HANDLING YOUR INITIAL INSURANCE CLAIM REQUEST

Submit your request for storm damage inspection, roof repair or entire roof replacement by calling our office or filling in our online form. We devote the same amount of attention to each request – no matter how big or small!
To better assist you, we will ask you about your contact information (name, phone number and email address), what type of service you need, how you heard about our company, and the best time to meet with you. We will then schedule the initial appointment and assign one of our roofing professionals to assess the property.

INSPECTION AND INSURANCE CONSULTATION
At the day of the appointment, our professionals will inspect your entire property for storm damage. A diagram of the roof and any other problem areas such as siding, gutters, and windows will be prepared and pictures will be taken. If you qualify for insurance reimbursement, we will describe which areas can be claimed. If your property does not have storm damage, we will use the diagram and photos to prepare your proposal for a retail price.

INSURANCE CLAIM ASSISTANCE
Subject To Agreement – Once you decide to use our company assistance in your insurance restoration process, a document called Assistance Agreement (provided by your roofing professional) has to be signed and given to your roofing professional.
Opening a Claim – Your assigned roofing professional will then assist you to call and open a claim with your insurance company. You will either receive your insurance claim number during that call or your insurance company will contact you later with this information.
Inspection with Adjuster – After an adjuster is assigned to your claim, he will contact you to schedule an appointment for storm damage inspection. It is very important that you call us right away to let us know the adjuster’s name, phone number, date and time of the inspection. It is your right to have your roofing professional present during the inspection – this can dramatically speed up the claim negotiation process.

At the day of the insurance inspection we will meet with your insurance adjuster. We will point out all the damages at your property, we will try to agree on acceptable scope of work to be done.
Insurance Loss Sheet – Once the inspection is complete the adjuster will prepare his detailed report called “Insurance Loss Sheet” and mail it to you. In some cases the report will be given to you right after the inspection. You will need to submit this report to Roofing Professionals of Texas for a detailed audit and once we ensure its accuracy your job scope and proposal will be prepared.

WRITTEN CONTRACT
After the above steps are completed, we will provide you with a proposal for the work be done based on the insurance claim settlement scope. Once you sign the contract and we procure the insurance ACV payment, your job will be forwarded to our production department.

JOB APPROVAL AND SUPPLEMENT
Your contract will describe a process called Supplementing. If the roofing professional discovers any missing items, we will submit a request to your Insurance Company to include (or “supplement”) these items and will provide you with a copy of this request to you. Your contract will specify job start date and expected completion.

JOB SCHEDULING
The next step in the process is scheduling your job. We will assign the team for your project and schedule installation dates (roofing, siding, gutters, painting, etc.). We will pre-order all the material and schedule their delivery. The dates will be coordinated with you. It is also important for you to know that all schedules are dependent on weather conditions. Each day the weather is not allowing us to work, your project will be delayed.

INSTALLATION
Roof Replacement – Our roofing crew will arrive early in the morning and start the tear off process.  To avoid exposing your home to inclement weather during the construction process, our crews do not tear off more than they can replace in one day.  The roofers will use your driveway to park a dump truck used to load debris and for cleanup purposes. We will take all necessary steps and precautions to protect your house, premises and landscaping or garden from any construction debris.

Material is delivered later in the morning, usually before noon. Our crew supervisor will verify all materials delivered correspond to what has been ordered.

After the tear off process is complete we will be able to determine the condition of the wood deck.  If any part of the decking needs to be replaced, the roofing professional will take pictures and will notify you about the quantity of necessary replacements.

After the roofing work has been completed, we will haul away all of the debris around your property. Nails that fell from the roof will be picked up with a magnet nail roller.

Siding Replacement, Gutter Replacement and More – If your job includes more trades such as gutters, siding or windows, additional departments will be sent to conduct the repairs. Usually the siding should be completed prior to gutter installation. If any painting or awnings have to be done, we prefer to schedule it as final step.

JOB COMPLETION
Upon completion of all trades, our project manager will perform a final inspection to ensure quality work standards were met. Your roofing professional will meet with you and complete a final walk through to make sure work was done to your satisfaction. Then, upon full payment, a completion certificate and warranty will be given to you to sign and later turned in to the office.

