INSURANCECLAIMS.
How Alberta roof claims actually work, from first call to final cheque.
- GUIDES
- 7
- GLOSSARY TERMS
- 27
A roof claim is a contract question as much as a roofing one. Your policy decides what's covered, how depreciation is handled, what your deductible is and what happens if you disagree with the adjuster. Most homeowners read it for the first time after the storm.
This shelf walks the whole process in order and explains the words you'll hear along the way. It's general information about how claims commonly work in Alberta. Your own policy wording is what actually applies.
- What are the steps of a roof insurance claim?
- How do hail deductibles work?
- What's the difference between ACV and RCV?
- What can I do if I disagree with the adjuster?
READ THEM IN THIS ORDER.
- 01The roof insurance claim, step by stepEvery stage of an Alberta roof claim in the order it happens, what the law expects from you and your insurer, and the paperwork that keeps it moving.
- 02Hail deductibles in Alberta: flat, percentage and why they've gone upWhy Alberta hail deductibles have gone up, how flat and percentage deductibles work, how to read yours, what they mean in real dollars, and why an offer to make yours disappear is a red flag.
- 03ACV vs RCV Roof Coverage in AlbertaThe first cheque is not the settlement. A lot of people never find that out.
THE BASICS
Plain-language primers. Assume nothing.
DEEP DIVES
For when you're mid-decision, mid-claim or mid-argument.
Hail deductibles in Alberta: flat, percentage and why they've gone up
Why Alberta hail deductibles have gone up, how flat and percentage deductibles work, how to read yours, what they mean in real dollars, and why an offer to make yours disappear is a red flag.
ACV vs RCV Roof Coverage in Alberta
The first cheque is not the settlement. A lot of people never find that out.
How Insurance Adjusters Assess Hail Damage
Knowing the method is most of the difference between a claim that settles and one that argues.
What a HAAG Inspection Report Contains
A published methodology that adjusters train on, which is the point of using it.
The Appraisal Clause: Disputing a Roof Claim in Alberta
A dispute-resolution mechanism most homeowners never hear about, sitting in the policy they already have.
Where to Complain About a Roof Claim in Alberta
Four bodies, each handling something different. Going to the wrong one costs you months.
THE INSURANCE CLAIMS GLOSSARY.
- Actual cash value
- What damaged property was worth at the time of loss: the cost to replace it minus depreciation for age and wear. Often shortened to ACV.
- Adjuster
- The person who investigates an insurance claim and assesses the damage and the amount of the loss. They may work for the insurer or for an independent firm.
- Appraisal clause
- A policy provision for settling a disagreement over the amount of a covered loss using appraisers and an umpire. It doesn't decide whether something is covered in the first place.
- Assignment of benefits
- An agreement that hands some of your insurance claim rights or payments to someone else, such as a contractor. Read one carefully before signing.
- Collateral damage
- In a hail claim, dents and marks on soft metals and other items around the property, such as eavestroughs, vents and fence caps, that help show hail size and direction.
- Cosmetic damage
- Marks or dents that change how something looks without affecting how it performs. Some policies exclude it.
- Cosmetic damage exclusion
- Policy wording that excludes damage affecting only appearance, such as hail dents in metal roofing that don't let water in. Whether it applies depends on the insurer and the policy.
- Date of loss
- The date the damage happened, as recorded on an insurance claim. When several storms could have caused damage, establishing the date can matter a great deal.
- Declarations page
- The summary page of an insurance policy listing who and what is insured, the coverage limits, the deductibles and the policy period.
- Deductible
- The part of a covered loss you pay yourself before insurance pays. It's usually subtracted from the claim payment.
- Depreciation
- The reduction in value an insurer applies for the age and wear of damaged property.
- Dwelling limit
- The most your home policy will pay for the house itself, shown on your declarations page and sometimes called Coverage A. It isn't your home's market value, and a percentage deductible is usually calculated from it.