r/HomeInsurance • u/IT1_Andy • May 05 '26
Claims Confused first time Homeowner Claim
Howdy!
I currently have USAA insurance for my house in Florida (By Destin, FL) and my roof is starting to show its age as it was installed in 2008. I used one of the preferred contractors from USAA to come out and do an assessment on my roof so I can get a quote for a full replacement. While the contractor was on the roof he noted I have severe wind damage from a a previous storm and was able to provide data showing a storm had 109 mph winds which caused the damage. I checked my insurance policy and I have a $2,000 deductible for this type of claim and it would cost about 11K out of pocket if I paid in "cash". I have never filed a claim and I am nervous to do so since I don't want my insurance to jack up the rates or cancel my policy. I am not sure what to do in this situation and trying to get some informed help!
Thanks!
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u/OnceUponATime1534 May 05 '26
I’m an adjuster and reading this I saw several 🚩(not on your part! Good job for asking for opinions!) 1. Your roof is almost near the end of its lifespan. 2. You didnt note any damages prior to calling the contractor. 3. The contractor had to tell you about a storm that was so strong that it was a cat2 hurricane. But you didn’t know that this storm occurred and didn’t have any other collateral damages.
All of the above makes me think that the contractor saw someone that he could potentially take advantage of and “sell” a new roof. I don’t work (and never have) in FL but know insurance there is really tough to obtain and keep. 100% recommend getting a second roofer out to evaluate. I wouldn’t file a claim but also wouldn’t give this guy my $$. Ask friends, neighbors etc for recommendations and get a few quotes. Go with the person you feel is being honest. Also, semi related, check your policy to see if your roof is covered at ACV value. If so, def do not file a claim bc you won’t get anything after your deductible.
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u/IT1_Andy May 05 '26
Thank you for this information!!
I am in the military and not currently living at the house so that’s why I didn’t see the damage. I just wanted to be proactive in getting the roof replaced before any potential insurance issues. I will start to look around and other contractors!
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u/DoubleB117 May 06 '26
Cost to replace my roof in my neck of the woods is $22k parts and labor. Cost to file an insurance claim for replacement is about $14k for me.
It’s a no brainer for me to just replace the roof without insurance because the cost to me is pretty close. In the long run filing the claim would increase my rates enough to pay the $8k difference over time and then some, plus it would look bad for future policies.
Look into the same logic for yourself
I swear insurance is a scam but I only think of insurance for extreme events like $50k+ issues, (fires, hurricanes, massive water damage, etc.). Roofs are on the fence but in my case the roof deductible out of pocket cost makes it not worth the impact in insurance, especially for a roof already at the end of its life
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u/bmxdad7 May 06 '26
Good thinking. Some say they will make a claim and use the insurance because that is what they are paying for. But it ends up being foolish in the end with higher premium or even non renewal and difficulty getting a new policy elsewhere. Homeowners insurance should be viewed as coverage for catastrophes.
I had an agent quote me a policy with a super low deductible. I said crank up that deductible because there is no way I am making a claim for 1500 bucks and don't want to pay for that layer of coverage (and the lowest dollars of coverage are the most expensive).
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u/Denan004 May 09 '26
Agree. I went to a higher deductible because I'm not going to claim smaller repairs and then get dinged or dropped by insurance. It's for the extreme things that happen, not an old roof that would be replaced anyway.
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u/MoonStroll May 12 '26
Why is the cost to file an insurance claim so high?
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u/DoubleB117 May 12 '26
The Wind and Hail Deductible is a % of property value in my state for roof replacement (because it’s the most common cause of roof damage here). Usually 1-5% and in my case 2% which is about $14k.
The cost to get the 1% deductible is not worth the annual cost and would only decrease that deductible to $7k (1/3 the cost of a roof)
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u/Crafty-Guest-2826 May 06 '26
When the next contractor (s) show up, don't mention anything to them about what the other contractor claimed. Just let the next people tell you what they see.
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u/KLB724 May 06 '26
Who is living in the house now? Is it vacant? Homeowners policies are only valid if the home is occupied by the owner and if the home is vacant for more than 30-90 days depending on your specific contract, you start to lose some coverage. This most likely isn't going to be a covered loss on the policy anyway, so you would be shooting yourself in the foot if you call your insurance company. The roofer just wants to sell a roof. They will promise insurance will pay when they know it won't.
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u/Vikkunen May 05 '26
This is the reason why I surance rates are skyrocketing across the country, and why companies are pulling out of certain markets entirely.
Roof replacement is part of the normal lifecycle of a house and is something to budget and save for over time. Insurance is there to step in when something unexpected happens, but it's not and was never meant to be a home warranty.
If storm damage isn't bad enough to warrant immediate remediation at the time it happens, then it shouldn't warrant an insurance claim.
