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General tips and information regarding: roofing hail damage, vinyl siding hail damage, steel siding hail damage, or any kind of structural damage occurring from tornadoes, hail, straight line winds etc... Also tips on hiring roofing contractors or remodeling contractors are below. There are links to the left for more specific information on hail and types of hail, Minnesota storm damage reports are also available on the left. There have been several roofing and siding crews coming to Minnesota again this year ( Storm Chasers) Be careful who you pick when choosing a contractor. Service issues play a big part in the construction business. My best advise is for you the homeowner to hire a local Minnesota Roofing or Siding Contractor. This way if any problems arise in the future you can be fairly safe to assume your contractor will be around to address any roofing or siding problems. AUGUST 13TH 2007 HAIL STORM IN MINNESOTA - BLAINE - CIRCLE PINES -SHOREVIEW - WHITE BEAR LAKE Aug 24 2006 hail and storm damage reports Northfield - New Market -Anoka SEPTEMBER 16TH 2006 HAIL STORM AND TORNADO REPORT ROGERS MN FIRST THINGS FIRST WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOUR HOME HAS BEEN DAMAGED. 1. CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT OR CLAIMS CENTER LISTED ON YOUR POLICY. TELL THEM YOU HAVE HAIL DAMAGE. THEY WILL GIVE YOU A CLAIM NUMBER WRITE IT DOWN. FROM THERE THEY WILL EITHER TELL YOU TO GET A COUPLE OF ESTIMATES. OR TELL YOU THEY NEED TO ASSIGN AN ADJUSTER TO YOU AND YOUR CLAIM. 2.GET SOME ESTIMATES / INSPECTIONS DONE FROM CONTRACTORS (PREFERABLY US FOR ONE) 3. CHOOSE ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS YOU RECEIVED ESTIMATES FROM TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR CLAIM. WE RECOMMEND CHOOSING THE CONTRACTOR BEFORE YOUR ADJUSTER COMES OUT SO HE / SHE CAN BE THERE AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. FROM HERE YOUR CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THE PROCESS. 4. SOME INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL ADVISE YOU TO GET 3 ESTIMATES AND SEND THEM IN BEFORE THEY SEND AN ADJUSTER OUT. IF THIS IS THE CASE CHOOSE ONE OUT OF THE 3 ESTIMATES AND GO WITH HIS BID. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO GO WITH THE LOWEST BID. INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE GIVING YOU GOOD ADVISE ON GETTING MORE THAN ONE ESTIMATE BUT ARE ALSO IMPLYING THEY EXPECT TO PAY ONLY FOR THE LOWEST ONE (THIS IS NOT THE CASE) CHOOSE WHO YOU ARE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH. COULD BE THE FIRST ONE THAT COMES TO MEET WITH YOU OR EVEN ONE YOU HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST IN THIS CASE ONE ESTIMATE IS FINE AS LONG AS YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM. 5. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF THE AREA YOU LIVE IN HAS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR ADJUSTERS TO BE 3 WEEKS TO A MONTH OUT IN THE HARDEST HIT AREAS. AS WELL AS CONTRACTORS.
CONTRACTOR HIRING TIPS: 1.MAKE SURE CONTRACTORS ARE LICENSED. LICENSE LOOKUP 2. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU CHECK TO SEE IF CONTRACTOR IS A MEMBER. ALSO CHECK IF THEY ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE DATABASE. 3. IF ANYONE ASKS YOU TO SIGN A PROPOSAL OR ESTIMATE. IT WILL OBLIGATE YOU IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER 4. SOME CONTRACTORS BEGIN WORK BEFORE DAMAGE IS APPROVED. MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR SHOWS YOU ON YOUR CONTRACT AND THE ADJUSTMENT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT COVERED. MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR EXPLAINS ADJUSTMENT TO YOU. 5. TALK TO MORE THAN JUST ONE CONTRACTOR 2-3 RECOMMENDED - OR MAKE SURE THEY CAME FROM A GOOD RECOMMENDATION AND OR YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THEM. 6. DO YOUR HOMEWORK IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED YOU SIGN WITH DOOR TO DOOR SALESMEN BEFORE CHECKING THEM OUT. 7. REMEMBER NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS FREE. IF THE ESTIMATE IS LESS THAN THE COVERAGE YOU CAN UPGRADE. YOU CAN ALSO PERFORM SOME OF THE WORK YOURSELVES TO RECEIVE ENTIRE CLAIM AMOUNT. IT IS CONSIDERED FRAUD AND A FELONY FOR BOTH YOU AND THE CONTRACTOR TO SUBMIT DIFFERENT AMOUNTS PAID TO YOUR CONTRACTOR FROM YOUR CLAIM. INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL NOT LOOSE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. YOUR PREMIUMS DO REFLECT ALL CLAIMS. SO IT IS JUST LIKE TAKING A LOAN FOR 5 YEARS. GENERALLY ALL MONIES PAID OUT ON A CLAIM WILL BE PAID BACK THROUGH YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS PREMIUMS WITHIN 5 YEARS. 8. GENERAL TIPS FROM LICENSING DIVISION Hail Damage Most people in Minnesota don't even realize they have had hail damage to their roof , siding , or fascia materials. The impact of hail damage can loosen, fracture or remove granules from your asphalt shingles, Hail can leave tiny to large pits in your siding and fascia as well. The granules protect the asphalt from sunlight and Ultra Violet Light (U.V.). The roofing asphalt will deteriorate very quickly once it has had hail impact and is exposed to the sun. This is the reason hail damaged roofing will prematurely fail. Hail damaged roofs may or may not show up immediately as visual damage to the inexperienced observer. In some cases, the effects may not be visible or apparent for about a year or two. The effects of a hailstorm void the shingle manufacturer's warranty, as they cannot warrant against "Acts of God" such as hailstorms
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