Anyone Else With Hail Damage Yesterday in Denver??

Question

I had some hail damage on a few properties and vehicle damage. The apartment building nearby me had most of the windows busted out. Crazy hail storm, with tennis ball sized hail in some areas of Denver.

Who else had damage in Denver and what are you doing about it? I'm sure insurance agents are ringing off the hook for people wanting new roofs etc.

Account Closed · Answer

I am friends with a few roofers in town and can provide references.  I have a buddy in California that's on the USAA Insurance response team - he's not sure if he gets to come out or not (he got sent out here for the Colorado Springs storm a few months ago).  Looking at pics, it looks like the Golden/Jeffco area got hit the hardest with damage also happening to windows, screens, siding, gutters, cars, etc.  Pretty bad stuff.

The friends I have in the roofing business would prefer to be there when your insurance adjuster comes out - they can help point the adjuster in the right direction :)

Personally, I drove from Belleview/I-25 to the Federal/Evans area around 3:15pm and didn't see much aside from good rain and (at most) pea sized hail.

Bill S. · Answer

@Brian Kraft I'm in the same boat as you with high deductibles (by my choosing). I'm trying to get a property out the of the BRRR zone so have focused on that. Hopefully next week I can get some traction on this issue.

Brian Kraft · Answer

A few of my properties were hit. I just received reports/checks from the adjuster. I have everything under the same insurer and I'm bummed to see they want me to pay the $5,000 deductible for each property. Is it worth me trying to fight that and see if they can combine into one deductible? I also have an umbrella policy, but I have yet to review the details of any of my policies just yet. I'm about to dig in. I'm not sure if an umbrella policy is something useful in this type of situation for a single event. Or the fact that all my policies are under one insurer. I'm sure hoping so! @Bill S. or anyone else have any helpful guidance? Thanks!

Steven D. · Answer

I have a rental out in aurora and pretty sure the roof needs to be replaced. I'm going to do it on my own since it is pretty old and have a high deductible. If anyone has some reliable/honest roofer recomendations  I would appreciate the reference via PM. Hope it turns out well for everyone that was a crazy storm yesterday.

David Mayeranderson · Answer

@Kyle Doney Thanks for that insight Kyle. I'm aware that we will probably face an increase in the premium. We've never had a claim on this house before. I've seen the roof and the damage to some of the shingles is pretty severe. I do trust the person going out.

Kyle Doney · Answer

@David Mayeranderson Getting a roofers opinion is almost a waste of time unless you are wanting a roof. They are all going to tell you it needs replaced. I was talking to a roofer on the phone and he had already assumed the sale before even going out and knowing if there was damage. So if you want it replaced then do it, but take his opinion with a grain of salt unless its someone that is extremely honest, which most don't seem to be. They are clicking their heels in joy right now..

I spoke with my insurance guy and he advised against a claim unless truly necessary. Just like Bills situation, he said the adjuster could come out and totally disagree with the claim and give you way less than you need and then you have a claim on file and minimal $. He also warned that with too many claims insurance carriers will drop you or you end up with a high risk policy and spend an insane amount on insurance. That could devastate cashflow if premiums went up on all my properties.

@Bill S. Sorry to hear. Hopefully that works out. Keep us posted, could be some good wisdom shared through your experience.

Bill S. · Answer

I have probably over $100K in damage. About 1 dozen windows broke in two properties. Vinyl siding completely hammered on an 8 unit property. Roof damaged so bad for one property that pieces of shingles larger than my hand were laying all over the ground. Cars (not mine) were damaged with broken windows and dents. Some had the crease (strongest part of fender) dented. I have pictures of golf ball size hail scatted amount the grape size hail (probably one every 1.5 ft).

I am going to become a student of the insurance process. I had a fire and the insurance adjuster offered a settlement of $19k. The contractor that did the work was paid over $32k. The worst was I tried to point out things the adjuster missed and he flat out refused to include them. The contractor was paid for that stuff as well. I had hail damage on my roof a few years ago and I pointed out a number of items to the adjuster and they low balled me on them. I was busy and in a hurry so never bothered pursuing the issue.

I have enough at stake with this storm that I'm going to have to figure out the insurance claims game.

Teresa Lindberg · Answer

We have a rental in Arvada as well - 72nd/Simms area - can you post an update if the roofer thinks it will need to be replaced?

David Mayeranderson · Answer

We had hail damage on our Arvada rental. Broke a skylight and the roof got pretty beat up. I have a roofer going out on Monday to inspect.

Linda Weygant · Answer

All my properties and vehicles came through ok, although I had to wheel my motorcycle up close to the building because I was afraid of a tipover.  The wind was grabbing its cover and I had a real fear of a launch.  That was fun to do while being pelted with hail.

We had grape sized hail in Arvada and Westminster where most of my properties are.  My property in Aurora has overhangs sheltering the windows and doors, so that turned out ok too.

My friend who works in Golden had her rear windshield blown out.  Insurance adjuster can't look at it until Saturday.  She drove it home anyway (!) and now has a tarp over it.  Hailstones there were golf ball sized.

My management company was telling me that she had 23 windows and 8 skylights blown out in the Stapleton neighborhoods on other properties she manages and hailstones out there were easily baseball or softball sized.  The damage out there is incredible.