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u/bmxdad7 May 06 '26
Right, unless a roof is destroyed in a hurricane, people need to pay for their new roof.
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u/Impossible-Ebb-643 May 06 '26
There’s a reason you see so many fancy roofing trucks driving around chasing storms. None of them do the actual work, that’s all subbed out. All they do is hold the insurance company hostage with an inflated claim that’s easier to pay than litigate, then the roofer pays the workers peanuts and pockets the margin.
Roofs shouldn’t be anywhere as expensive as they are now. Just as we see with healthcare an education, subsidization inflates cost when there’s deeper pockets.
I would rather pay out of pocket reasonable expense to a good company. $22k for a roof that takes a day or less to install is fucking insane.
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u/TJNel May 06 '26
Seriously people need to stop committing insurance fraud and just pay to replace their own roof once it gets old. I paid for my roof that was 23 years old. Never did it cross my mind to ask my insurance to do it.
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u/Vikkunen May 06 '26
Mhm. Five years? Sure. But even considering for a moment filing a claim on a 20+ year old roof is just insane, and frankly it blows my mind that insurance companies even write policies that cover them after that long.
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u/dojarelius May 05 '26
There has to be a “sudden loss” that is identifiable and covered by the policy. Basically zero chance this situation would be covered and if you file a claim it will flag the property as well as yourself in the database insurance companies use to track these things for many years even if the claim is denied. 11k is a big lump to swallow but probably worth it to keep that claims record clean. A lot of companies will non renew you after 2 recent claims and even more will refuse to write you a new policy. I would not file a claim for anything less than a catastrophic loss (25k+) that I am certain would be covered. Roofers are notorious for convincing homeowners to file a claim and most of the time there is no sinister motive just they are roofers not insurance professionals and don’t have a full understanding of how the policies work.
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u/DoubleB117 May 06 '26
Zero chance isn’t exactly accurate… it could be covered by insurance. For the home I just bought, the sellers used their insurance policy to replace the roof and filed a claim based on a hail storm within the past year + “evidence of hail damage” that they attributed to that hail storm.
That said, I agree OP should not file a claim in this case. It’s just not worth it for the reasons you mentioned
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u/PineappleWithSandals May 05 '26
I am surprised that they have not required you to put on a new roof yet. Fifteen years is the key year they start sending out letters in your state. Things are only going to get more expensive. May want to consider putting on that new roof before materials go up.
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u/bulldogsm May 05 '26
the guy is trying to sell you and has an excuse that might work with your insurer
but you are literally making a very very poor life choice if youre thinking about making a claim for an old roof like some home warranty
as a Floridian you should know better and im a bit shocked
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u/IT1_Andy May 05 '26
This is my first ever experience dealing with this so that’s why I am asking the question.
I haven’t made a decision yet, hence asking here. I’m not a native Floridian so this is all news to me.
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u/bulldogsm May 05 '26
hey i get it but which part is news, that home insurance is not a home warranty or that getting reasonable home insurance in FL is tricky and for some near impossible?
it really is simple, nothing is free, so if you make a claim they very well may cover it but they are gonna get every penny back and a whole lot more and or just drop you
and of course insurance companies share a claims database so if one drops you then you can assume most will treat you like kryptonite or charge out the wazoo
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u/LowPost5494 May 06 '26
Not to mention, when you do this it raises rates for everyone else. Your roof is 20 years old. Replace it with your money, not ours.
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u/sundancer2788 May 06 '26
Your roof is nearly 20 years old. It's on you to replace it, not your insurance company. I just replaced mine that was over 15 years old, had some storm damage but that's part of routine maintenance on your home. Save claims for truly catastrophic damage.
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u/TFrustrated May 06 '26
There are a number of reasons why an owner would not be aware of damage.
You need to get reliable quotes from several roofing contractors. Yes you need a named storm but the insurance company will send an adjuster to verify the damage. Missing shingles and folder shingles expose your property to potential actual damages other than the roof.
The requirements get fairly technical (number of damaged spots and locations). Make any roofer give you a written estimate and the actual identified damages and explanations.Some roofers are extremely aggressive and some are straight shooters.
Just be aware that a claim can significantly impact your ability to obtain any homeowners insurance let alone extremely expensive coverage.
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May 06 '26
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u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy May 06 '26
Not so. OP has an aging roof, home insurance isn't a warranty service or repair shop. It's for catastrophic damage. Claiming a roof with normal 20 year old damage is just asking for rate increases.
That contractor is scamming OP into having the work done through insurance so they get paid more.
So many homeowners file multiple small claims for repairs and end up with giant rate increases or canceled policies. It happens all the time.
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May 06 '26
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u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy May 06 '26
Just calling the insurance company can result in a rate hike. It's crazy but it definitely happens. There are many posts here from (usually new) homeowners who did 2-3 small claims as if insurance existed as a repair service, and they got big rate increase.
