LIMA, OH (WLIO) - The recent storms have made area insurance and roofing companies quite busy. Our Nathan Kitchens discusses the steps to take if you file an insurance claim.
The damaging storms last week were just icing on the cake for an active weather pattern that has produced numerous high wind events over the last several weeks. Area insurance agencies and roofing contractors say the phones have been ringing off the hook for days as people assess any damage and figure out what steps to take.
Blue Chip Construction in Lima says work has been hustle and bustle, responding to many calls to patch roofs.
"In an event like this where you have widespread damage, we are prepared as early as several days before with emergency materials to patch these roofs. We had 10 guys on the ground assessing damage and patching roofs Saturday morning on up until even today, we are still responding to those calls," stated Ryan Sharrits, general manager of Blue Chip Construction.
If you do have damage, remember you don't have to file a claim right away. Get a roofing contractor to see the scope of the damage, Stolly Insurance Group says homeowners should be picky about filing that claim to begin with.
"I would encourage people, obviously there's a lot of wind and missing shingles, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to file a claim. I always recommend that when you do file the claim, save it for those things that are those severe claims like the significant damage to the home or property. That's when you know you're going to probably get more bang for your buck," explained Patrick Stolly, an agent at Stolly Insurance Group.
Another step is to check with your insurance company to walk through your policy coverages and deductibles. If you decide to file a claim, the big question is how will this affect your rates?
"If the client is in good standing, they pay their bills, they don't file claims often, you shouldn't see a tremendous jump in the premium increase on the renewal," said Stolly.
Once the claim is filed, an insurance adjuster will come out to investigate the claim. The adjuster will report their findings to the homeowner. The homeowner can pass along those findings to any contractor they choose to make sure the adjuster didn't miss anything in the assessment. With homeowners insurance, you will only owe the deductible to your contractor to get the repairs done.
