To file a claim or not?

FREE ROOF ESTIMATES AND REPAIRSIf you are new to filing a claim on your homeowners insurance, you might get your free report from CLUE before doing anything. Oh, you haven't heard of CLUE? Comprehensive loss Underwriting Exchange.....it's short for all the claims you've been denied on, or paid on are listed in a National Data Base. Doesn't that make you feel better?

When you are faced with deciding whether to file a claim or not. Look through your policy and see what your out of pocket expense will be. Out of pocket will be your deductible. If the claim you have is smaller than the deductible, don't bother calling. I've had many customers that called in a $300 dollar claim, when the deductible was $2500. Guess what? They now have an entry in the CLUE system. These are they type of issues that can cause your rates to increase and in some cases, cause your policy to not renew. Your CLUE report will have info such as your name, social security number, date of birth. It will list any insurance claims you've had in the past five years. Not just to the insurer you have at the time, but any.

Next time something small happens at home, don't pick up the phone and start telling your insurance agent all the problems your having. Back up and assess what the damage is, vs. what it would take to fix. Some insurance agents are obligated by the company to report any incidence, whether a claim is filed or not. Now if you have some sort of really good relationship with your agent, he or she might be someone you can discuss the question of filing or not. It's a tricky situation. It's a good time to use the off the record conversation. Discuss with your agent the difference in a claim and a simple inquiry. Your CLUE report may list property damage, or water damage even if your insurance company didn't pay anything on your claim.

You should get a free copy of your CLUE report. Call 866.312.8076

If you're not sure, call a contractor and have them give you an opinion on whether the damage is bad enough to warrant a claim. If it's a roof claim, give us a call or email us. We give free estimates. It's what we do.

Watch out for reject shingles

The economy is changing. When times are lean, we see the bottom feeders come in the construction area, touting great prices, but delivering alot less. With the recent hurricanes on the coast of Texas, we have 1000's of contractors that decided to become a roofer and remodeler the night after the hurricane. They move from other states with the sole purpose of scamming homeowners. When selecting a roofing company, make sure you know what you are buying. If your contractor delivers product to the job that looks like it was pulled out of the dumpster, it probably is reject material. Many of these will not be in wrappers. They will tell you that it's good material, but how do you know.

Look on the contract for wording that says something like all material to be delivered in the factory packinging or all material specified to be guaranteed. When the delivery is made, take a quick look to see if it has the wrappers still intact. From time to time, you may pick a color or year shingle that hasn't been sold in a few months. If the pallet has sat outside, the wrappers may be torn or faded, but they are still intact. It's easy to tell the difference. If you feel you are getting poor material, ask for new product. Get the suppliers name that sold the material.
Call them and find out the true details of your order.

Nothing wrong with being a prudent buyer. There are too many good contractors in this area to be conned by a few bad ones.

Hurricane Ike deductibles

I'm not sure that I like my insurance company or not. You never know what to really think. The guy or gal on TV always seems to have my best interest at heart, but why when you have a claim do they put on the armor of war and prepare to do battle? Your in good hands, or like a good neighbor.... What does that really mean? Storms bring, so many questions from property owners that I simply can't answer. Why does one adjuster file a full claim for roof replacement on one home, with no visible damage, and the second adjuster from the same company, denies the claim with a visible blow off? The problem, there is no set bible for claims. Sure the adjusters will tell you that they have guidelines, but I'll tell you straight up, BOLOGNA!!!



It really depends on how the adjuster feels during the day. I've had them guess the size of damage and never climb the roof. I've had them argue with the owner over replacement cost, only to find that they've never seen the project. Your insurance company is required under Texas law to handle your claim in a timely manner and to appoint a property claims person to handle your claim. When they ask you to get some bids, it's generally because they don't feel like figuring your claim themselves. They like to get several estimates from the homeowner, then they figure something up accordingly. It's amazing how contractors always have the time to give an estimate.

If it sounds like I'm harping on the insurance world, you right. I've just had it with adjusters denying consumers claims that deserve a claim. I'm really sick of hearing adjusters who want to inflate damage, to help consumers cover their deductible. These are truly the scum of business. Remember that you are a party to fraud if you allow your adjuster to claim loss, which you do not deserve. You are also a party to fraud if you allow your adjuster to help cover your deductible cost. According to the State of Texas Penal Code, “Offenses Against Property”Chapter 35 Insurance Fraud, you can be charged with a misdemeaner or felony, if your deductible, in full or part, is covered by your contractor or other person involved in the sale of goods or services. Why deal with someone who would deceive the insurance company. We all end up paying higher deductibles and premiums. We have now had the named storm 2% deductible. We could be looking at 5% deductibles if fraud is not stopped. If you you have a contractor or adjuster that tries to hide your deductible cost, stop them right there and report them to the Texas Department of Insurance. http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/fraud/onlinereport.html

Texas roofing.......it's just plain hot!

I don't know too many jobs that involve grabbing a product thats pushing the 130 degree mark, but Roofing in Texas is one of them. It's a delicate job to install a roof without tearing it up. Just the fact you have to walk around on it, while installing it, makes it all the more challenging. When the temperatures of the shingles, get to the soft stage, just the slightest twist of the foot, create swirls of tar on your newly installed shingles. It's sometimes unavoidable, but most roofers are very aware of it, and do many things to prevent it. Finding an old sofa and ripping out the foam pieces is probably one of the most popular ways to do it. Not only does a piece of foam keep you from scraping the shingles, it also keeps your hind parts from becoming well done. Being aware of what type of soles are on your boots or shoes is key. An agressive sole, made for climbing or dirt work, will not be roof friendly. Some of the best foot wear for roofing are made by RedWing and Dr. Martins. The soles are very friendly even during the heat of the day. The insulation between the user and the roofing tiles is very comfortable.
Although you can do everything possible to prevent damage, you probably will have a few scrapes here and there. It's just the nature of the job and temperature. If it damages the shingle to the point of product performance or physical appearance, change it. No since in angering a customer or causing a leak issue.

Texas Discount Roofing LLC.
Texas Discount Roofing LLC. is a roofing company serving the Walker, Grimes, Montgomery, Harris, Polk, Trinity and San Jacinto counties in the great state of TEXAS!

sales@texasdiscountroofing.com