Home Improvement Contractor - Licensed Contractors

When dealing with roof replacement should you go through a roofing contractor or your insurance first?

Some say get estimates and let your insurance handle it and some say find a contractor and let them negotiate with the insurance but what is the best way?

Public Comments

1. Insurance companies rarely "replace" a roof. Let them decide. File a claim and let them tell you what to do next.
2. Having once been a property damage claims adjuster I can tell you with some certainty that one of the first issues that is considered if a question of "coverage." Your agreement with an insurance company is a contract. They agree to pay you under certain circumstances. If the circumstances are not met as spelled out in the insurance agreement (policy) then they have no obligation to pay. You may have some obligation to "mitigate damages" so if water is pouring in and doing further damage you have a right and obligation to make temporary repairs. However if you remove all evidence of the cause or the damage the insurance company will be prevented from conducting a proper investigation and may deny any potential claim on that basis alone. You best bet therefore is to take care of any emergency repair while you are contacting the insurance company. Conventional practices are different in different areas. Strictly speaking no contractor has any contractual relationship with any insurance company for damage to your home. In the law this is referred to as having no "standing." Therefore in some areas insurance companies will not speak with contractors. They may ask you to get estimates or may simply present you with their estimate and settlement offer. In other areas, for a practical measure it is clear that the insurance company and the contractor are the ones with some expertise. The homeowner may not settle without covering the expense of the contractor. Having played all 3 (4) parts in this game, I can say that the insurance company would prefer to work with you directly. The contractor will work with the homeowner or the insurance company but may personally prefer to do one or the other. And the homeowner would be wise to assess their own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of the other two players. A homeowner with little knowledge of repairs might be well advised to rely on the contractor, the insurance company, a public ajuster or even a lawyer for their expertise. If one or the other party begins to obstruct a resolution then shifting alliances may be helpful. With some knowledge it might be useful to play one party against the other to help ferret out the truth of the matter. Long standing relationships of trust will also make a difference. Who do you know best and who has your best interests at heart? There is no perfect answer for every situation and all possible individuals, but there may be a customary practice in your area. No matter how you follow up start with emergency repairs and contacting the insurance company.