September 2026
Insurance claims are where most roofing stress comes from, mostly because nobody explains the process. Here is how one actually goes, step by step, and where people lose ground.
Before you call the carrier
Get the roof looked at first. You want to know whether there is real damage and roughly what the scope is before you open a claim, because a claim on damage that falls under your deductible does not help you and it goes on your record.
Document everything, dated. Wide shots and close shots, the roof and the soft metals, and any interior damage.
Note the date of the storm. Carriers work from a date of loss, and pinning it to a specific weather event makes everything downstream simpler.
Understand which kind of policy you have before anything else. Replacement cost and actual cash value behave very differently on a roof claim, and the difference can be substantial on an older roof.
The adjuster visit
The adjuster is there to determine what the policy covers, and they are usually working through a lot of properties after a storm event. Being organized helps you.
When the person who walked your roof and the person writing the scope are on the roof together, disagreements get resolved in the moment.
Ask to be present, and ask your roofer to be there too. When the person who walked your roof and the person writing the scope are on the roof at the same time, disagreements get resolved in the moment rather than in letters.
Bring your photographs. If something is not visible the day the adjuster comes, your dated photos are the evidence it existed.
Check whether your policy carries a separate wind and hail deductible, which is common in this region and is often a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount.
Scope disagreements are normal
The adjuster writes a scope of loss listing what they will pay for. It is common for that scope to miss things: a vent, a section of flashing, ridge cap, the drip edge, or a code requirement.
This is not usually bad faith. It is one person moving fast across many roofs. A supplement is the normal mechanism for adding what was missed, supported by photographs and documentation.
This is the part where having a roofer who does this regularly matters most.
Keep every piece of correspondence. If a claim goes sideways months later, the paper trail is what you have.
If it gets denied
A denial is not necessarily the end. Claims get denied because damage was not found, because it was attributed to age or wear rather than the storm, or because documentation was thin.
You can request a re-inspection, and you can support it with your own documentation. We have seen photographs taken the morning after reopen a claim that was closed.
What does not work is arguing without evidence. What works is a specific, documented, photographed case.
And do not let a contractor file on your behalf or take assignment of your benefits without understanding exactly what you are signing away.
Getting the repair done after approval
Approval is not the end. Most policies pay in stages: an initial payment based on depreciated value, and the remainder released once the work is complete and documented.
That structure means you will likely need to front some of the work, and it means final documentation matters. Keep the final invoice and the completion photographs, because they are what release the rest of the money.
If your roofer finds additional damage once the roof is open, that is a supplement conversation with the carrier, not something to absorb quietly or bill you for as a surprise.
Ask before work starts how your contractor handles supplements, so nobody is inventing a process mid-job.
Questions we get asked
Will filing raise my rates?
That is a question for your carrier or agent and it varies. It is one reason to know the scope before you file.
Who pays my deductible?
You do. Any contractor offering to absorb or waive your deductible is describing insurance fraud, and you would be a party to it.
How long does a claim take?
Weeks typically, longer after a large regional event when every adjuster in the area is overloaded.
Can I pick my own roofer?
Yes. Your carrier may suggest a preferred contractor and you are not obligated to use them.
Do you handle the paperwork?
We document the damage, meet the adjuster on site, and talk through the scope. The policy relationship stays between you and your carrier.
What to take from this
Know the scope before you file. A claim under your deductible helps nobody.
Be present for the adjuster visit, and have your roofer there too.
A missed item in the scope is normal and a supplement is the normal fix.
Any contractor offering to cover your deductible is proposing fraud.
Get it handled
Jonathan Stephenson answers the phone himself, walks the roof, and gives you a written number. Serving Germantown, TN and the Memphis metro.