The Complete Roofing Insurance Claims Guide

Before filing, verify that a qualifying weather event occurred at your address. Insurance carriers require a confirmed event date. In the US, you can look up historical storm data at NOAA Storm Events (storms.weather.gov) or use a free service like HailTrace or StrikeCheck to confirm hail size and wind speed at your address on a specific date. Non-US homeowners: check your national weather service or equivalent meteorological authority for historical storm records — most countries maintain searchable severe weather databases (e.g. Bureau of Meteorology in Australia, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Met Office in the UK).

Most carriers require filing within the statutory window — in Texas this is 2 years from the date of loss; in other US states it varies from 1 to 3 years. International filing windows vary by policy and jurisdiction — check your policy or contact your broker. Document the event date in writing before you call.

Before any contractor touches your roof, document the existing condition yourself if possible. Walk the perimeter and photograph: granule loss in gutters and at downspout exits, dents or bruising on metal components (gutters, downspouts, vents, AC fins), any visible lifted, cracked, or missing shingles, and any interior water intrusion (ceiling stains, wet insulation).

If you can safely access the eave from a ladder, photograph shingle bruising — the dark, soft impact marks left by hail. These are central to the adjuster inspection.

Call your insurance carrier or file through their app/portal. You will receive a claim number and an assignment to an adjuster. Carriers typically schedule adjuster inspections within 5–14 days of filing.

Key information to have ready: policy number, date of loss (the storm date), your contact information, and a rough description of damage. Do not exaggerate — stick to what you observed. The adjuster will determine scope.

The insurance adjuster will inspect your roof and produce a damage estimate using estimating software (in the US, most commonly Xactimate; equivalent tools are used in other markets). They are working for the carrier.

You are allowed — and encouraged — to have your roofing contractor present during the inspection. A contractor who knows how to read the estimate and understands carrier scope standards can identify damage items the adjuster may miss (called "supplementable items"): code upgrades like drip edge and ice & water shield, starter strip, ridge cap, valley metal, and interior damage from leaks.

Never prevent the adjuster from doing their job, but ensure your contractor is there as a witness and advocate.

This is where most homeowners are shocked. Your settlement depends entirely on your policy type:

ACV (Actual Cash Value): Pays the depreciated value of your roof. A 15-year-old asphalt shingle roof with a 25-year rated life may be depreciated 60% — meaning on a $15,000 replacement, you receive only $6,000 minus your deductible. ACV policies are cheaper in premium but deliver much less in claims.

RCV (Replacement Cost Value): Pays the full replacement cost minus your deductible. On that same $15,000 roof with a $2,500 deductible, you receive $12,500. However, RCV has two parts: the carrier initially releases the ACV portion, then releases the "withheld depreciation" (called recoverable depreciation) after you complete the work and submit proof.

Check your declarations page now — before you need to file. If you have ACV coverage, seriously consider upgrading to RCV, especially if your roof is more than 10 years old.

Initial adjuster estimates frequently miss scope items — either because the adjuster was rushed, works from photos rather than a full inspection, or uses outdated pricing. This is where supplementing comes in.

"Supplementing" means requesting additional payment from the carrier for legitimate damage and scope items not included in the initial estimate. Common supplements include: code upgrade items required by your local building department (drip edge, ice & water shield, decking), interior damage from water intrusion, updated material pricing, and complexity charges for steep or difficult roofs.

Experienced roofing contractors handle supplementing for their customers as a standard part of the job. Ask any contractor you interview: "Do you handle supplement negotiations with the carrier?" If they say no, or don't know what that means, move on.

Post-storm periods attract out-of-area "storm chasing" contractors who move from market to market following hail events. Warning signs: offering to "waive your deductible" or "excess" (insurance fraud in most jurisdictions), high-pressure door-to-door solicitation immediately after a storm, no local business address or established local reviews, demanding full payment upfront, no physical contract before work begins.

Verify contractor licensing at your relevant authority: in the US check your state licensing board website; in Australia check your state building authority (e.g. QBCC, Service NSW, VBA); in Canada check provincial licensing bodies. Request certificates of insurance before signing anything. Look for 3+ years of established local reviews. A licensed local contractor has a reputation to protect — a storm chaser does not.