Top 10 things your insurance company doesn't want you to know when filing for your Denver hail damage claim for gutter damage

May 8: the hailstorm that raged over west metro Denver is the costliest ever, racking up to $1.4 billion in damages. That’s three times more expensive than the state’s most damaging wildfire. An insurance industry trade group estimates more than 150,000 auto claims will be filed, in addition to 50,000 homeowner’s insurance claims. While their estimate might be conservative, it’s likely to climb on the dollar scale.

While hailstorms are an act of God, they shouldn’t have any effect on your premium. Make sure you have comprehensive auto coverage to safeguard your finances if an event like this ever happens again. If it’s your house, and it comes down from the sky, you’ll most likely be covered. These are some points to cover to make sure your insurance claim goes as smoothly as possible.
 
1. Hailstorm damage: Make sure you’ve documented everything. Save every receipt and record every phone call - your insurance company does not want to know that you’ve taken all the necessary steps to protect yourself.
 
2. Take photographs of the hail damage. Don’t rely on the adjuster to take the photographs, taking photographic evidence of everything that happened can be a huge help when filing your claim.
 
3. Start your hail damage claims process early. The sooner you start your claims process, the better.  The backlog of servicing that’s likely to happen can add frustrating delays from just getting the adjuster scheduled to finishing the actual repairs.
 
4. Ensure necessary hail damage repairs are made immediately. If the hail destroyed your skylight, replace it so interior of your house below it will be protected if this ever happens again. Check your windows, wood fences, chimney, gas vent, and outdoor HVAC system, too.
 
5. Select a smart damage deductible. Your insurance company would love to charge you as much a they can after this “act of God,” but don’t let them: when you signed up for your  homeowners insurance, hopefully you’ve selected a high coverage plan to cover just about everything with a low deductible. If your plan contains a high deductible, & the cost of repairing damage is below the cost of your deductible, you might end up paying out of pocket for the repairs.

6. Check your gutters immediately after the storm. Rather than conducting the risky roof inspection yourself, hire a professional gutter contractor to tell you how severe the hail damage was.

7. Look at outdoor equipment. Make sure you’ve inspected your grill, gazebos or children’s play sets.
 
8. Ask neighbors about their hail damage. If their property had different damage than you did, maybe you’ll be interested in checking that same thing out at your house. Also, your local TV station should explain the damage in the area more.
 
9. Check your automobile.  If your car was outside during the May 8th hailstorm, you’ll likely be victim to a totaled car because of damage to the exterior, the windows/glass, or any plastic surfaces. Make sure to check your car for any noticeable issues.
 
10. Find a reputable gutter contractor. Following these occurrences, scams have become all the rage. Rather than signing a contract with the first guy who knocks on your door, find a reputable contactor for the work you’d like done.

Colorado Seamless Gutters has been providing gutter cleaning and repair services to the Denver Metro area for over 30 years. Contact us today to set up your inspection and gutter cleaning or repair services. 

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