Storm Damage
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Insurance Process Overview
Q & A
We have created some commonly asked questions about hail and storm damage so that you can know what to expect when dealing with insurance and getting your home repaired.
Actual Cash Value (ACV) is the depreciated value of a damaged item, the depreciation is calculated based on the age and expected lifespan of the item.
Depreciation is the amount of money the insurance company devalues your damaged item based on its age, with RCV coverage you would receive this amount once the item is repaired and a receipt or invoice is sent to insurance.
Replacement Cost Value (RCV) this is the total amount it costs to replace the damaged item. The ACV + Depreciation equals the RCV amount.
If you have a $30,000 roof and a $1,000 deductible, and your roof has a 30-year rated shingle that is currently 10 years old, it would be depreciated by 33% ($10,000). This means the ACV would be $20,000. After subtracting your deductible insurance would send you your first check in the amount of $19,000. Insurance pays for the rest.
We will work directly with your insurance company and come to an agreement on the scope and price of your project. Oftentimes there are items that insurance companies will not add into their estimate until work is complete. Many times they require photos of completion and code documents that verify what additional items were needed and why. This is commonly called a post-build supplement. If an insurance scope is way out of line we will typically do a pre-build supplement, but may still require a post-build supplement. For extremely complex claims we may send over 3-5 supplements at different times while building the project in stages.
Most insurance companies and contractors in the exterior industry use a program called Xactimate to write estimates. Xactimate automatically calculates current market value pricing and it updates by zip code each month. This means that we all have the same pricing per unit, or square foot etc. The differences in what you see as a total price are typically actually differences in job scope usually related to code requirements, quantities, additional components & accessories or sometimes material grade. If all of the exact same line items were contained in an estimate written by multiple insurance companies or different contractors the end price would be exactly the same.
Your insurance company will send all funds to you. Your insurance checks will likely have your mortgage company’s name on them. The funds are typically distributed in multiple payments, the first payment is the ACV value of all damaged items on your claim, and the final payment is the depreciation that was withheld until repairs were complete. You will only receive depreciation for an item that is completed, and if an item was not completed you are typically not entitled to receive the depreciation from your insurance company on that item.
You will need to contact the “property loss” or “loss draft” department at your mortgage company to have them endorse your insurance checks if their name is on them as well. If your company is local you can stop into their office as well. They may have some paperwork that you will need to have us fill out as well as some other documentation for us to provide. Your mortgage company may also perform an inspection to verify that work was completed before disbursing final funds. Summit Construction will not speak to or deal with your mortgage company directly as it would require us retaining personal account information that we do not wish to retain.
The deductible is deducted from the amount of money your insurance company sends. If you have a project that is approved for $50,000, and you have a $1,000 deductible, this means the insurance would send you up to $49,000 and you would pay the remaining $1,000 to your contractor.
Please know, we do not and cannot (pursuant to Minnesota State Law) discount, rebate, or waive any portion of your deductible. This is against the law and we will not participate in bad practice or illegal activity. We need to be here for our clients in the future, and we do not cut corners. If you hear of a contractor that is waiving deductibles we advise you to absolutely stay away from that company. You would not want to deal with the ramifications of your insurance company finding out and it is very likely that contractor will not be around in a few years.
Stormchasers are either companies that come in from out of state or contractors that become roofers as well as exterior contractors as soon as a storm hits. Oftentimes they have a temporary office set up, they come in, build jobs, and leave a few months later. Usually their quality lacks which often leads to jobs that get butchered and the homeowner ends up holding the bag. Make sure your contractor has a portfolio of jobs in Minnesota and has real reviews online.
We do not give out phone numbers of our past clients, in fact we do not even ask them if we can although some people offer to provide reference we do not keep a running list of clients that would be willing to discuss over the phone, we retain the belief that most clients wish not to be bothered and working on a lot of high end homes most of our clients are very busy and very private people. We take the position that past clients may find it a hassle and bothersome to provide reference over the phone. We do however have many online reviews and provide addresses of past jobs in the case that a prospective client would wish to drive by. Our certifications and portfolio are used to verify our credibility.
