Texas Wind & Hail Storm Insurance Claims - 2008

Date: Sun May 11 9:54 PM, 2008

RE: Texas Wind & Hail Storm Insurance Claims - 2008

Date: Sun May 11 9:35 PM, 2008

Hello All,

2008 has certainly been a busy year for high winds and hail storms in Texas.

Mineral Wells, Weatherford, White Settlement, Gordon, Lake Worth, and many, many other areas around the state* have been damaged by winds and A LOT of HARD pea-to-softball+ sized hail.

After almost twenty years of post eco-catastrophe damage assessments &
reconstruction work, and working with property owners and insurance adjusters, it is hoped that the following will help ones in determining various forms of (visible & invisible) wind and hail damage, and restoration issues.

-Roger

The ABC's of Wind & Hail Damage

A. First of all, hail does not have to be "large" to create A LOT of damage to property.

B. Second, hail and winds commonly damage much more than just roofs.

C. Third, the more (policy-covered) damage that is found, the more your insurance company can pay for.

A Roof-to-Foundation Wind / Hail Damage Checklist

1. Hard, plentiful, and/or being driven by a good wind, pea size hail can strip the outer protective coating/ballast off of fiberglass shingles, greatly
damaging that ceramic granule UV component, while canceling it's factory warranty
value.

Larger hail can actually fracture, bruise, scrape, and tear fiberglass shingle,
tile, slate, metal, tar & gravel, built-up, modified bitumen, PVC, etc.
roofing systems.

Construction components architectural and/or finish continuity (it's value as a whole) is damaged and/or ruined by such hail and wind trauma.

Partial/patchwork damage restoration can make a property look awful inside and out, lowering it's value and saleability.

2. Hail can also dent, remove factory finishes, and break, roof vents, skylights, and other roofing components.

3. Hail and winds can shift and loosen wood, metal, stone, brick, and masonry,
chimneys.

4. Hail can dent rain guttering and downspouts. Wind carried sand and debris
can chip the factory finish.

5. Fascia trim boards can be bruised and scarred, and the paint finish blasted
off.

6. Wood, Hardie Composite, Masonite, Aluminum, Steel, Brick, PVC, Stone,
Stucco, and Masonry siding can be fractured, chipped, and bruised. Painted
surfaces can damaged by wind borne debris.

7. Double insulated window seals can "pop" by wind and hail beating
on them. The finishes on windows, and the glass itself, can be chipped by hail,
sand, and other wind borne debris. Screens can be damaged.

8. Entry and exit doors can be chipped, and warped.

9. Garage doors can be dented, warped, and/or sand blasted and wind borne debris damaged.

10. Fencing, Privacy Walls (Wood, Metal, PVC, Stone, Brick, Masonry, Etc.) can be shifted, dented, fractured, and the finish chipped/scarred.

11. AC Units cooling foils can be dented and/torn. "Combing" them can damage them further, and does not restore the factory engineered functionality, and can even take factory coatings off the cooling foils.

12. Winds can shift structures and cause external and internal damage. They can become unlevel. Foundations, brickwork, masonry, and sheet-rock can fracture and separate from the frame work.

13. Sheds, work-shops, green houses, play-stations, etc. can be damaged.

14. Winds can drive rain into a structure and damage insulation in ceilings and walls. Winds can create/find an opening and "balloon" a structure, creating internal and external fractures.

15. Contents can be damaged by a wind/hail created opening/opportunity.

16. Landscaping can be damaged.

17. Vehicles, boats, etc. exterior personal property can be damaged.

The ABC's of Reasonable and Fair Reconstruction Estimates

A. After a eco-catastrophe happens, local and area construction professionals are quickly loaded up with work.

B. Material and labor become in short supply, and market prices go up accordingly.

C. Insurance adjusters and construction contractors work out fair and reasonable costs / supplements for each individual project.

A Insurance Loss Claim Reconstruction Estimation Example

Roof - 1 Story 4:12 Pitch Hip
Base Labor & Materials For Simple Roof w/10% cut-waste factor.