Once we receive your signed completion certificate we will mark your job as complete and withdraw your file from production. If your project is an insurance restoration work, we will submit final documents to your insurance company so they can release the depreciation funds to be picked up by your roofing professional on your claim.

FOLLOW UP
Each of our contracts specifies a warranty period for our workmanship. We take pride in our installation quality and provide a lasting service warranty, in addition to the best manufacturing guarantees. Anytime you suspect there might be an issue with our work, don’t hesitate to call our office – we will give your request highest priority!

Your Choice is Roofing Professionals of Texas.  Let us show you what makes Roofing Professionals of Texas the leading roofing contractor in Texas. Call us today at (469) 906-2600 or submit an online request. We look forward to serving you!  Contact us now or visit our website at www.roofingprotx.com.

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Florida Has Most Lightning Claims but Texas Has Highest Cost Per Claim

July 6, 2015     (Insurance Journal)

The number of insurance claims from lightning strikes in the United States continued its steady decline, as severe thunderstorm activity eased from near-record levels and dry weather prevailed throughout much of the western half of the country. Despite fewer storms, insurers still paid $739 million in lightning claims to nearly 100,000 policyholders in 2014, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Florida led the way with the number of lighting claims in 2014, followed by Georgia, Texas and Louisiana. The Lone Star State had the highest average cost per lightning damage claim: $10,671.

Across the United States, total insured losses from lightning were up 9.7 percent from 2013, though overall incurred losses between 2010 and 2014 are still down 28.5 percent.

An analysis of homeowners insurance data by the INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE and State Farm found there were 99,871 insurer-paid lightning claims in 2014, down 13 percent from 2013. Yet the average lightning paid-claim amount was up 26 percent, from $5,869 in 2013 to $7,400 in 2014.

The drop in the number of claims is consistent with data from the National Weather Service, which recorded 127 days in 2014 in which lightning caused property damage, while 137 such days were recorded in 2013.

“The incidence of lightning claims last year is a continuation of a downward trend,” said James Lynch, director of Information Services and chief actuary at the INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE “Since 2010, the number of paid lightning claims is down more than 53 percent. The sustained decline in the number of claims may be attributed to an increased use of lightning protection systems, technological advances, better lightning protection and awareness of lightning safety — as well as to fewer storms.”

That may be good news for homeowners, but “lightning is still an extremely costly weather-related event,” Lynch said.

Despite the drop in the number of paid claims in 2014, the average cost per claim rose nearly 53 percent from 2010 to 2014. By comparison, the consumer price index rose by 8.6 percent in the same period.

The average cost per claim is volatile from year to year, Lynch noted, but it has generally continued to rise, in part because of the huge increase in the number and value of consumer electronics in homes. In addition, better protection systems may have eliminated some smaller claims, while larger claims remain that drive the average higher.

Contact Roofing Professionals of Texas for more information about this or any other post on this blog.  

Freddie Reinwald / Roofing Professionalfreddie@roofingprotx.com / 214-293-0944

Roofing Professionals of Texas
Office: 469-906-2600 Ext. 101/ Fax: 469-906-2601
9500 Ray White Dr. Ste. 200, Fort Worth, TX 76244ww.roofingprotx. com

If I file a claim will it raise my premium???? The truth behind the lies...

Often I get asked if filing a claim will raise my premium or annual amount.  I like to be as frank and truthful with clients as possible. Most adjusters would just say, “That’s not my area of expertise.” The answer is that filing a claim will NOT cause your homeowner’s premium to increase. Contrary to what many people believe, they associate having one claim filed with their rates going up. The fact is that claims don’t dictate the premium with regards to homeowner’s insurance. Homeowner’s insurance does not perform like auto insurance. Auto insurance has dozens, sometimes hundreds of tiers for premium rates. Your claim history, citation record, points on your license, and various other things contribute to the tier that you are placed in and the premium you pay.

