Insurance industry, contractors on two sides of the storm damage

Jun. 12--Ross Wayman has two bits of advice for anyone still cleaning up from recent natural catastrophes and for when the next inevitable storm arrives.

First: Use a local contractor, or at least one from inside the state.

Second: Have that contractor close by when the insurance adjuster arrives.

"There's a lot of companies that come into an area because of a storm," said Wayman, general manager with Forty Fort-based Blue Square Builders.

Like many companies ramping up in the wake of several damaging storms, Blue Square specializes in guiding homeowners through the insurance claim process. Blue Square does 400 to 500 roofs a year in Eastern Pennsylvania.

"One of my best pieces of advice is at least use somebody that's from Pennsylvania," he said. "If you don't use me, make sure the homeowner does their research on the company that they're using."

A storm May 28 brought a tornado that touched down in Newton Twp. and sent heavy winds and pelting hail through the Abingtons down into Scranton.

Hail storms also struck in parts of Luzerne County on April 15.

Both storms easily caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. While officials reported no injuries, some affected property owners still have months to go before their homes and businesses are fully restored.

The cleanup is finishing at Red Barn Village Bed and Breakfast in Newton Twp., near where the tornado landed, but restoration work is just getting started and the business remains closed, owner Bert Ayers said.

The storm damaged the roof and miniature golf course at the bed and breakfast.

Edward Gilmartin, chief executive at Gilmartin Insurance Agency, expects to receive claims stemming from the hail storms over the next one to two years, he said.

"Roofing companies are going to know that there was a hail event here, and they come in like storm chasers," he said. "We'll be getting claims for this for a while."

The April storm in Luzerne County drummed up more claims for Gilmartin, nearly 100, compared to the May storm in Lackawanna County, which produced about 60 claims in the immediate aftermath.

Gilmartin, who has offices in Scranton, Pittston and Lehighton, suggested that's because the April storm struck more populated areas while the May storm caused the heaviest damage in rural places.

Insurance claims typically take a few weeks to approve, Wayman explained. His crews are working on several roofs in Luzerne County from the April storm, with jobs pending in Lackawanna County.

The contractor said using local -- or at least in-state -- builders is best because it makes tracking them down easier if something goes wrong down the road. While insurance companies and homeowners might groan over how much they're shelling out, contractors in the service industry are comfortably on the other side of the coin with a steady stream of work.

"The storm work for us has been fairly busy," said Matt Isaac, owner of Apex Tree and Earth in the Back Mountain. "We've had some storms that have done a lot of tree damage, but this year it seems like we're getting them more frequently."

Maple and white pine tend to come down easier in the wind; however, he saw more damage to oak trees in the most recent storms.

"I don't really have a good reason for it," he said, noting that oak trees tend to be more sturdy.

Add to that, he's been especially busy felling dead ash trees now starting to rot away amid the statewide emerald ash borer pest infestation.

His best advice to landowners: If it's dead, get it down, because insurance won't cover damage from a falling dead tree.

"If it's a live tree, they call that an act of nature or an act of God. It's a whole different thing," he said.

Contact the writer:

[email protected];

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

___

(c)2019 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.)

Visit The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.) at thetimes-tribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.