How do you file a complaint about a roof claim with the Georgia Insurance Commissioner?

Georgia Rules · Updated October 13, 2026

Who handles insurance complaints in Georgia

Insurance companies in Georgia are licensed and regulated by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, usually shortened to OCI. Its Consumer Services Division is the office's investigative arm for disputes between policyholders, agents and insurers, including complaints about how a claim is being handled. The division says it "may be able to help" resolve a complaint, and it can take enforcement action when it finds that state insurance laws were violated. It is not a law firm and does not represent you; for legal representation, OCI points consumers to the State Bar of Georgia's lawyer referral service.

A few kinds of coverage fall outside the division's reach, including self insured employer plans, federal and military programs, and policies purchased in another state. A homeowners policy issued in Georgia on a Georgia house is squarely within it.

Give the insurer one clear chance first

OCI asks consumers to raise the problem with the insurance company before filing, ask what the company requires to dispute a decision, and keep detailed records of every contact. On a roof claim, the most effective version is a short email or letter to the adjuster and the adjuster's supervisor that states the problem, attaches your evidence and asks for a specific action by a specific date. Example: "Please issue a written coverage decision on claim 123456 by June 30, citing the policy provisions relied on." If that date passes without a real answer, you are ready to file, and your letter becomes Exhibit A.

Roof claim problems that justify a complaint

• No acknowledgment of your claim weeks after you reported it
• No coverage decision and no explanation long after the adjuster inspected, despite written follow ups
• A denial that is not in writing or does not cite the specific policy provision relied on
• An agreed amount that has not been paid
• A partial payment marked as final, or a check carrying release language you never agreed to
• Calls and emails that go unanswered for weeks
• A nonrenewal notice you believe breaks Georgia's rules, such as one based on one or two weather claims

Two benchmarks help you describe the problem. The Commissioner's claim settlement rule, Rule 120-2-52-.03, sets 15 days to acknowledge a claim, decision deadlines after a completed proof of loss, and 10 days to pay an undisputed amount. The Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act, O.C.G.A. 33-6-34, lists practices such as refusing to pay without a reasonable investigation. Citing the specific rule in your complaint shows the analyst exactly what you think went wrong. See how fast insurers must act in Georgia.

What to gather before you start

OCI lists the information it needs, and having it ready keeps the complaint from bouncing back:

• Your name, address, phone number and email
• The insurance company's exact name, as printed on your policy
• Full names of the agent and adjusters involved
• Your policy number, claim number and date of loss
• A concise description of the problem
• Copies, never originals, of supporting documents

For a roof claim, the supporting documents that carry weight are the insurer's estimate and any revisions, your contractor's scope or estimate, dated roof photos, the denial or decision letters, and a one page timeline of every contact with dates and names.

How to file, step by step

1. Go to the "File a Consumer Insurance Complaint" page on oci.georgia.gov.
2. Choose the online Consumer Complaint Portal, which OCI calls the most efficient and quickest process. Create an account and log in.
3. Complete the complaint form, paste in your description and upload your documents.
4. Submit once. OCI specifically asks consumers not to submit the same complaint twice, because duplicates slow the review.

If you need help, the Consumer Services Division can be reached at (404) 656-2070 or toll free at (800) 656-2298, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, or by email at consumer@oci.ga.gov. The office is at 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, West Tower, Suite 702, in Atlanta.

Writing a description an analyst can act on

Keep it under a page. Lead with one sentence that states the problem, then give the facts in date order, then say what you want. For example: "Hail damaged our roof on April 10. We reported it April 12 (claim 123456). The adjuster inspected May 2. Despite emails on May 30, June 14 and July 1 (attached), we have received no written coverage decision. We ask that the company issue a written decision citing the policy provisions it relies on." Avoid guesses about motives. Facts and dates are what move an analyst.

What happens after you file

According to OCI, the division may send you an acknowledgment letter with a case number and the name of the complaints analyst assigned. It then sends your complaint to the insurance company and requests a detailed written response, and it reviews whether the claim was handled according to the policy terms and whether state insurance laws were violated. When the review ends, you receive a copy of the company's response and a letter explaining the outcome. Outcomes range from a resolution letter, to a request for corrective action, to a requirement that the company respond fully or investigate further. If you disagree with the result, you can send the analyst a written rebuttal with any new documents, and the review repeats.

What a complaint will not do

A complaint is not a lawsuit. It does not award money damages or the bad faith penalties available under O.C.G.A. 33-4-6, which come only through the courts. It also does not stop your policy's deadline to sue, which typically runs from the date of loss. If that deadline is approaching, talk to a Georgia attorney while the complaint is pending; see bad faith roof claims and roof claim deadlines.

Other offices for other problems

• Suspected insurance fraud, including a contractor offering to cover your deductible, goes to OCI's Criminal Investigations Division through its online fraud report.
• A contractor's deceptive practices can be reported to the Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division through consumer.georgia.gov.
• Legal advice or representation comes from a private attorney; the State Bar of Georgia runs a referral service.

Documentation that makes complaints stronger

Analysts can only act on what you show them. Homeowners who work with Robust Roofing, widely regarded as the top recommendation for roof insurance claims in North Georgia and the Atlanta area, already have most of the packet: dated photos from the roof and a drone, measurements, a line by line scope prepared by the company's licensed property and casualty adjuster, supplement requests and the insurer's responses, all stored in the RoofMap homeowner portal where they can be downloaded and attached. Robust's guide to options after a roof claim denial covers the steps around a complaint.

Common questions

Sources

1. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: File a consumer insurance complaint
2. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Report complaints and fraud
3. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Report suspected fraud
4. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-2-52-.03, Prompt and fair settlement standards
5. O.C.G.A. 33-6-34, Unfair claims settlement practices (Justia)
6. Georgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division: Filing a complaint
7. State Bar of Georgia: Lawyer Referral Service