Homeowner’s insurance focuses more on the region that you live in. The number of catastrophes your area has suffered in the past few years, the potential risk in your area, the type of residential home, and the amount of coverage you buy, and other factors dictate the bulk of your premium. Filing one claim will not spike your premium. Now, your premium may go up in the subsequent year, but do not put two and two together. Insurance companies are more concerned with the amount of claims you have filed in a given period. If you make three claims in one year, they will most likely drop your policy altogether, not raise your individual premium. The premiums are usually raised in bulk for a given region, not individually, and insurance companies can only submit rate increases once per year.  The insurance industry will have you believe different.

So, if you have a loss with damage, the right thing to do is allow Roofing Professionals of Texas to file the claim on your behalf and navigate it from there in an attempt to get you the optimum dollar value for your loss, using superior products, professional craftsmen, and an incredibly talented company. After all, you’re paying a premium every year, why not use your insurance for what it’s designed to do?

DISCLAIMER:  As I always say, I am not an insurance agent, a tax professional or an attorney, but I am a roofer in the DFW area in the insurance restoration industry and have been filing claims on behalf of property owners for over a quarter of a century, I am a graduate of Law School and minored in contract law, and have helped thousands of clients save money every year in taxes as a result of roofing.  Don’t take my advice directly.  Listen to the thousands of grateful clients in who have benefitted from our skillset.

Freddie Reinwald / Roofing Professional
freddie@roofingprotx.com / 214-293-0944

Roofing Professionals of Texas
Office: 469-906-2600 Ext. 101/ Fax: 469-906-2601
9500 Ray White Dr. Ste. 200, Fort Worth, TX 76244
ww.roofingprotx. com

When hail strikes, what do you do???

When hail strikes, it can be devastating for homeowners. Many homeowners call our office in a panic after a hailstorm because their roof systems are damaged and they wonder whether they have adequate insurance coverage. We understand this concern and consider it our mission to help homeowners through the insurance claim process.

Shortly after a hailstorm, many people claiming to be roofing contractors will swarm your neighborhood. These high-pressure salespeople will try to intimidate you into buying a roof system using fear tactics—your roof is going to leak, the ceiling could cave in, etc.

First, call Roofing Professionals of Texas and we will contact your insurance company. If your roof is leaking, Roofing Professionals of Texas will begin immediate protective measures for free. A professional roofing contractor should provide temporary repairs to your property until they are able to fully repair the damage. For the record, not all roofing companies are created equal, so be sure to do your homework. Family, friends, co-workers and neighbors also are good sources for contractor referrals. Never choose a contractor based solely on price or high-pressure sales tactics.

After your insurance company receives notice of your claim, it will assign an insurance adjuster to visit your home and inspect your roof system and other areas that may be damaged. After the adjuster's visit, you will receive a settlement sheet outlining your home's damage and what the insurance company will pay. These settlement sheets can be confusing! A Roofing Professionals of Texas representative will help you understand the settlement. Part of Elite Roofing Solutions’ role is to ensure your adjuster has included everything you will need to repair or replace your roof to meet building codes and homeowner association requirements and provide a roof system matching the value of the roof system you are replacing. You will be responsible for the additional cost of any upgrades to the roof system and for your deductible.

Insurance companies are committed to their policyholders' satisfaction. In short, don't panic! Roofing Professionals of Texas will deal with your insurance company, insurance adjuster and building departments, and soon you will have a beautiful new roof!

Kansas attorney general sues unregistered roofers

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced that his office has filed lawsuits against five roofing contractors for violating the Kansas Roofing Registration Act by failing to registerwith his office.

Schmidt said the following companies have been served with lawsuits:

Gregory E. Wright, Wichita, dba Extreme Home Solutions; Shawnee County
Mike’s General Contracting LLC, Derby; Mitchell County District Court
Roof PRS LLC, Holdrege, Neb., and Chanse Beinke, Smithfield, Neb.; Shawnee County
Super Siding LLC and Daniel Roberts, Hutchinson; Reno County
Taylor Made Exteriors LLC, Wichita; Sedgwick County


The defendants engaged in advertising, soliciting or performing roofing contractor services without with attorney general's office.

