A roof claim is a paperwork exercise with a deadline. Handled in order, it is straightforward. Handled backwards — insurer first, inspection later — it gets expensive.
Step 1: Document the storm
Write down the date. Photograph anything visibly damaged: gutters, screens, siding, the air conditioner, debris in the yard. Local weather records can corroborate hail size later, but your own dated photos are the strongest evidence you control.
Step 2: Get an inspection before you call the insurer
This is the step most homeowners get wrong. A free, photo-documented roof inspection tells you whether you actually have claimable damage.
Calling your insurer first opens a claim on your record whether or not damage exists. A denied claim helps nobody.
Step 3: File the claim
If the inspection shows genuine storm damage, file. Most standard homeowner policies cover sudden, accidental damage from hail and wind. They generally exclude gradual wear and pre-existing damage.
Filing windows vary by carrier and are often short. Act promptly.
Step 4: Meet the adjuster on site
The adjuster’s job is to scope the damage. Your contractor should be on the roof at the same time, with photographs already taken.
Why this matters
Adjusters inspect many roofs a week. Damage that is not pointed out is damage that does not make it into the scope — and anything left out of the scope will not be paid for.
Step 5: Understand what you actually pay
You pay your deductible. That is the deal.
Be wary of any contractor offering to “waive” or “absorb” your deductible. In most states that is insurance fraud, and it tells you exactly how that company treats rules it finds inconvenient.
Many policies carry a separate, higher wind-and-hail deductible. Check yours before you assume a number.
Step 6: If the claim is denied
A denial is not always the end. Ask for the adjuster’s report and read the stated reason.
- Have your contractor re-inspect against that reason.
- If evidence was missed, request a re-inspection in writing.
- Supply the photographs and measurements that address the specific objection.
Denials are frequently reversed when the second inspection surfaces documented damage the first one did not record.
A note on scope
A roofing contractor is not a public adjuster or an attorney and cannot give legal or insurance advice. What a good one does is document the damage accurately, meet the adjuster, and stand behind the repair.
