Common Insurance Questions

 Team Molinar Construction Co. can help you understand & navigate  through the insurance claim process.  The whole process can be confusing and exhausting, but don't worry, we're here to assist you through the process.
Paperwork and repair or replacement estimates can be an exhausting, and sometimes confusing task. We’re here to help you have a transparent experience and give you information on what XACTIMATE estimates are and how they are calculated by the insurance company.   

Do you offer free estimates for Insurance Claims? 

We offer free estimates for repair/replace/buildout services. Note that your insurance company will send out an adjuster to provide you with an estimate. The adjuster should include all visible damages at the time of inspection.  Once you have your insurance adjusters estimate, we'll set an appointment to complete our evaluation.  We'll then compare our estimate to your insurance companies.   If we find your adjuster missed any items we'll submit a supplement. 

What do I do, if I don't think the insurance adjuster estimated enough to have my home repaired? 

Insurance companies expect supplements from contractors. Because of the adjusters heavy workload during a storm event, they may miss several items while writing up their estimate.  Your insurance company's supplement team will deal with the additional costs submitted.  Your only out of pocket expense will be your deductible.  

What is a deductible and who pays it? 

A deductible is an amount which you the policyholder have agreed to pay, per claim or incident, toward the total amount of your properties damages.  Example, if you have a hail claim and your insurance company determines repairs will cost $15,000.00 and you have a deductible of $2,000.00, your insurance company will pay $13,000.00 and you will pay the contractor your deductible of $2,000.00.

What does the insurance company pay to repair? 

Your insurance company should pay to repair your home with comparable material to what was damaged.  So if you have laminated 20 yr shingles, they should pay for like kind & quality.  However, if you elect to upgrade to "Hail Impact Resistant" shingles to take advantage of your insurance companies discount for having them installed, you will pay the difference in cost. The difference in cost is for the upgraded material, labor, and overhead to the contractor. 

Can I get an insurance discount? 

Some insurance companies offer substantial discounts for installing "hail impact resistant" or "class IV fire rated shingles."  These discounts can be as much as 30% off homeowner insurance premiums for the proper shingle. Contact your insurance agent for further details.
We can assist you in selecting the appropriate materials and the needed documentation to present to your insurance company after the proper repairs have been completed.  

How can I be an informed homeowner? 

Do your homework when shopping for an insurer. Talk with other homeowners who have experience with the carrier you are considering. Read consumer reports and reviews about the company to see if it has a reputation of refusing to pay claims or mitigating the amount they typically pay.  Know your deductible. Review the policy each time it renews and read the fine print.  Insurance policies may very well contain changes from one year to the next, including the deductible amounts.    When replacing your roof, consider using materials that offer a discount on insurance premiums when using Class IV Hail Impact Resistant shingles. Talk to a Team Molinar Construction Co. representative who is familiar with these products and discounts associated with them.  

What is Xactimate Pricing System?

It's a third party pricing system that insurance carrier, adjusters, contractors, and legal professionals use to determine how much a roof should cost. Since all parties agree to the pricing of Xactimate the difference in calculated roof cost items or steps being included or excluded. 

The pricing aspect should be equal, and allow homeowner to pick the best roofer, not the cheapest roofer. 

Insurance pricing is highly regulated using a pricing service called Xactimate. 

If contractors have different pricing it’s likely one including line items, tasks, or materials another contractor has not included. 

Insurance pricing is set by Xactimate the only way to quote to be different is when items are added or omitted. Contractors set the scope of work required for insurance company to approve.

My neighbors around me are all getting new roofs after a hailstorm, why is my insurance not paying for my roof?

The answer depends & ranges from,  your roof just might not have been damaged, it's not showing the damages just yet, or it was not damaged enough.  

Your insurance company is just doing their fiduciary duty of trying to mitigate paying claims.   

Let’s talk about the scenario a little further: your insurance company trying to mitigate claims.   Storm damages cause billions of dollars of damage each year.  While some insurance companies are more aggressive than others on what they'll pay out, it does impact their reputation as a result. 

If your claim has been denied or partially denied, and many of your neighbors are getting new roofs, you might just have a company, or adjuster, trying to keep costs down.  Or maybe theirs an error and  adjuster had a bad day, and missed many damaged items.  Let's face it, we've all had a day we'd like to redo. 

So, If you feel that your have a valid claim for damages, here are some things you can do: 

• First, gather the facts. Have a reputable roofing company assess the damage and determine whether you have a good case for insurable damage. An experienced roof contractor knows what adjusters look for in approving a claim. They should provide you with photos and give you a written report of the damage caused by the storm. You should then contact the insurer, explain the report you received from your roof contractor, and request a reinspection. Insurance companies will almost always comply with this request. Then request a Team Molinar Construction Co. representative to meet with the reinspection adjuster to advocate on your behalf. If you still don’t prevail, the next recourse would be arbitration before a third-party judge, but legitimate claims rarely go to this stage.  
• Make a paper trail and keep good records. You might be surprised at the volume of correspondence going on between you, the insurer, and the roofing company during the claims process. In a marginal call, the winner is usually the best record keeper. Keep copies of all email and written correspondence between you and the insurance adjuster and other insurance company representatives. Make sure you can document compliance with all requests from the insurance personnel. Make notes of conversations you have with the adjuster and others connected with the claim.  
• Don't give up. Insurers know that a certain percentage of claims will just go away if they are denied the first time. If you have a legitimate claim, let them know you are willing to play a game of hardball.

Is it possible my roof wasn’t actually damaged like my neighbors’ roofs?

Sometimes your roof is NOT damaged by the storm. Though unlikely, it is possible that your next door neighbor’s roof is heavily damage, and yours is not. A couple of factors could come into play here. The most likely, is that your roof is newer, or of a higher quality material than your neighbor’s. A new roof will withstand hail and high wind much better than one which is reaching the end of its lifespan.  

Keep in mind, that in a newer roof, the protective mineral granules, which are embedded into the asphalt grain of the shingle, are much more stable and likely to withstand a hailstone impact better than an older shingle.  

Another factor could be the shingles material. In Texas, most roofs are comprised of two types of roofing material: A “Laminated, or Architectural” shingle, or a “Three Tab” shingle. Laminated shingles are thicker and heavier and carry a longer manufacturer’s warranty than a three-tab shingle. Your neighbor could have a lighter three-tab shingle, and yours is a Laminated shingle, which holds up better in hail conditions. One other factor may account for the discrepancy: Your roof might be a Hail Impact Resistant (HIR) Class IV shingle.  

The HIR shingle is comprised of a higher quality rubber-like base, which repels hailstones better than standard asphalt based shingles.

Nevertheless, if you feel you have a valid claim, do your due diligence, and follow procedures recommended above.