The Prairies had an unusual amount of hail this summer. Though, really, any amount of summer hail at all should be a pretty remarkable phenomenon. Myriad jagged orbs careening at us from the heavens is not something that we should have to expect while sipping lemonade in a hammock, but we prairie-folk are a hardy breed who can apparently get used to anything - even apocalyptic ice blizzards in August.

So, yes, some roofs got pretty banged up in the last few months and, happily, hail is an insured peril on even the most basic policies. The question always is, though: does the hail damage warrant replacement of ALL of the shingles? It is a common and understandable mindset that any amount of hail damage, even just a few visible hits, means that an insurer should pony up several thousand dollars for a new roof. "After all", one might argue, "I've never had a claim, and I've been paying my premium for ten years!". You are correct, and we love you for it, but it really wouldn't be a proper reading of policy wordings to be doling out roofs willy-nilly. Not only that, but it isn't terribly fair. If roofs are replaced unnecessarily, all policy-holders will start feeling the pain when next year's premiums go buck wild. And this will make your broker sad. But more to the point, insurance policies are 'Direct Damage' policies, meaning insurers only have an obligation to replace or repair the damaged property. So, let's say a small patch of shingles were damaged on one slope, while the rest of the roof remained as handsome as ever; if the shingles can be matched by a roofer, your insurer may only replace the affected area. Or, if a perfect colour match cannot be found, perhaps they will pull undamaged shingles from your garage, re-shingle the affected slope on your home, and then pay for new shingles on the garage. There are many options to get you back to where you were before the hail storm, and they do not always involve a full re-shingling.

However, there are those cases where the damage is severe enough to warrant a full replacement, and yet the adjuster disagrees. The solution is simple enough: Give a reputable roofer a call. Have them come down and do up a full roof report. If they are willing to go on record to say that, yes, your roof's integrity and lifespan has been compromised by the damage, you bring that report to us at Horizon and we will advocate on your behalf and deliver it to your insurer. And if the roofer advises that a full replacement isn't actually necessary, then you have further assurance that the adjuster and the insurer are behaving appropriately and fairly.

Ultimately, though, every roof claim is on a case-by-case basis. Hail affects every roof a little differently - depending on the type of shingles or shakes, depending on the age, depending on the pitch, etc. Not every hail loss may end in a brand new roof, but we will all work together to put you in the same position as you were in before the sky maliciously pelted your home with frozen cruelty spheres.