The Roof Champion of Columbus
When a severe hailstorm swept through Columbus, Ohio, John’s home took a direct hit. Referred by none other than his own insurance agent—who was worried about industry policy changes— Travis Haessly, principal of Roof Champion of Columbus, and his team arrived to find significant damage covering John’s large and complex roof. Initially, John’s insurance carrier insisted on using a “roofing marketplace” program that relied on captive contractors to generate repair estimates. The proposal John received was alarmingly low at just over $36,000. Given his background—his father owned an insurance agency, and he himself had served in the CIA and as COO of a major tech corporation—John immediately sensed that something wasn’t adding up.
“Armed with Xactimate, a third-party software that calculates local market rates down to each material and labor component, we provided an estimate for the same job that was nearly $20,000 higher,” recalls Travis. “Despite multiple attempts to appeal the claim with real-world data and two additional contractor bids, the insurance company refused to adjust. They insisted on using a contractor located over two hours away, which was hardly ideal for prompt service or emergency repairs.” Frustrated but undeterred, John hired an independent appraiser. That decision changed everything: the settlement suddenly jumped to over $51,000, a clear indication that the initial offer had been grossly undervalued.
Shortly afterward, the insurance adjuster admitted they were disbanding the flawed roofing marketplace program altogether, even apologizing for the inconvenience. Travis explains, “With the proper settlement finally secured, we installed a stunning Owens Corning Duration Roof in Williamsburg Gray, restoring John’s home to its former glory. Beyond the immediate victory, John’s experience exposed a troubling industry gap—one that has inspired us to consider developing our own transparent and fair marketplace solution for roofing and restoration jobs.” In the end, John’s project was about more than just a replacement roof: it was a testament to how perseverance, expertise, and integrity can overcome even the most stubborn insurance obstacles. λ