   $990.00 - Remove 3000 SF Shingles 30 year - $33.00 Square (SQ)
   $144.60 - Remove/Prep Deck 3000 SF Felt - 15/30 YR. - $4.82 SQ.
   $449.13 - Replace 3300 SF Felt 30 YR - $13.61 SQ
$5,115.00 - Replace 3300 SF 30 YR Shingles - $155.00 SQ
$6,698.73

Guttering - Seamless Aluminum 5" - Labor & Materials

   $120.00 - Remove 240 LF - $0.50 LF
     $18.00 - Remove 60 LF Downspouts - $0.30 LF
   $432.00 - Replace 60 LF Downspouts - $7.20 LF
$1,512.00 - Replace 240 LF - $6.30 LF
$2,082.00

Windows - 6 - Aluminum Frames - 3'*5'

     $87.06 - Remove 6 Windows - $14.51 EA.
$1,491.42 - Replace 6 Double Insulated Windows - $348.57 EA.
$2,178.48

Vinyl Siding/Trim - 1760 SF - High Grade W/4% Cut-Waste

   $387.20 - Remove Siding/Trim - Vinyl Siding - 17.60 SQ - $0.22 SF

$6,547.20- Replace 1760 SF - $3.72 SF
$6,934.40

Cedar Fence - 200 LF W/4" * 8' Posts (Two Feet Set In Concrete)

$281.25 - Remove 25 LF Cedar Fence Posts/Concrete - $11.25 EA
$1,046.00 - Remove 200 LF 6' - $5.23 LF
$1,750.25 - Replace 25 4" * 8' Posts/Concrete - $70.01 EA.
$6,290.00 - Replace 200 LF 6' - 31.45 LF
$9,367.50

Misc. Project Items/Extended Costs

$280.00 - Material Delivery Charge
$250.00 - Building Permit
$350.00 - Dumpster
$352.00 - Site Clean-up - 16 Hrs. $- 22.00 Hr.
$185.00 - Dump Fee
$1,417.00

$28,678.11 - Sub-Total
$2,867.81- Contractor's Overhead 10%
$31,545.92 - Total
$3,154.59 - Contractor's Profit 10%
$34,700.51

This reconstruction estimation example is also how many adjusters summary pages are structured in general.

Too, the 10% overhead and 10% profit line items are basic (Insurance Adjuster Estimate) O&P margins.

One particular company, Allstate Insurance, recognizes 49%+ O&P for Primary-General Contractors Allstate customers hire.

http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/bulletins/1998/b-0045-8.html

A policyholders individual Contractor's actual replacement/reconstruction overhead and profit cost factors may be higher, and are "adjusted" to by insurance adjusters everyday.

Adjusters "adjust" to Construction market costs, they do not establish and/or illegally "fix" them.

So in summary;

1. Make sure ALL exterior/interior damage is accounted for. That is what we pay insurance for.
2. Hire a high quality Contractor. One who is familiar with insurance loss claim work is an even stronger choice.
3. Let the Contractor work out the reconstruction/cost details with the insurance adjuster.
4. Show a patient, neighborly interest in the project, and make allowance for circumstances beyond the control of the Contractor.
5. Pay the Contractor in a timely manner.
6. Recommend your Contractor to others.
7. If paying for your portion of the job costs (your "deductible") is a financial burden, speak with your Contractor about it. They may let you do a portion of the job yourself, or work out other arrangements.
8. Show patience and appreciation to the insurance adjuster.

This information is a quick guideline to help ones think about ALL the storm damage that may have touched the exterior and interior, and I'd like to suggest ones make their own DETAILED list, and take PICTURES, of ALL damage & contents they are going to claim.

Please, remember to not throw anything away until the adjuster has seen it, unless the adjuster tells you to, AND you have pictures/video.

Take care.

-Roger

rogerpoegc@gmail.com

* http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/bulletins/index.html