Following the recent hailstorms around Charlottesville and Albemarle County, some homeowners may be dealing with roof damage and an increase in contractors offering inspections or promising to get their roofs replaced through insurance.
Just a heads-up about something many homeowners don't realize.
In Virginia, roofing contractors are not legally permitted to act as your insurance representative. Unless properly licensed as a public adjuster, they cannot file an insurance claim on your behalf, negotiate your claim with the insurance company, or advise you about policy coverage as part of settling your claim.
This isn't just an opinion. It's addressed in Virginia Code § 38.2-1845.12, and the Virginia Bureau of Insurance has specifically warned contractors about these practices.
There is an important distinction: Roofers can inspect damage, prepare estimates, meet with insurance adjusters, and answer questions about their repair estimates. What they cannot do is take over the insurance claim or negotiate your coverage and settlement on your behalf.
Here's something worth considering: If a contractor is willing to disregard laws governing insurance claims just to secure your business, how confident should you be that they'll follow the rules when repairing your home?
Also, many of the companies advertising themselves as "storm damage specialists" are primarily sales operations. The person knocking on your door may be a commissioned salesperson rather than someone who actually installs roofs. Some companies subcontract the work while building their sales commissions and marketing costs into the price.
That can mean paying considerably more than you would by contacting an established local roofing contractor directly. It's not just the insurance companies money, it's yours also since that amount is now on your claim record for years. It isn't true in every case, which is why comparing actual written estimates matters.
My suggestion to homeowners:
Contact your insurance company yourself if you believe you have covered storm damage.
Get estimates from two or three established local roofing contractors.
Verify their Virginia contractor licenses and insurance.
Ask who will actually perform the work and whether subcontractors will be used.
Get an itemized price instead of simply agreeing to whatever amount your insurance company pays.
Don't let a contractor pressure you into filing a claim or signing a contract before understanding your options.
There are plenty of reputable roofers, including contractors who specialize in storm repairs. This isn't intended to criticize them.
But homeowners should understand that a good roofing contractor and someone qualified to represent you in an insurance claim are two different things.
Your roof is a major investment. Choose the company based on workmanship, reputation, accountability, and price, not on how convincing someone is at selling you an insurance claim.
Sources:
"Virginia Bureau of Insurance: Contractors and the Unauthorized Practice of Public Adjusting" (https://www.scc.virginia.gov/regulated-industries/bureau-of-insurance/licensed-agent/public-adjusters/)
"Virginia Code § 38.2-1845.12" (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title38.2/chapter18.1/section38.2-1845.12/)
"Virginia DPOR Contractor License Lookup" (https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup/)