Frequently Asked Roofing Questions

1. If I file a claim, will my rates increase?

Unlike an auto policy where your rates go up based on your claims history, Homeowner’s rates are based on the risk pool that the property is located in.  So, if the area that your property is in has a history of hail claims, your rates will go up whether you file a claim or not.  So, by not filing a claim, you will miss out on the potentential for a full roof replacement  and the insurance company will continue to collect your premiums regardless of filing a claim or not.

2. Does it matter how old the roof is?

It depends on the policy. But most policies are RCV (replacement cost value) policies. On a RCV policy the insurance company will pay out the CURRENT cost to replace the roof.  They will issue a first check for the ACV (Actual Cash Value) amount up front and then issue a second check when the roof is finished.  So as long as the insurance policy is an RCV policy, the age of the roof does not matter.

3. What is RCV and ACV?

ACV (Actual Cash Value) is the amount that your roof is worth today after the number of years that is has been used have been deducted from the RCV (Replacement Cost Value). For example.. if your roof has 30 year shingles on it and the roof is damaged after 15 years,  and the cost to replace it today is $10,000.  The insurance co will depreciate the roof by 50% and that balance is the ACV.

4.  Will I have to pay money out of pocket for the roof?

As long as the policy is a standard RCV policy, the only out of pocket money will be the amount of the deductable. The majority of our customers have the RCV policy and end up getting a beautiful new roof up to current codes for only the cost of the deductable.  It is important to know what type of policy you have and how much your deductible is.

5. Can the roofing company pay my deductible?

NO! it is against the law in Colorado for a contractor to “pay”, offset, or forgive the insurance deductible.  If a contractor offers to do so, stop and reconsider using that company. It is very bad business practice and most of the companies that offer to cover the insurance deductible or even get  extra money back, are not reputable companies and don’t last long enough to cover warranty work.

6. Should I wait to file a claim with the insurance company?

NO! some insurance companies have a 365 day limit on the time to file and complete the claim.  Never wait.  Some roofing materials need to be inspected by the insurance adjuster immediately.  Wood shake shingles are one of those.  They need to see fresh wood damage to the shingle or else the claim might get rejected as old damage.

7. How long does the claim process take?

Typically, once the claim is called in, the adjuster will call back within a few days and set up a time to inspect the roof.  After the roof has been inspected, the claim is processed within a few days to a week.  Once the initial insurance settlement is issued, the repair/replacement process can start.  In most cases Rock Canyon can start the installation of the new roof within a week.  Most residential roof replacements take one to two days to complete.  Once completed, Rock Canyon will send the supplemental claim to the insurance company for final payment.  This process can take a few weeks.  Please be patient as Rock Canyon is at the mercy of the insurance company as to how fast they complete this process, but it typically takes about two weeks.

8.  Do I have to do a lot of paperwork or negotiate with the insurance company?

Rock Canyon is here for you every step of the way.  Once the first call has been made  to start the insurance claim process, Rock Canyon will take it from there. Our Project Managers will meet with the adjuster at your property and work with them to make sure all of the damage is covered.  Rock Canyon Roofing will handle the supplemental claims process for the maximum payout for the depreciation that is held back from the first check along with any code upgrade items.  Rock Canyon Roofing goes out of their way to make the process as simple as possible.  Our Project Managers will even walk you through picking the right product and color for your roof replacement .

9.  I have an old roof, will my insurance company pay to bring the roof up to current building codes?

Most residential insurance policies have a provision for code upgrade and will pay to bring the roof up to current codes.

10) What is an Impact Resistant roofing material?

Impact Resistant materials  (IR)  are roof coverings that have passed testing to receive a “class 4” rating by Underwriters Laboratory (UL 2218)  An IR material is able to sustain hail impacts better than a standard material but are NOT HAIL PROOF)  there are no “hail proof” products to date that also have a class A fire rating. 

11) Should I use (IR) Impact Resistant Shingles?

This can be a bit tricky.  At the moment only one jurisdiction in Colorado requires Impact Resistant roofing. (Ft. Collins) but some insurance companies are pushing their customers into them.  There are a few pros and cons to the Impact Resistant products.  Let talk about Impact Resistant asphalt shingles:

Pros: most Insurance companies will offer a discount to your premium is you install them.  The shingles have an additional layer built into them so that the hail impacts do not go all the way through the shingle.  The shingles should last longer that a non-Impact Resistant shingle.

Cons:  Some insurance companies will not replace the roof if it has minor hail damage since the impacts did not go all the way though the shingle.  The problem with this is that the shingle will still show black impact spots.  The insurance company is calling this “cosmetic damage”.  So, even though the shingle is not damaged to the point it will fail, it still looks damaged and if you are trying to sell your home, a home inspector will note that the roof is damaged by hail and this could create some major issues in the transaction.  It is not uncommon to have to pay out of pocket for a new roof because of this misconception.

12) Are there Hail Proof shingles?

There is one shingle that claims to be “hail proof” but it is not class A fire rated and CANNOT be used in some jurisdictions. Rock Canyon will never install a roof that was not class A fire rated in Colorado.  Other than that one particular shingle, there are no “hail Proof” roofing materials.  The “F-Wave” shingle is fairly new and does have a 5-year hail warranty for up to 2” hail.  Ask your Project Manager for more information on this product.

13) Do I need a permit for the new roof?

YES! Always make sure your contractor pulls a permit and ask to have a copy of it for your records.  (some roof “coatings” do not require a permit)

14) Can I put the new shingles over the old shingles so I don’t have to pay a tear off fee?

NO! in the past this practice was allowed but is no longer an option in Colorado.  We have seen roofs with so many layers on them that the roof trusses are breaking.  All residential roofs must have all existing roofing material removed down to the wood deck, prior to installing the new roofing material.