What Our Clients Say
This was our first experience filing a home insurance claim and Summit coordinated everything efficiently and thoroughly. On top of that, the actual labor crew was incredible and the final product is beautiful. 10/10 Would recommend
Fred H.
Lake Minnetonka
We interviewed ~10 different roofing companies before deciding to choose Summit, and Thomas is the main reason why. From start to finish, he demonstrated a level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication to the client that is rare to find. In particular, we were very impressed by Thomas' time and honesty in figuring out what would be best for us and our home as we were considering how the roofing project would interface with other home improvement projects that we are considering.
Thomas also deftly handled unique challenges associated with our project, including dealing with a rooftop A/C unit, which required the involvement of multiple additional parties (our HVAC company to remove/reset the unit and a carpenter to build a new platform for the unit). Since our roof replacement was an insurance claim, he also seamlessly handled all of the back-and-forth with our insurance company.
Thomas prioritized being around during the construction and also came by personally to follow up on several important but smaller items as the project wound down. He never made us feel like any detail was too small to be taken care of promptly and properly. It is clear that Thomas takes great pride in his work, wants the best for his clients, and represents Summit exceptionally well. He is by far the best, most thorough, and kindest contractor with whom we have worked (and we have worked with many, given that we moved into an older home and have had multiple large projects).
We are thrilled with the results of our new roof and will certainly be recommending Summit's services -- and Thomas in particular -- to our neighbors and friends because of this experience.
They were communicative and kept me informed on progress. The entire job took one day to complete. They were in and out quickly and left the site fully cleaned up as if they were never there.
I would highly recommend Summit and the project coordinator Jonathon Soto for a reroofing job.
Bernie was amazing and handled communication with the insurance company, explained everything clearly, and kept the project moving without any stress on my end. The crew was professional, efficient, and respectful of my property, and the finished roof looks great.
If you’re dealing with storm damage or an insurance claim and don’t want the headache that usually comes with it, Summit Construction is the way to go. Great experience from start to finish.
They are very upfront with their costs, so no surprises. I can't say enough about our great experience with Summit. I would highly recommend this company!
Lori B
The quality of workmanship is outstanding—our roof looks incredible and was completed on time and within the quoted price. What really stood out was their attention to detail and respect for our property. They left the area spotless and treated our home as if it were their own.
If you’re looking for a roofing company that is honest, reliable, and truly takes pride in their work, this is the one. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone and would not hesitate to use them again in the future.
Was a seamless process and very professional. We will be using them for our siding replacement next.
See attached photo for evidence of workmanship where the original wood edging and metal work required repair and then the new tile has been positioned for a perfect fit.
The roofing and gutter crews were prompt, professional and tidy. The work was completed flawlessly. I highly recommend Summit Construction and especially the project manager, Christian Decker.
The crew arrived on time, worked efficiently, and left everything spotless once the job was done. The quality of the roof is exceptional, and Durham took the time to walk me through the materials, process, and warranty so I felt completely confident in my decision.
It is rare to find a company that combines great workmanship with such outstanding customer service. This team truly does. I would 100 percent recommend them to anyone needing roofing work done. You will be in great hands with Durham and his crew.
The installation was quick, and they left our property clean. Even coming back to ensure no nails/screws were left in the yard. The quality of workmanship is outstanding, and our new roof looks amazing!
I highly recommend Summit for any roofing needs. Thank you for a job well done!
They installed a GAF 60 Mil TPO Rhinobond system and took care of everything — permits, tear off, cleanup, you name it. It was clear the crew took pride in their work.
It was one of those projects that went exactly how you hope it will. No surprises, no chasing people down, just quality work from a team that knows what they are doing.
If you are looking for a reliable roofing crew, I would definitely recommend Summit.
I hope we don’t have another project like this for a long time, but if we do, Brett will be my first call!