Roof emergencies answered 24/7PullmanGrand JunctionFennvilleSouth HavenBloomingdaleBangorAlleganSaugatuck & DouglasGoblesHollandKalamazooPortage(616) 360-2522 Roof emergencies answered 24/7PullmanGrand JunctionFennvilleSouth HavenBloomingdaleBangorAlleganSaugatuck & DouglasGoblesHollandKalamazooPortage(616) 360-2522

Roof Insurance Claim Help for Hail Damage in Southwest Michigan

Lifetime Construction Builders helps with your roof insurance claim at no charge. We inspect the roof free, take dated photos, write an estimate your adjuster can read, and meet the adjuster on the roof. On insured work, you pay only your deductible.

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  • Michigan license 252400088
  • Insured: $1M liability, $2M workers' comp
  • BBB Accredited
  • Family owned since 2009
Aerial view of a two-story house after a storm, with dark sheeting and underlayment over part of the roof and limbs down across the yard
Part of a roof under sheeting after a storm

What homeowners insurance pays for on a roof

A home insurance policy pays for sudden, direct damage from a covered peril, such as wind, hail, or a falling tree. It doesn't pay for wear, age, or a slow leak. Your policy, your insurer, and whether a covered storm caused the damage decide each roof claim.

Michigan deadlines your insurer has to meet

  1. Proof-of-loss listWithin 30 days of getting your claim, the insurer must tell you in writing what proof of loss it needs.
  2. PaymentA claim counts as paid on time within 60 days of proof of loss. Late payments carry 12% simple yearly interest unless the claim is reasonably in dispute.
  3. AppraisalWhen you and the insurer disagree on the amount, each side names an appraiser. If the two can't agree on an umpire within 15 days, a judge names one.
  4. Labor depreciationOn homeowners insurance policies issued or renewed since this date, the insurer can depreciate labor only through an optional endorsement sold for a lower premium.

Sources: MCL 500.2006 and MCL 500.2833; DIFS Bulletin 2024-26-INS.

Roof damage a policy usually covers

  • Wind damage from a storm
  • Hail damage to the shingles and roof metal
  • A tree or limb that falls on the roof

Roof damage a policy usually doesn't cover

  • Wear and the age of the roof
  • A slow leak that built up over time

What the insurance adjuster checks for hail damage

  • Hail hits, counted in test squares on each slope
  • Dents in the soft metal: roof vents, gutters, and flashing

Actual cash value or replacement cost: how the insurance company figures the payment

  • Actual cash value: what the old roof was worth after depreciation
  • Replacement cost: usually actual cash value first, then the held-back depreciation once the work is finished and documented
  • Either way, the payment comes minus your deductible
Know what's on your roof when you call your insurer.

Our free inspection gives you dated photos of the damage to send with the claim. DIFS, Michigan's insurance department, tells you to contact your insurer before you hire a contractor, photograph the damage, and protect your home from more damage.

Roof insurance claims: the first four answers

What homeowners ask us before they file a claim.

Should I file an insurance claim for my roof?

File when a covered storm caused the damage and the work costs more than your deductible. Most roof repairs Lifetime Construction Builders does cost $450 to $1,500, so a small repair can fall under a high deductible. Our free inspection shows what's on the roof first.

Should I call my insurance company or a roofer first?

Your insurance company, before you hire a contractor, as DIFS, Michigan's insurance department, advises. Lifetime Construction Builders' free inspection costs nothing and gives you dated photos to send in. Call (616) 360-2522 any time.

Will my insurance go up after a roof claim?

It can, and only your insurer can tell you by how much. Homeowners report higher premiums after hail claims. Lifetime Construction Builders can't answer for your insurer, but our free inspection tells you what damage is on the roof before you decide to file.

Can you negotiate my claim with the insurance company?

No. Michigan law lets only a licensed adjuster adjust a claim, and Lifetime Construction Builders is a roofing contractor. We inspect, photograph the damage, write the estimate, and meet your adjuster on the roof. The coverage decision is your insurer's.

Open 24/7 (616) 360-2522

What our customers wrote on Google

In West Michigan's worst roofing reviews, homeowners most often say their roofer stopped calling back. With us, Luis, our regional manager, takes your calls from the inspection to the cleanup. We're rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google.

We had Lifetime Construction Builders replace our entire roof last month after the winter storm damage, and I couldn't be happier with the results. From the initial inspection to the final cleanup, everything was handled professionally.
Brian S. Google review
“Luis (regional manager) was with us every step of the way, answered any questions we had, and took care of the whole process. We truly did not have to worry about a thing.”
Sophia H. Google review
“Completely professional, from the director to the outstanding men who performed the task. … Everything went off without a hitch or any significant delays.”
Shannon B. Google review

How our roofing company helps with your roof insurance claim

Our claims process runs the same six steps for every roof. From the inspection on, Luis, our regional manager, is your contact and takes your calls.

