Roof Condition Certifications

Have you all noticed a change in policy at our favorite underwriter?

In recent weeks I have had several calls to do a re-inspection on a roof I inspected last year. It seems that the life expectancy of the roofs in question was stated at 4-6 years. Now we know that they will opt for the 4 year expectancy, but they now have a new twist -

Since a year has gone by you would think that the roof now has a life expectancy of 3-5 years (Three in the eyes of the clerical giants), and thereby meets the requirement for a minimum of 3 years life. - Easy math, right?

Not so fast my friends!!! Since the roof inspection was performed in April 2012 and the policy renews in June - that is less than the necessary 3 years and hence a roof replacement or updated inspection or is needed. So theoretically if you do an inspection today, based on a non-renewal letter and state the life expectancy of 3 years for a policy renewing in July - they will be denied coverage!

Now I don’t know about you guys, but I have never had much luck finding the expiration date on the shingles, but do you suppose we should be putting more exact figures on our reports? Say…3 years, 2 months and 23 days…

No, I just add a year to the existing report and change the date.
I am on year ten of one client. Their agent asked me about it and I just said, has it leaked or failed? Next…

I did one yesterday where a homeowners policy was cancelled because the insurance co sent a person out to take a picture of the roof. No inspection he just stood in the yard and took a picture. He could not get new insurance until he got a four point but they were mostly concerned with the roof. How can they cancel you with just a picture? this is what I was told by the homeowner so that’s all I know. I gave him at least 4 more years on the roof. Pictures of the roof here

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Gotta love it - Now he will have to have you back next year because it will have less than three years remaining life

If you think that is bad, listen to this. I had a client tell me to use the new Citizens form and he was going to use it as leverage to get the seller to fix everything. He was told to do this by his Realtor.

The Realtors have figured out how to use the insurance company to get the deals done, while not looking like the bad guys.

Guess who does look like the bad guy?

3yrs isn’t good enough anymore…has to be 4. I tried the 3yr 3 month method and was rejected (experiment)

Im guessing we will be seeing a lot of shenanigans in the coming months…

I especially like this paragraph

"The payment would be structured as a backdated “reinsurance” agreement, where Citizens essentially pays Heritage to cover Citizens’ losses on certain policies from Jan. 1 to June 28, 2013.

Since the period of time is in the past, Heritage can actively select policies that had no losses, in effect making the deal low risk.

Homeowners who receive takeout letters from Heritage in the next two weeks will have 30 days to either opt-out or be automatically shifted out of Citizens to the startup company. "

Its amazing that they are allowed to just make up the rules as they go - Here is the excerpt from their own underwriting manual:

L. Roof Conditions
• Roofs that are damaged; or
• Roofs that have visible signs of leaks; or
• Roofs that have less than three years of remaining useful life. The “remaining useful life” is the remaining life
expectancy of the roof covering to function as intended based upon an inspection of the wear and tear, decay,
deterioration, decline, or defect, present from natural, climatic, construction, or other local conditions.

It also is interesting to note that they will not accept a completed roofing contract as stated in their policy - the reason that they give for that is that it does not have the remaining life expectancy - Well if the policy states that if the roof is over 25 years than I would need such a statement, but if I can document the fact that the roof is less than 25 years, I shouldn’t need a life expectancy statement.

Ahhh, “Its good to be the King!”

What insurance company? I’d like to speak with someone there. Can you give me a name?

There’s nothing wrong with that roof! It might last another 20 years!

Kenton,
This is NOT the typical insurer. They are discussing Citizens Insurance, which is Florida’s “insurance of last resort”. Citizen’s is aggressively trying to deter people from using them.
The ONLY reason someone should be with Citizens Insurance is if they have no other choice.

Ooop, thank you Reece. I’m familiar with Citizens and although I wish I could help, I doubt I can.

Very true Eric,
I have seen a lot of this lately

3 years life expectancy at the end of the policy period or no insurance. Just like Eric, I have clients that see me every couple of years. 20 year old flat deck with rolled roofing. Fresh elastomer applied every winter. No leaks, no blistering. What can you do? 4-5 years, See ya next year.

You guys must be special… I have tried to do re-inspections for some of my clients and twice I have been rejected by Citizens because I did the original inspection. They wanted a different person to come and look at in and fill out the form. The roof looked exactly the same!!

Did you look up the permit when the roof was done ?
That holds more clout.

Some might call that racketeering or collusion with maybe a “preferred provider”. Hmmm?

I agree, I’ve never heard of that unless the inspection was “Carrier Ordered” and paid for by the carrier.

That in itself is part of the problem. Most of the homes in this area have had a new roof after Charley and a lot never had a permit pulled. The insurance companies know this. Having done the original wind mit on the home we come to the conclusion that there was enough info or lack of in that report for them to find fault with the roof and cancel the insurance.
It was put on is 04 with no documentation. Oh and doing any insurance inspection on a home 4 pt or wind mit if they have a trampoline make sure it don’t go in the picture or they will cancel them for that too.

Let’s not start this again! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

my second job is grief counselor for homeowners:roll: