It is not uncommon to come across complaints related to losses incurred during roofing contracts. This is why experts recommend scrutinizing the contents of your roofer’s insurance as a basic measure to protect yourself against any losses that may arise in the course of the contract. Because of the prevailing tough economic times, some roofing firms have now taken to using cheaper insurance policies. Unfortunately, this puts you in a dangerous position in case your loss is not catered for in the roofer’s policy. You want to stay away from contractors whose insurance cover is not adequate to cater for a reasonably wide variety of losses that are typical of roofing contracts. How to Verify Your Roofer’s Insurance Different types of policies that most roofers use include: *Workers compensation insurance Workers compensation cover protects the insurer from having to pay from their own pocket in case one of their workers is killed through a work related accident. *Public liability insurance This protects you and the roofer against paying for any losses incurred by the public due to activities in and around the construction site. This is the cover that pays for any damages or costs required if say a car is hit by a piece of scaffolding falling off from your roof. *General Liability Insurance This one covers quite a large variety of risks including: personal injury, medical payments, advertising injury, completed operations liability, punitive damages and independent contractor’s liability. Note that: Whether the roofer’s insurance company pays you depends on the nature of the loss that was incurred. If the loss was duly covered and is proven to have been happened due to his (roofer) negligence, you will be compensated (i.e if it is under his regular CGL policy). Procedure for seeking compensation from roofer’s insurer The foremost step is to contact the roofer through a formal letter demanding for compensation. If your claim is valid, he’ll forward your letter to his insurer. Once their insurance company is aware of the claim, they’ll verify it to see if it meets the terms and conditions of the underlying policy agreement. They might even (highly probable) visit your premises to inspect the damage. The rule of the thumb in that case is to avoid signing any documents that they might issue to you until you’re satisfied that you are getting enough compensation. You may want to ask him for his insurers contacts for a follow-up call just in case he has not tendered the claim. Do I pay the roofer his remaining fees? Whether to pay (or not to pay) the roofer the remaining part of his charges entirely depends on the terms of your contract. It would be a breach of contract to withhold payment if he completes his part of the job as specified in the contract. The only time you can refuse paying him is when the job contract is clear on what to do in case that particular loss occurs as in “right of retention”. You can sue him for negligence if need be. Roofing in houston tx roof should be a pain free experience. Be sure to check with your local BBB and Angie’s List to make sure you receive quality roofing that is backed by complete insurance.
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