Why don't all roofing companies negotiate with insurance companies?

dougger222

I negotiate every insurance job I do. Quite often adjusters miss things including whole sections of roofs! In most cases they pay several thousand additional to what the original adjuster wrote. One a couple years ago comes to mind. Adjuster wrote $6,900 and paid $15,500. Had one this year at $28,000 and paid $38,000, no questions asked. Of course what helped was the owner was tied to a high level insurance personal, and it was insured for a couple million.

Another huge thing to do when doing insurance work is to inspect the entire property for damages. Most adjusters will only look at a roof if it's a hail claim but there could be damage to the siding, windows, and decking. Good adjusters start on the ground and inspect each elevation.

Localy there's a pretty big spread from insurance work and non insurance work. That being said I jump on any and all insurance leads. With one crew have done hundreds of insurance claims since 2006 and plan to continue if weather permits! The big difference between me and my competition is we don't advertise and go door to door. We get all the leads we need from past customers and insurance personal.

I feel even a lot of storm chasers leave a lot of money on the table. Most often they try to get in and do jobs asap. Without proper time and negotiations they settle off the adjusters scope and price.

Have only seen a couple adjuster who write exact roof estimates.

Also understand totaly were Thomas's point of view is. It takes a certain type of person to be able to bow down to some adjusters and take critisism easily. This is why storm work is not for every contractor. Also you have to have a sizable bank roll to finance insurance jobs. Anybody who does insurance work knows about the waiting game. Heck my builders pay a lot faster than insurance! That being said if you make more doing out of pocket jobs and have an easier time at it you don't need to bother yourself with insurance work. I personaly know of no local contractors who charge more than Xactimate on roofs. Windows and siding though that's another story!

It just so happens MN has been hit with so much storm damage over the past few years that 3/4 of my tear offs are insurance paid. From 06-08 it was 95%. This year however it's been about 60-65% insurance. So far this year have done more new construction than the past 4 years combined. Nice to have something to do on potential rain days.

TXRoofing

I have been reading this and Grumpy, I am offended that you would even think about stereotyping "most" roofers that charge insurance proceeds. Let me explain....
You are in Illinois, so listen to how we (roofers in Texas) HAVE to get roofing jobs. In this ecomony, NO ONE is just calling roofers to come out and bid on a roof replacement so insurance is the ONLY way us in the south get work.
I am an honest, rule following roofer... that said, I follow the insurance rules, and I educate EVERY homeowner about the process including the depreciation release and how if my invoice doesnt match the estimate from the adjuster, their depreciation check is cut down to my price minus the deductible, SO who in their right mind wouldnt charge what the insurance company said they WILL pay??
Once I tell the customer these things, they dont even get bids, they explain how helpfull i was and they LOVE me!! I never ever lose a contract, why?? Because I am a very detailed, honest and reliable roofer that EARNS the respect of the homeowner by showing experience, quality and PERFECT referencesas well as a A+ BBB Rating!

So, I DO chase local storms in my area and am amazing at it, I dont discount my service to try and beat out some other lower quality, cheap labor roofer who is trying to get work by lowering prices and not tell the customer about depreciation.

So to sum it up, SCUM is a roofing company willing to take less that what is OFFERED in order to beat out another reputable, insured, and warrantied roofing company.
Not to mention that when they do this, all they do is de-value our services as a whole!!

My 2 cents....

RooferJim

I agree TeX, you cant paint everyone with a broad brush. It is a different world in some states.

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com

Grumpy

You are right, sterotyping is wrong, but I have not met a storm chaser in real life that didn't fit the sterotype. Everyone on the internet can be what ever they want to be, it's imaginary life... Funny how every storm chaser online claims to be reputable, but I've never met one. Is this a fluke?

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

insuranceroofer

What would you consider reputable?

insuranceroofer

I've gotten more per square for a 3-tab.

RooferJim

that is low price. 80 mil pvc ? thats more like $10. per sq foot

Grumpy

80 mil PVC costs $1 per square foot for the membrane.

$1,000 a square installed?

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

RooferJim

For the whole system labor included thats about right. 2 " iso on that particular job. 50 mil IB we usually in the range of 6.00 to 8.00 per square foot installed roughly give or take. could be a little less for a large wide open job .

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com

Grumpy

Jim you are making assumptions that atre not accurate, which is what I assumed from your price guesstimation.

It's a cold deck design with vents, no ISO. If I were doing ISO I would have been in the same range as you.

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing