There is no limit to a storm’s potential for destruction. A single hailstorm, windstorm or blizzard can easily ruin your home or commercial property’s roofing and siding, thus rendering your building incapable of repelling precipitation.
If your building has fallen victim to violent weather, your only viable course of action is to engage the services of a local storm damage contractor. Failing to take immediate action will only put your most valuable possession at greater risk of further damage!
Homeowners insurance is not required by Minnesota state law. But don’t let that fact dissuade you from purchasing insurance all the same. The average storm damage insurance payout is $11,695 – much more cash than the average American has on hand at any given time.
Don’t Wait to File a Storm Damage Claim!
If your property has incurred damage as the result of a storm (or for any other reason), your first step should be to contact your insurance provider directly. You must file a claim in order to get the ball rolling. Every minute that passes is another that your property remains unprotected against the elements!
The process of filing a claim may take some time, as your insurance provider may require multiple visits to your property to assess the damage and confirm the scope of work necessary to restore it. You may even have to dispute their decision to compensate for inadequate repairs or deny your claim outright.
Furthermore, you probably aren’t your insurance provider’s only policyholder in your area, which means they can reasonably expect an avalanche of claims in the wake of a storm. Taking fast action is the best way to ensure your claim is prioritized!
How Long Do You Have to File a Storm Damage Claim?
Sometimes storm damage isn’t immediately apparent. Hailstones don’t always leave highly visible impressions on asphalt shingles, and when wind is strong enough it can easily blow shingles far away from your yard where you won’t notice them. Regardless, your immediate reaction to detecting storm damage should always be the same: contacting your insurance provider so you can file a claim.
How long do you have to file a storm damage claim, exactly? That entirely depends on the language of your homeowners policy. Many insurance providers give their policyholders generous deadlines to file claims: two years is common, and sometimes even longer. But don’t interpret that as a go-ahead to delay your claim. The claims process becomes more complicated the longer you wait to commence it – and the odds of the insurance company denying your claim outright only become higher.
What Should You Do If You Miss the Deadline to File a Storm Damage Claim?
If you have missed the deadline to file a claim, then you will have to pay for whatever repairs are necessary to restore your property’s exterior on your own. We will not elaborate on the financial implications of this. What we will emphasize is that you must still arrange for exterior repairs to your property in order to mitigate the existing damage and prevent even more extensive damage in the future.
Whether you are currently working with your insurance provider or paying for storm damage repair out of pocket, consider Exterior Pro your best ally. We are experienced in communicating with all major insurance providers, and facilitate our client’s claim process so that we may deliver fast, comprehensive and long-lasting solutions to their property’s storm damage. Our thorough inspections reveal any and all indications of storm damage, and our industry-leading experience and high-quality construction materials always ensure the ideal repairs for any exterior, however badly damaged it might be.
In short, it may be too late to file an insurance claim – but it is never too late to request roofing and siding repairs. If your property is located in the greater St Cloud, Little Falls, Alexandria or Brainerd, MN areas, then we welcome you to contact Exterior Pro today to request your free estimate!