Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against weather events, such as hail. It is designed to protect your home from the damage that could otherwise be inflicted.
The downside to this, of course, is that the roofing itself can be significantly damaged by the storm. This may even be more serious than people assume.
Common types of damage
To start with, it’s important to note that there are different building materials that are part of your roofing system. The type of damage that is going to be seen may depend on what materials were used. They’re all going to be impacted a bit differently.
For example, many people have asphalt shingles. These can be torn or cracked from hail. The asphalt pebbles on top can be knocked loose, exposing the lower parts of the shingle to excessive amounts of UV light. This can lead to long-term damage.
That said, some people have metal roofing systems. These are much less likely to crack or break, but hail can still cause dings and dents. In some cases, such as if a dent means that two panels no longer line up perfectly, this could still lead to water damage inside the house.
And that’s where a lot of the damage may eventually occur: Inside the home. No matter what type of roofing system you have, the full extent of the damage may only become clear as you find water damage in ceilings, attics, drywall and other parts of the home.
What if the insurance doesn’t cooperate?
If you have extensive damage like this, you likely hope that your insurance policy will pay to make the repairs. But what if the insurance company refuses to pay or attempts to pay you far less than it would take to actually cover the costs of all of this damage? That’s when you may need to know about your legal options.