal is not to fraud or squeeze out money; it’s to reach a fair consensus between both parties.

My Roofing Contractor Is Taking the Easy Way Out

While we would love to believe that no roofing contractors would ever use the estimate as a shortcut, the truth is some do.

Some roofers will go off of the work determined by an adjuster, however, that presents a problem. They didn’t double check and verify the accuracy of the report.

When you don’t double check their damage report, the homeowner is at risk of paying for damage out of pocket.

That’s why it’s incredibly important to work with a roofer that supplements. They can maximize your insurance claim so you can avoid paying out of pocket.

Summary

So should you show your roofing contractor your insurance estimate? That depends entirely on you.

If you’ve developed a level of trust with them and believe they have your best interest, then yes. This is the case for most roofing contractors.

If there is any doubt or trust in the roofing contractor, it’s best to get several inspections before choosing one.

Mutual Roofing offers FREE inspections, call us at (402) 889-3381.