  1. You call, and a real person answers

    Call (616) 360-2522 at any hour, severe weather included. Tell us your town, when the storm hit, and what you've noticed on the roof or the ceilings.

  2. A free inspection with dated photos

    We inspect your roof at no charge and photograph the wind, hail, or limb damage we find. Every photo is dated, so it lines up with the storm your claim names.

    See what a roof inspection covers.

  3. A written estimate your adjuster can read

    You get the repair or replacement the damage needs, priced in writing. Your adjuster can set it beside the insurer's own estimate.

  4. We meet your adjuster on the roof

    We walk the roof with the insurance adjuster and point out the damage in our photos. The adjuster works for the insurer and decides what's covered, and the claim moves at the insurer's pace.

  5. Repair or replacement at the approved scope

    Once the claim is approved, our crew does the repair or the full replacement the insurer approved, and you pay your deductible.

    Read about storm damage repair and roof replacement.

    Brick ranch house with its roof torn off to bare plywood decking, a ladder at the eave, and old shingles on tarps in the yard
    A roof torn off to the plywood decking
  6. Cleanup and the warranty

    The crew hauls the old roofing away and sweeps the yard for nails. Our lifetime transferable warranty covers the finished work.

What roof insurance claim help costs

Our claim help costs nothing. When your insurer covers the work, you pay only your deductible.

If you decide not to file a roof damage claim, or the claim isn't approved, you still have our written estimate, and that price doesn't change once you have it.

Roof repair prices without a claim

What you pay and how long it takes

  • Claim helpNo chargeFree inspection with dated photos, a written estimate, and a meeting with your adjuster on the roof
  • Insured repair or replacementYour deductibleBuilt at the insurer's approved scope
  • How long the claim takesYour insurerAn inspection visit, then the adjuster's visit; the insurer sets the pace from there

What decides what insurance pays

  • Your homeowners policy
  • Your insurer
  • Whether a covered storm caused it

Free inspection and written estimate. Financing available, ask Luis. 5% military discount. We take credit card, check, or cash.

The repair or new roof we build once your claim is approved

An insured repair or new roof gets the same materials and the same warranty as any job we do.

Finished dark architectural shingle roof on a stone house at dusk, with the porch lights on
A finished architectural shingle roof at dusk

Atlas asphalt shingles

We're an Atlas Preferred Contractor and an Atlas Pinnacle Pristine Authorized Installer.

Ice barrier
Ice-and-water shield from the eaves to 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, as the Michigan Residential Code requires
Cold weather
Below about 40°F, we hand-seal the shingles
Warranty
Our lifetime transferable warranty on the installation
Asphalt shingle roofing

Metal roofing

We install and repair exposed-fastener and standing seam steel roofs.

Metal roofing

More roof insurance claim questions

Filing deadlines, payouts, adjusters, and door-to-door sellers. Anything else, ask us on the phone.

A person answers 24/7(616) 360-2522
How long do I have to file a roof insurance claim in Michigan?

Report the damage as soon as you can, since your policy sets the notice deadline. Michigan law gives you at least 1 year after the loss to sue, and that clock pauses from your report until a formal denial. Lifetime Construction Builders dates every photo from its free inspection.

What's the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost?

Actual cash value pays what your old roof was worth after depreciation. A replacement cost policy usually pays that first, then releases the held-back depreciation once the work is finished and documented. Your policy decides which applies, and Lifetime Construction Builders builds to the approved scope either way.

What if my insurer approves only part of the damage?

Ask for the adjuster's written scope and compare it with our inspection photos. If you disagree on the amount, your policy's appraisal clause applies, and DIFS answers questions at 877-999-6442. Lifetime Construction Builders builds the approved scope, or works at its written price if you pay on your own.

What should I tell the insurance adjuster?

Tell the adjuster when the storm hit and what damage you found. Lifetime Construction Builders meets the adjuster on the roof with dated photos and a written estimate, so the damage is shown in front of them. The coverage call stays with your insurer.

Someone knocked on my door offering to handle my claim. What should I do?

Ask for a Michigan license number and check it with LARA before you share your policy number. If you sign a door-to-door sale, Michigan law lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day. Lifetime Construction Builders holds Michigan license 252400088, with its office at 605 56th Street in Pullman.

Get a free roof inspection for your claim

Tell us your town and what happened to the roof, and we'll call you back to set up your free inspection and written estimate. Prefer to talk first? Visit our contact page.

Water coming in now? Call (616) 360-2522

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