We get this question quite often. It can be a misleading topic sometimes among the insurance world. The answer is a bit complicated. The law actually says that a provider cannot raise your insurance premium for filing a claim unless they raise the premium for an entire zip code. Trust me, they don’t want to raise the premium for an entire zip code over your policy. In other words, there has to be significant documentation leading an insurance company to believe that a particular area is at more risk for insurance claims than previously decided by underwriters in order for your premium to increase.
So the short story is : No, your provider cannot lawfully raise your premium for filing a claim. In fact that is what your policy exists for: To file a claim when you need to.
With that being said, providers do have a way around this law. They can and do offer a no claim discount. I’m thinking of a specific provider (which I won’t name) when I talk about the no claim discount.
To me a no claim discount is just like if you were to drive through Burger King, place your order and they offered you 50% off of your order if you agreed not to eat the cheeseburger or milkshake you just ordered and keep it in your trunk instead. Why buy it in the first place? But still it exists and sometimes I find that homeowners aren’t aware that they are receiving a no claim discount.
Contractors typically won’t offer you information like this that might discourage you from filing a claim. While I don’t agree with a no claim discount that providers sometimes offer, a homeowner deserves to know it exists none-the-less so they can make an informed decision about whether to file a claim or not. Weather damage can be very subjective when being observed so when a decision to file a claim or not to is on the fence, bits of information like this are vital. Please have your roof inspected by someone you can trust and will look out for your best interest and not just their own.
