Roof damage claims

Repair or replace — and who decides

A roof claim almost always comes down to one question: is this a patch or a system. Carriers start from repair, because repair is cheaper, and because a repair estimate is defensible on paper. The homeowner starts from a roofer saying the roof is done.

What settles it is evidence. Slope-by-slope test squares, the number of hits per square, the condition of the mat under the granules, whether the shingles still seal, whether the product is still manufactured, and what current code requires when you open the deck. That is a document, not an opinion.

Michael is licensed both as a public adjuster and as a residential contractor, and builds estimates in Xactimate — the same software the carrier uses. The two sides end up comparing the same kind of document instead of talking past each other.

This is worth a second look if

• The carrier approved a repair and your roofer will not warranty a repair.
• Only one or two slopes were inspected.
• The estimate leaves out underlayment, drip edge, ridge, ventilation or code upgrades.
• Depreciation was withheld and nobody explained how to recover it.
• Your shingle is discontinued and the estimate assumes a match is available.
• The roof leaked after the storm and the interior damage was treated as a separate problem.

How the claim runs

1. Free claim review. You describe what happened. Michael tells you honestly whether a public adjuster changes the outcome.
2. On-site inspection. Roof, attic, interior, contents — photographed and measured, not glanced at.
3. Documentation. A line-item Xactimate estimate built the same way the carrier builds theirs.
4. Negotiation. Michael deals with the carrier so you are not the one arguing scope on the phone.
5. Settlement. You see what was recovered and why, in plain language.

Roof claim questions

Will my premium go up if I file a roof claim?

Rating is up to your carrier and it depends on the loss type and your history. It is a fair question to ask before filing, and a public adjuster will not pretend to answer it for your insurer.

The carrier paid, but not enough to replace the roof. Now what?

That is the most common reason people call. The claim is not closed just because a payment was issued — a supplement with proper documentation is a normal part of the process.

What is recoverable depreciation?

Many policies pay actual cash value first and release the rest once the work is done and invoiced. A lot of homeowners never claim that second payment because nobody told them it existed.

Can you help with a commercial roof?

Yes. Commercial losses add code compliance, tenant impact and often business interruption, and they reward documentation even more than residential ones do.