Schmidt is seeking restitution to consumers who did business with these unregistered companies as well as penalties for doing business without registering

GAF Roofing Materials Manufacturing Plant Receives Certification for Waste Diversion Initiatives

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — GAF has announced that its Tuscaloosa, Ala., facility is its second asphalt shingle plant in North America to achieve Waste Diversion from Landfill certification. Conducted by GreenCircle Certified LLC, this certification demonstrates the dedication GAF has to the responsible management of end-of-life materials.

The company has pioneered several initiatives to increase operational efficiency, reduce waste and divert material from landfill. Partnering with recyclers and like-minded organizations, GAF has not only developed unique ways to reuse waste material internally, but has also identified alternative uses for previously landfilled waste. Utilizing these progressive waste-management practices, along with innovative recycling initiatives, GAF achieved an impressive waste diversion rate of 94 percent at its Tuscaloosa facility.

“As Waste Diversion from Landfill emerges as a critical sustainable performance measure, forward-thinking companies are finding innovative material management solutions,” said Tad Radzinski, certification officer at GreenCircle. “With its second plant receiving GreenCircle certification, GAF is not only leading the way in waste diversion, but it’s also ensuring accountability and transparency in its sustainability claims.”

Continued growth in the green building market is prompting emphasis on sustainability for building product suppliers like GAF. Third-party certification of sustainability claims adds a level of integrity for manufacturers, which is key to establishing credibility and gaining consumer confidence. “Sustainability and transparency are cornerstones of our business strategy at GAF,” said Gregg Baran, director of specialty manufacturing at GAF. “GreenCircle certification verifies our claims and helps us showcase our waste leadership in a way that resonates with our customers and employees.”

For more information, visit www.gaf.com.

Texas homeowner hail lawsuit-restriction bill should worry collision repairers

May 1, 2015

A bill that would make it more difficult for property owners to sue insurers for unpaid claims and limit the amount they can collect has passed the Texas Senate, and collision repairers should be concerned with the implications should it pass and later be extended to auto insurance.

Senate Bill 1628 was inspired by a boom in property damage lawsuits over insurance claims following hailstorms in Texas, and collision repairers having their own battles with comprehensive insurers over hail might be able to relate to homeowner’s frustrations.

The rationale for supporters was similar to a Florida bill that would have blocked homeowners from assigning benefits— “ambulance-chasing” contractors and attorneys were swooping in after water damage incidents and inflating claims, according to media reports there.

Opponents agreed according to sources that litigation was getting a little out of hand in Texas, and the bill states that insurers have stopped offering coverage in some areas because of hail litigation. (Although you have to wonder if factors like not wanting to cover a place where hail is almost inevitable drove the exit more than litigation.)

But opponents said a bill that would also affect legitimately wronged policyholders wasn’t the answer, the newspaper said.

A companion version, House Bill 3646, was heard but left pending in the House Insurance committee April 22 and apparently not acted upon at the April 29 meeting.

What will happen next is unclear. A staffer for the committee said Friday that pending bills like that can be brought up at any committee meeting at the chairman’s discretion, without the public notice a bill needs the first time.

Typically, House bills less advanced in the legislative process will be altered to resemble the Senate’s version in situations like this where the other body has already debated and passed it, the staffer said.

Republican state Sens. Larry Taylor, who owns Truman Taylor Insurance Agency, co-wrote SB 1628 along with Van Taylor, director of Churchill Capital (it’s unclear if there’s any relation), and the bill has been attacked for being blatantly pro-insurer.

“Why are we looking at a bill that is pretty much strictly in favor of the insurance companies?” Roger Beasley Automotive Group owner David Stein said during a Senate committee hearing. “Where in this bill does it protect families? Where in this bill does it protect the small businesses, the medium or large businesses? Nowhere.”

But Larry Taylor has pointed out the interest of trial lawyers in attacking the bill, noting their connection to opposition group Texas Watch in a Wednesday op-ed that takes little responsibility for bad insurance practices. (Insurers and trial lawyers — there’s two well-regarded professions…)

Here’s some points in the bill, passed officially 21-10 on Friday that collision repairers should consider:

Dispute does not equal settlement

“A bona fide dispute as to whether an insurer is liable for a claim made under an insurance policy covering real property or improvements to real property does not constitute an unfair settlement practice under this section.”

