Does your commercial building’s insurance provide for replacement cost of your commercial roofing, or just repair? Does your insurance protect against storm damage, such as wind shear that tears away single-ply commercial roofing material? If you do not know what’s on your commercial roof, or what your insurance covers, then the roof that protects your building may have no protection.

Warranty or Insurance?

The roofing material and installation may be covered by product-specific warranties, including warranties for proper installation by your roofing contractor. These warranties are not the same as building insurance. They are, in effect, tiny policies paid for by the commercial roofing product manufacturer. If they extend to cover installation, the manufacturer is showing its trust in your roofer.

Your commercial property insurance is separate and above these warranties. Check your policy carefully, or contact your insurance agent to get specific answers:

  • Is the entirety of the roof insured, from roof deck through surfacing materials?
  • Is my roof insured against water infiltration, insect damage, storm and wind damage, and wind-borne debris from other buildings?
  • Does my insurance pay for the full replacement cost if my roof is destroyed, or does it only pay for repairs?

Negligence?

Most insurance companies will provide ample coverage–if you ask for it. Your basic policy may not take into account additions to your roof, such as new signs, HVAC units or satellite dishes. Be sure to update the policy periodically to reflect recent work or expansion.

No insurer will pay out on a claim if negligence on your part caused the damage. This means you must keep careful records demonstrating:

  • Annual or semi-annual inspections
  • Routine maintenance and repair
  • Logs of visitors to the roof and their purpose
  • Due diligence in addressing problems
  • Warranties for existing materials and labor

Check Up

Many property managers tend to make decisions and never revisit them. Insurance is not as “glamorous” as overhead. Yet you need to check your commercial property’s policies periodically so that you are fully protected. Your property’s commercial roofing protects your business, it needs protection, too.

BELDON Roofing Company has decades of experience working with insurance claims adjusters and insurance companies. We can guide you through the process of making a claim for your business’s commercial roofing. We can repair or replace the roof, depending on the severity of the damage. We can make your business whole again. Contact BELDON Roofing Company today to learn more about insurance coverage and commercial roofing.

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