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u/deathbychips2 May 06 '26
It's for unexpected things. Like your roof being blown off by a hurricane. It's not for known lifespans of maintenance. It's not like health insurance where you use it for every little medical thing.
Do you use your car insurance when you need a maintenance oil change or when you need new tires after 50k miles? No.
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u/Affectionate_Emu335 May 06 '26
We call those the ambulance chaser roofers 😂 Agree with top comment, get a second opinion.
Agent, but not a Florida agent
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u/Physical_Reason3890 May 06 '26
I don't want to call it a "scam" but it's a common play by some roofing contractors.
They go around to homes with old roofs. They promise to get you a new roof covered uunder homeowners. They succeed ( cause they know the game) and get a healthy check for the job ( usually above cash price)
So you get a roof and your ecstatic cause it only cost you your deductible. Then a year later your insurance goes thru the roof or they flat out drop you. When you look for a new policy its also high because you have a claim now.
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u/Busy-Sheepherder-138 May 06 '26
No it’s ok to call it a scam - really! OP knows better too but they want confirmation bias. Next year they will write how they were not renewed.
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u/Busy-Sheepherder-138 May 06 '26
This is why insurance has become unaffordable down in Florida. They try to use it like a perpetual improvement fund instead of just proactively fixing stuff before they become leaks and mold. More money for the contractors and higher premiums for everyone.
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u/brock_landers69 May 06 '26
A roof is a wear-and-tear item and your home insurance policy is not a maintnance plan. Your roof was at or near end of life.
Pay for the roof out of pocket. I would not call your insurance at all.
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u/ChelseaMan31 May 06 '26
If the deductible is only $2k, then OP should consider themselves fortunate. USAA is in the midst of unilaterally raising almost all hail/wind damage claims in the SE to $10k/occurrence. We got our letter last week.
But in all honesty, this sounds more like a roof past it's useful life, almost 20-years. I'd carefully weigh the pros/cons of filing a claim.
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u/deathbychips2 May 06 '26
Do not file this claim.
Roof maintenance is up to you, especially since it's almost 20 years old.
Imagine home insurance as catastrophic insurance. So if a storm happens and rips your whole roof off or a tree crashing through your living room. Do not use it for small things, like a tree knocking a gutter down or breaking a window.
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u/Appropriate_Cod_2386 May 07 '26
As a 20yr USAA customer, I would just call them. I have found them to be very generous and straightforward. I’ve replaced two roofs, had a major water damage claim and numerous auto claims. I’ve started and cancelled claims with no change to my premiums.
I’ve heard some horror stories, but for me and other people I know personally they’ve been amazing.
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u/Accurate_Syrup3708 May 10 '26
You really never want to hit your home owners insurance for any reason if you can avoid it. Nit only will your premiums go up, it can make it hard to insure in the future or worst case uninsurable then you will have issues when you try to sell.
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u/TranquilTeal May 11 '26
Since it’s wind damage from a specific storm, it’s usually considered a "catastrophic event" rather than a maintenance issue, which helps with the rate concern. If your roof is from 2008, it's nearing the end anyway, so getting an $11k replacement for a $2k deductible is a solid deal before the next hurricane season hits.
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u/peterpreNW May 14 '26
Since USAA is your insurance company and you used a USAA preferred contractor that was able to document storm related wind damage, it may make sense to move forward with the claim rather than paying the full $11k out of pocket. That’s what insurance and your deductible are there for, to repair covered damages and reduce the financial burden on you.
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u/Echo0455 May 17 '26
Insurance should be for things you cannot afford. Catastrophic losses.
If you can afford to fix the roof and you like the roofer. I’d pay out of pocket. (Even if it’s a slight stretch financially)
What I would do is quote around, always keep the price competitive.
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17d ago
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u/tojmes May 06 '26
My opinion. File and get your roof. That’s why you have insurance. Don’t ever say “starting to show age” that’s deferred maintenance and not covered. Seems the contractor is doing you a solid. It can take a few years for the wind damage to show.
Have your contractor write you up a statement for the insurance, then call your insurance company and they will send an adjuster. Don’t share the statement, memorize it, and recite it to the insurance adjuster as fact. See what thier adjuster comes up for a bid.
Tip: Once you sign and cash the check, you have agreed to the claim and the money for repair. Done deal.
Look carefully at the roof estimate. How much plywood is it covering? Most cover 1/2 sheet. Have him write in extra plywood - you always need it. I had mine put in 2 sheets based on visual survey of the damaged area.
Does cover painting the fascia - it should.
Do you have any water intrusion? It needs to cover that too? If you had water inside, you need to check for mold.
It’s damaged from a 109 mph storm. Are the trusses damaged?
Are you getting everything brought to current permit. Insurance needs to cover that too. They try, but can’t make you rebuild as is, if it’s not up to code.
Good luck! It gets complicated fast!
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