Understanding The Hailbelt & Roofers
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Roofguy
When we'd sell a Kold King rig, roofers in other parts of the country and world were perplexed about the concept of hail. "You mean you get to reroof the same building after hail, even if you just roofed it?" Yes! If the hail was big enough.
I told a customer from California that his roof was hail damaged by baseball sized hail, and he said "That's impossible, I just put a new roof on 6 months ago." They are always shocked when I tell them "This is Texas, we get large destructive hail - you get softball sized hail today on a roof you just installed yesterday, you will need a new one tomorrow."
There were other things that are less obvious. Roof warranties are a managed liability. We all know that when you have a large strip mall with 300 penetrations, you will get called out with leaks even if they turn out not to be roof leak. A roof warranty has a certain annual cost to it. So imagine if 75% of your roofs are in the Dallas area and they get baseball sized widespread hail. That's huge - $20,000,000 worth of your roof warranties just went away over night. The liability ended with the storm.
Now, add in that a local roofer can make north of $100 million on a hailstorm, and you begin to see why roofers like the hail belt.
natty
Roofguy Said: That is why I have whined so much about it, it has taken away a big part of my income.What you are whining about is that the law took away your delusion that you could double dip-- first, as a licensed adjuster, and second, as the roofer. The truth is you were always just a roofer acting as an expert witness. You can still get hired as the expert witness and still get the roof job if there is indeed a claim to be had.
Back in the 90s while I was trying to figure out this hail storm racket, I was convinced adjusters were taking kickbacks and bribes from roofers just to get the jobs. I think they still do. It just is not so out in the open as it use to be.
Roofguy
Natty, thats fine so long as that is just your opinion and you don't actually do those things. Because they are illegal, since August they are. That is why I have whined so much about it, it has taken away a big part of my income.
natty
Roofguy Said: The insurance companies dont care? Is that why they spend tens of millions to lobby for rules that tie the hands of roofers? Who do you think is behind the August statute that made it illegal for a roofer to negotiate a claim with an adjuster? The insurance lobby did that. I know, a friend of mine is a Texas congressman.There is nothing illegal for a roofer to negotiate a claim with an adjuster. You can meet with the adjuster and negotiate all you want. What is illegal is for a roofer to present himself to a property owner as someone who can negotiate a claim for the property owner with the insurance company. That is suppose to eliminate those phony contingency contracts. A roofer can't be an adjuster and an adjuster can't be a roofer. That is suppose to eliminate the conflict of interest. If a property owner doesn't like the settlement offer, they can hire a public adjuster to negotiate with the insurance company. No where is the roofer left out of this process. So what law ties the hand of roofers other than those roofers whose intent is fraud? There is a law against covering deductibles but that doesn't seem to stop any of them from offering a free roof.
natty
Roofguy Said: So let me see if I have this straight, Natty. You make a big deal out of the racket that is hail claims, and yet you are willing to profit off those hail claims where there is no damage? What makes that different than the very roofers youre complaining about, degree?I didn't say that those roofs I have done didn't need new roofs. I said that they didn't have storm damage. I really don't care who pays me as long as I get paid. My concern is with the insanity of the system between storm chasers, insurance people, and crappy installers- and ignorant property owners who think they are gaming the system. It is really sad.
Roofguy
Lets beat a dead horse, shall we! :-)
Roofguy
Roofdude, outside temp at time of hail makes a difference. I saw marble sized hail damage a lot of roofs in Spur, Tx coz is was only 40 degrees outside. That makes for hard hail and brittle roofs.
RoofDude
Tim...
Don't know much about hail. Never really experienced a big or significant hail storm. Thought that was gonna change the other day. Was pretty nasty outside, looked very ominous. Like that storm chasing show...
Next thing you know, it started hailing at my house. At first was pea sized. Then marble sized hail started falling....wow. Sure was noisy. For a brief moment, I started to get excited...lol.
Only lasted about 15 minutes. Didn't see any damage, & didn't hear any reports of damage...... maybe next time :)
Roofguy
So let me see if I have this straight, Natty. You make a big deal out of the "racket" that is hail claims, and yet you are willing to profit off those hail claims where there is no damage? What makes that different than the very roofers you're complaining about, degree?
The insurance companies don't care? Is that why they spend tens of millions to lobby for rules that tie the hands of roofers? Who do you think is behind the August statute that made it illegal for a roofer to negotiate a claim with an adjuster? The insurance lobby did that. I know, a friend of mine is a Texas congressman.
I have been doing this 35 years. In that time, - as I said once before - by a ratio of at least 100-to-1 I have seen a lot more insureds denied or underpaid than I have seen overpaid claims.
I'm not sure what alternate universe you operate in, but it sure doesn't seem like you know anything about roofing/hail in Texas. I'm beginning to suspect you do not operate here.
natty
CIAK Said: . Natty your post indicate your roofing business is in Texas. Your replies indicate another area.Like I said, I am right in the middle of the "hail belt". I live in Dallas and work the entire N.Texas area. I can report unequivocally that most of my jobs are paid for by insurance claims, yet very few of those jobs have actual storm damage. The system is broke and it is a racket. Most if not all roofers in N.Texas have become storm chasers. It is pitiful. Yes-there is cataclysmic hail. But it is infrequent and reported way out of proportion to reality. The funny thing about hail is there can be 2" hail, yet across the street, nothing. My gripe is with the propensity to turn every storm into one of epic proportions. The result, of course, is the creation of a false sense of urgency, good roofs hauled to the dump, and pure crap installed in its place because of all of these fortune seekers and cheap labor. roofguy wants to make all of this a race between roofers and insurance people. That just feeds the racket and deceit. Right now, for what homeowners are paying in insurance premiums, I could install a new roof for them every three years...that is insanity. The insurance companies don't care because they just raise rates and increase deductibles. Roofers don't care- the CONtractors just line their pockets because they have a steady stream of guest workers to exploit. We have reached the tipping point.
Roofguy
Exactly, CIAK.
It sure makes it hard when in the past I have done battle with Haag Engineering, who has done their best to convince the world that commercial roofs cannot be damaged unless the hail is 2". Oh wait, it seems they have changed their mind in recent years, they now say 2.5".
CIAK
I can corroborate Roofguy information.Hail up to 1.5 inch in diameter was observed in Lucas, Kansas around 6:40 p.m. CDT and an emergency manager reported that almost every car and roof sustained significant hail damage in the town The same thing happens in Texas this time of year. I have seen many hailstorms in Texas totally destroy auto mobiles ,blow holes in roofs,siding. . Natty your post indicate your roofing business is in Texas. Your replies indicate another area. :huh: B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day
natty
Roofguy Said: More non-damaging 4 hail in Lafayette a few minutes ago...Are you blind, man? There is not a hailstone larger than an inch in that entire video. 4" hail would flatten everything in its wake. In fact, the hail in that video is typical of most all hail storms. It is minor and would not put more than a ding in a properly installed roof- yet every storm chaser far and wide will try to turn it into an event of cataclysmic proportions and knocking on doors within the hour.
natty
Roofguy Said: Natty, translation: Your competitors are kicking you butt and its easier to blame them than yourself? :-)HA! They are not my competitors. They are interlopers, thieves, and aliens. They do more to destroy a community than any hailstorm ever did.
Roofguy
More non-damaging 4" hail in Lafayette a few minutes ago...
https://www.facebook.com/brittanyhb/videos/o.61662826968/10153285009286037/?type=2&theater
CIAK
Batten the Hatches Texan boys!!!!!!!!!! Another round coming you way :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day
