Hail/Wind Damage Inspections

Hi All,

Curious what everyone does for roof access(or not) on inspections for hail or wind damage inspections.

Do you get on 12/12 pitch roof and do the 10’ x 10’ layout and marked defects with pictures?

Are you involved with insurance inspections for wind or hail?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

For anyone looking for work. Insurance companies/adjuster’s are always looking for third unbiased opinion’s.
Example: Insurance claim for hail damage. A “chaser” shows up. Happen"s to be a roofing contractor. Contractor knocks on homeowner’s door and said there has been hail damage in your area. We are doing a roof down the block. The owner submit’s a claim. The insurance adjuster comes out and finds no damage. Here is where you (home inspector) come in. Some State Insurance rules state that there should be a third party inspection. You go and inspect. The Insurance company wants documentation. Pictures, chalk marks, 10’ x 10’ area each roof surface.
Have not found a way to do it from the gutter.
Does not matter. If you need work–look into insurance assist or third party.

I do them… and yes, I do 12/12 and the 10x10 squares.

I use Cougar Paws to walk them… you just need to have nerves of steel. :stuck_out_tongue:

and bones of rubber!

I’ve spent three years developing educational information on this subject in a variety of formats, including video course, InterNACHI website articles, field guides, and books-on-tape… some of which are, and some of which are about to… become available to inspectors (and claims adjusters) soon, so I’ll do my best to summarize.

The opinions of home inspectors carry no legal weight when it comes to hail damage unless the inspector has some special qualification recognized by the arbitrator or judge. At this point, there are no neutral third party qualification courses available to home inspectors. However, neutral third party courses specifically for home inspectors are nearing completion and will soon be available through InterNACHI online education.

When there are issues about what constitutes hail damage, it comes down to how the policy is written, which can vary a lot from one insurance company to another, and how each insurance company handles claims. Some companies, like Farmer’s, are very good. Others, and I won’t name names, try never to pay anything, and then there’s everything in between.

Specialized training in inspecting roofs for hail damage includes learning how the insurance industry views hail damage and how they define “functional” and “cosmetic” damage. The former they pay for, the latter they don’t.

Look for the first two of these InterNACHI roof courses, that include detailed sections on hail damage to all five steep-slope residential roof-covering materials to come out within the next few weeks.

Look forward to a chance to make money and protect your clients by performing inspections as someone qualified in roof inspection by a credible, neutral third party organization like InterNACHI.

It’s killer-great information that took me a long time to collect and provide.

So that’s the straight skinny on inspecting for hail damage.

Unless you have credible qualifications, any reputable insurance company will not hire you. The more reputable insurance companies will not hire anyone for training as a claims adjuster to do hail work unless they have a college degree.

Anyone who tells you that you can make easy money inspecting for hail damage does not know what he is talking about.

Kenton,

I sure do not want to disagree with you as your name appeared on most of the InterNACHI courses I have taken.

You highlighted my comment.

I most certainly did not say-“easy money”! Inspecting roofs is not easy work. The greater the pitch the harder the work. I lost count on the amount of roofs I have been on.

I guess I forgot this is a Home Inspection site. That’s all an Inspector can do. I guess the roof is not part of the dwelling. Do not think out of the box. Inspector’s should just stick with home inspection’s. Stay of the roof, do not think you can do anything else, do not further your education, do not count any of your past experience, and Lord knows, do not think an Insurance Company will hire you for a “roof assist”, “roof assessment”, or a “roof inspection”, because the Insurance Company is not reputable. I vehemently and adamantly disagree with you, with all do respect!

Just because you are a “Licensed Home Inspector”, regulated by State Regulations, have SOP’s and Code of Ethics, are under possible review by the State that regulates your License–hell it means nothing. I am not an attorney or a judge, they are the ones that look at, and are involved with dissecting and interpreting the regulations and the letter of the law. They are the ones that direct depositions.

Forget about being a member of a well know respected organization that has a Code of Ethics, and SOP’s–InterNACHI! Does not count, or does it. My mistake for thinking this is a professional organization.

If you are talking about an “expert witness”. I would concur that a degree is important. You know as well I as I do that, actual experience weighs heavy on the subject at hand as to weather you can be an expert or not. A young Inspector out of the box, limited experience, lack of knowledge, real difficult to be an expert.

Again, you highlighted my comments–“does not know what he is talking about”. Shear conjecture on your part. What other facts do you have to form your opinion?

Hey, and nice job on the Green Course. 8 hours is too short for credit. Should be at least double. You had a lot of info in that course.

Open for amicable discussion anytime.

Have a nice weekend. Marc

Insurance companies don’t just hire inspectors to inspect roofs for wind and hail damage for claim purposes (which often requires a licensed adjuster). Some insurance companies hire inspectors to inspect roofs for wind and hail damage for other reasons, such as to write a new policy or reinsure.

In other words, not all the inspection work available is associated with a claim.

ComInspect often gets asked by insurers to look at buildings before they’ll agree to write a new policy.

You are right on.

It’s amusing to think, considering the number of “conspectors” (defined as a contractor who uses inspections to either supplement or otherwise enhance his income) we have who are calling themselves “home inspectors”, that they could even remotely have the credibility with the insurance guy writing them the check to do the inspection and the repair.

I agree that the call for an expert diagnostic opinion on not only the condition of a roof, but the recency and cause for that condition, would greatly exceed the abilities of an extremely large percentage of home inspectors.

Well, that leaves me out. I’m still working on my GED.

Just thought I would put a suggestion out there. That’s all.

My State License is regulated by the State. It’s Law. It would not be legal to inspect and do work on the same project. I take that seriously.

I got main right after the, uh… well I’m not going to tell you what grade.