Insurance agents pushing customers to a new roof prematurely?
Troy Layman said
Jan 19, 2017
Good morning all,
How do you all handle jobs with insurance agents calling the shots? I had a quote for roof cleaning for a 12/12 pitch roof with enough moss that you'd think he lived up in the Pacific North West which he inherited as a parting gift from the previous homeowner. His insurance agent told him he needed to get the roof taken care of so I went out to do my sales pitch, and the roof was borderline needing replacement anyway, so I told him if he wanted to save the money from a roof cleaning and put it towards a new roof, it wouldn't be a bad decision, but if he wasn't currently in a position financially to pay for a new roof at the moment, which would require removing the existing single layer roof, I could clean his roof and buy him a few years to replace his roof.
He talked to his insurance agent and reading between the lines of the customers response, the agent is telling him if the moss cannot come off the roof immediately, he needs to replace the roof. In this case I think the home owner is probably better off taking the money from the roof cleaning and putting it towards a new roof, but if that wasn't the case, how do you all typically handle insurance issues like this? How much or how fast can an insurance agent dictate the roof be cleaned?
We do them all the time. If required to come off immediately, we spray then rinse with garden house pressure and then spray another coat on and leave it. A good rinse will take about 85-95% of the moss off. If you offer a warranty, the insurance company is usually good with that. Obviously charge accordingly, but it will still be much cheaper than a new roof. Take a few really good before and afters for the homeowner to send to the insurance company, with your invoice, so they know it was completed by a professional. Never had a problem.
Brandon Vaughn said
Jan 19, 2017
Insurance agents can be huge allies in this type of work. We regularly get work from several. We offer our written warranty, which oftentimes satisfies the agent. If not, as John says above, you can rinse the roof for a more immediate result.
Jeffrey Kirby said
Jan 19, 2017
Add to that--provide the technical bulleting from ARMA on asphalt shingle roof cleaning. And when you have an agent or 2 in your quiver, provide them a referral to the homeowner. Nothing says that the homeowner cannot change insurance agents.
Tim Teed said
Jan 20, 2017
That roof is fine. Many years left. I would have no problem telling homeowner he has many years left. We just had something similar for a cedar roof that was in much worse shape. Allstate was satisfied with a signed contract that we would clean because we weren't sure if we could clean due to weather. If the homeowner is a good customer, the agent will go to bat for homeowner. If not shop for new agent.
Spencer Zeman said
Mar 1, 2017
Being from the PNW we routinely do roofs much worse than that and have no issues with insurance companies. It's all in the pitch and information packets you provide. They often scare the homeowner with threats of canceling policy or not allowing a sale to proceed (more frequent). We have a packet we distribute via email with videos of us cleaning roofs, before afters, and a 1 year warranty that all growth will be gone and stay gone. Typically after the initial treatment the moss shrinks to about 1/3rd of the size and is brown and our customers can't believe how effective it is.
BTW we never rinse and we never broom or physically remove the moss or debris. If it doesn't come off with a blower the treatment will take care of it.
Bob Riddick said
Mar 2, 2017
We have had several customers contact us needing their roofs cleaned in the next THREE DAYS or their insurance company would not renew their policy.
It's rare that an agent or adjuster would make a personal appearance for a policy renewal. Not all insurance companies are the same, I guess.
Good morning all,
How do you all handle jobs with insurance agents calling the shots? I had a quote for roof cleaning for a 12/12 pitch roof with enough moss that you'd think he lived up in the Pacific North West which he inherited as a parting gift from the previous homeowner. His insurance agent told him he needed to get the roof taken care of so I went out to do my sales pitch, and the roof was borderline needing replacement anyway, so I told him if he wanted to save the money from a roof cleaning and put it towards a new roof, it wouldn't be a bad decision, but if he wasn't currently in a position financially to pay for a new roof at the moment, which would require removing the existing single layer roof, I could clean his roof and buy him a few years to replace his roof.
He talked to his insurance agent and reading between the lines of the customers response, the agent is telling him if the moss cannot come off the roof immediately, he needs to replace the roof. In this case I think the home owner is probably better off taking the money from the roof cleaning and putting it towards a new roof, but if that wasn't the case, how do you all typically handle insurance issues like this? How much or how fast can an insurance agent dictate the roof be cleaned?
Thanks!
We do them all the time. If required to come off immediately, we spray then rinse with garden house pressure and then spray another coat on and leave it. A good rinse will take about 85-95% of the moss off. If you offer a warranty, the insurance company is usually good with that. Obviously charge accordingly, but it will still be much cheaper than a new roof. Take a few really good before and afters for the homeowner to send to the insurance company, with your invoice, so they know it was completed by a professional. Never had a problem.
Insurance agents can be huge allies in this type of work. We regularly get work from several. We offer our written warranty, which oftentimes satisfies the agent. If not, as John says above, you can rinse the roof for a more immediate result.
Add to that--provide the technical bulleting from ARMA on asphalt shingle roof cleaning. And when you have an agent or 2 in your quiver, provide them a referral to the homeowner. Nothing says that the homeowner cannot change insurance agents.
BTW we never rinse and we never broom or physically remove the moss or debris. If it doesn't come off with a blower the treatment will take care of it.
We have had several customers contact us needing their roofs cleaned in the next THREE DAYS or their insurance company would not renew their policy.
It's rare that an agent or adjuster would make a personal appearance for a policy renewal. Not all insurance companies are the same, I guess.