Roof insurance claims: how the process actually works

What the insurer is actually deciding

Two things, essentially: was this sudden and accidental, and did it happen during the policy period. Sudden events — wind, hail, impact — are generally what cover exists for. Gradual wear, age and deferred maintenance generally are not.

Most policies also carry a duty to mitigate: once you know about damage, you are expected to prevent it getting worse. That is why getting temporary protection on a roof promptly matters, and why reasonable mitigation costs are often recoverable. Keep the receipt.

The sequence that works

Document first. Photograph the damage inside and out before anything is moved or cleaned up. Then report it to your insurer promptly — policies expect prompt notice and delay is one of the easiest reasons to dispute a claim.

Get temporary protection on the roof. Get an independent written assessment of the damage with photographs. Then let the adjuster inspect, and compare their scope against what your own photographs show.

Deadlines vary by policy, so read yours rather than relying on a general rule — including anything you read here. Prompt is always safer than technically within the window.

What good documentation looks like

Photographs that establish location, not just close-ups of damage floating in isolation. Interior damage recorded before cleanup. Dents on metal, which help date the event. And a written assessment that describes the cause rather than only quoting a price.

That is what we produce as a matter of course, and you keep it whether or not we do the work. It is not a claims service — it is simply what an honest inspection generates.

Where we draw the line

We do not file claims on your behalf, we do not negotiate with adjusters for you, and we are not a storm-chasing operation. There are contractors who build their whole business on running claims, and some of them are perfectly legitimate, but it puts the person assessing the damage in charge of how big the damage is.

What we will do is photograph what is there, tell you honestly whether it reads as sudden damage or ordinary wear, and give you a written itemized quote you can hand to anybody. If somebody offers to cover your deductible, that is not a favour — it is a signal.