Just the other week in Omaha (May 28, 2019) a good part of the area was hit with varying sizes of hail from 1.5 inches down to pea-sized.

For those who clearly sustained storm damage on their roofs, windows, and gutters- you may be wondering something:

Should I call now to get a repair lined up or wait until storm season is over?

The answer is that it totally depends on a lot of circumstances. As roofing contractors, we’ve seen all types of scenarios play out for this situation. There are good reasons you may want to repair now. There are equally good reasons you may want to defer.

You (and your roofing company) will be able to best tell which is the better option.

For now, we will simply make a case for both.

Here’s Why You Should Repair Now

We generally recommend repairing as soon as you can as we know that damage can worsen and fester over time. Insurance companies are keeping busy (and roofers as well) so it’s good to get your claim processed sooner than later.

The other concern about waiting goes back to an article we wrote about contingency contracts. After a sizable hail storm, many roofing companies remain busy for months and even up to a year.

Depending on your insurance policy, there are limitations to when you must service the repair of your claim. We’ve heard from many people that they want to defer for late fall, but there is also a concern about roofing when it starts to get cold. Of course we can roof in the Winter, however, it definitely is a bit more challenging.

Lastly, many carriers give discounts for installing impact resistant shingles so the discount on your premium can kick in right away. (Depending on your carrier, it may be fully covered or be a small out-of-pocket upgrade).

Here’s Why You Should Wait to Repair

The reason why most people wait to make a claim on their roof is this thought- “What if my roof gets repaired, but then another storm damages it again?”

Or more specifically, will it affect my premiums? And will I have to pay my deductible again?

To answer the first question, it should not affect your premiums- in fact,  your carrier can’t raise it because storms are classified as an “Act of God”. Obviously, insurance companies are in the business of making money so if they see large losses over a period of time due to hail, they will raise everyone’s premiums at some point to make up for the deficit. (Other claims such as a busted pipe resulting in water damage may warrant a raise in your premium since it’s not classified as an “Act of God”)

In regards to the second question, the short answer is yet. You have to pay a deductible for each approved claim, unfortunately.

Lastly, some homeowners prefer waiting until storm season to do repairs once and for all (and pay for only one deductible). We get that and we simply encourage you to work with your roofing contractor to ensure the damage to your home can withstand the remaining storm season.

The potential last reason that you may want to defer instead of potentially having to replace your roof twice is around your carrier. If you have enough claims over a short period of time, your insurance carrier may view you as a liability. As such, they may drop you as a client. This rarely happens, but we have lived to see it.

Summary

If you’re on the fence, we recommend that you give a roofing contractor a call to help determine which might be the better option for you.

As always, you can always give us a call at (402) 889-3381 for a free inspection!