We wonder if this could open the door to disputing virtually everything or stalling on claims as a matter of policy, knowing that doing so could be loopholed as a “bona fide dispute” instead of an “unfair settlement practice.”

You get less money

Only the unpaid amount of the claim collects 18 percent interest now, and you will now be taxed on it. Also, an attorney can’t share his or her attorney’s fees with you. (That practice, we’ll agree, does sound to court frivolous lawsuits.

Also, interest doesn’t start until 60 days after an insurer receives a supplemental claim, which means you won’t make as much in interest (and the insurer won’t pay as much) if your claim was justified.

You don’t have as much time

You can only bring “notice of a claim” for two years after the damage happened, and anything in an insurance policy restricting the “prompt notice” time further can also apply. So if you found damage down the road, you might be out of luck. Two years might be a stretch to discover damage that you can say for sure was tied to a specific event, but one wonders how low a time limit for notice could be inserted into a policy under this.

You need to submit a lot of paperwork

To even sue an insurer, your notice of action must be in compliance with a lot of paperwork before you can bring action. You’ll need to state specific damages and amounts, attorney’s fees, amount for which you’d settle the case, everyone connected with the claim, why the supplemental claim wasn’t mentioned earlier and anything else backing your case up. That’s different than the notice required in other insurance lawsuits.

EXPENSIVE HAIL DAMAGE MAY NOT BE OBVIOUS

Monday, April 20, 2015 -- The hail pounded a wide swath of our area. Now homeowners are cleaning up what's left.

Kathy, a homeowner, only has a few more scoops of debris to collect from her yard, but she's worried enough about her roof to get an inspector out to look for damage.

"I think we will call them and have them come out and it would ease my mind just to have it looked at," Kathy said.

Insurance agents say it's wise to have your roof checked even if you do not see any obvious damage from hail.

We're looking for damage to the shingles, the vents, (and) the matting of the shingles.

Agents say if there is damage, homeowners may only have a few months to file a claim depending on their insurance company, but it could be a year or more before a problem develops.

Another tip is be sure to research any company offering to do the work. 

One of the Presidents at Better Business Bureau, says homeowners should see someone who has been around and has a decent history.

"Even if they're not accredited with us but they've got a decent history, they resolve complaints (and) they take care of things. Also talk to your insurance company...they may have a vetted list that they've done on their own too," BBB explained.

In some cases, the damage caused by the storm will not be greater than a homeowner's deductible. In that case, do not be surprised if you have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket.

DFW Metroplex 469-906-2600

Nationwide 855-631-ROOF

Texas bills target crooked roofers after Dallas area's hail horror stories

AUSTIN — Several weeks after signing a contract to get her roof replaced for $25,000 last summer, Mary Jane Pierson of Fort Worth started to worry she was getting scammed.

Her repeated phone calls to the roofing contractor weren’t returned or she was offered a litany of excuses about why the job wasn’t getting done: the company’s office flooded, the owner’s wife was in the hospital, shipment of the shingles had been delayed.

“I knew there was a serious problem,” she said, recalling the change in behavior of the roofer, whose initial friendly demeanor before he secured the contract — and a check for $14,000 — was gone.

Pierson, whose $200,000 brick home is still waiting for a new roof, said the contractor originally came knocking on her door — as did several others — last spring after a massive hailstorm in North Texas. He was very helpful and offered to get her insurance claim moving — so she agreed to sign a contract.

“Everything looked on the up and up. So I gave him the first check from the insurance company for $14,000. I now know I shouldn’t have done that,” she said.

Pierson plans to tell her story later this month in Austin when lawmakers consider bills that would impose new state requirements on roofing contractors for the first time. Currently, roofers are not required to be licensed or registered by the state.

Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, is sponsoring one measure aimed at protecting homeowners from dishonest roofers and roofing companies through state licensing of those businesses. A backup proposal by Carona calls for registration and oversight of roofers by the Texas Department of Insurance.

“I’m generally not in favor of a large amount of licensing of any of the occupations, but where roofing is concerned there is such a long history of abuse of consumers, particularly during periods after storms or natural disasters,” he said.

“Texas needs to put some safeguards in place to ensure that the people who provide new roofs are financially sound, meet the appropriate building codes and honor their warranties.”

Some in the roofing industry, especially smaller outfits, have complained that the proposals might prevent contractors from starting their businesses and increase costs to consumers. Others have praised legislators for trying to help to weed out abusers who’ve preyed on homeowners.

Roofers after a storm

Carona said his office regularly hears from constituents who have lost several thousands of dollars in scams by unregulated roofers.

Karen Fox, executive director of the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association, said the pattern of fraud is similar in a majority of cases.

“Within 12 hours of a storm, an area can be blanketed with roofers, many from other states. After making contact with the homeowner and offering a lower price, they ask for a down payment and say they will come back after buying the shingles. Then, they never come back,” she said.

“Homeowners get taken advantage of all the time. It’s a big problem in North Texas.”

Mike Crosby of Crosby Roofing in Dallas agreed the problem is widespread.

“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve run into who had to pay for a new roof out of their pocket after a roofer took their money and disappeared,” he said.

A major reason homeowners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are targeted is that they live in what many consider to be the hail capital of the nation.

Just last year, more than 40,000 homes and businesses were damaged by two massive storm systems that struck the area, requiring roof replacements totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Unlike plumbers, electricians or even barbers, anyone can place a sign on their truck calling themselves a roofing contractor,” said Mark Hanna of the Insurance Council of Texas. “The result can be shoddy work, no work or outright insurance fraud.”

Those practices, which have become more commonplace, have made many homeowners leery of dealing with roofing companies — a situation that Hanna says points to the need for regulation of roofers.

He cited a council survey of registered voters last November, which indicated that more than four out of five Texans want roofing contractors to be licensed by the state.

Contractor went to Hawaii

Darrin Tatum, who lives on Lake Texoma near Pottsboro, is among those who strongly support new regulation of roofers, particularly after his own experience getting the roof on his home replaced after a hailstorm in 2011.

His roofer, who had placed yard signs in the neighborhood after the hailstorm, agreed to start work as soon as a contract was signed.

Tatum went on vacation for two weeks and returned to find nothing had been done. He couldn’t reach the roofer’s company and eventually learned he was vacationing in Hawaii with his wife.

“He was a shyster, big time,” said Tatum, who finally got his roof replaced months later and then learned the roofing contractor never paid for the $4,000 worth of roofing shingles that were used on his home.

Tatum said some of his neighbors had similar experiences with the roofer, who is no longer working in the area.

Fox said many of the problems could be prevented if roofing contractors were regulated by the state, which could then take action against those who defraud homeowners or perform shoddy work.

“We want our industry to be as professional as any other industry,” she said, noting that leading roofing companies and contractors are backing the legislation by Carona and Rep. Kenneth Sheets, R-Dallas. “It’s hard to compete against companies that cut corners and don’t have to meet building standards.”

She also pointed out that the state is losing sales tax revenue from the large number of roofers who don’t collect it.

Pierson, meanwhile, is looking forward to finally getting her roof replaced later this month. “I realize I am just one of many that this has happened to. But it will continue to happen to many more unless the state steps in and protects homeowners,” she said.

Possible changes at a glance

Bills have been filed in the House (HB 888) and Senate (SB 311) that would provide for state regulation of roofing contractors for the first time in Texas. The proposals are in response to widespread problems — including fraud and shoddy workmanship — mainly caused by smaller and out-of-state roofers. Among the possible changes:

Requiring state licensing of roofing businesses or registration and oversight of those businesses by Texas Department of Insurance.

Requiring standard form contracts for roofers and homeowners drafted by insurance department.

Requiring disclosure of roofer insurance coverage to consumers before contract is signed.

Prohibiting roofers from offering to cover an insured’s deductible as part of transaction.

Prohibiting roofers from adjusting insurance claims.

Creating a license holder database on Department of Insurance website for consumers to compare and examine roofing businesses.

Conducting background checks for roofers.

Exempting new homes and new commercial construction.