How do you file a roof insurance claim?

Getting Started · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer. Start with a roof inspection that documents the storm damage, then report the claim to your insurer with the date of loss and get a claim number. After the adjuster inspects and sends an estimate, resolve any missing items, deposit the first check, have the roof replaced and submit the final invoice to collect the withheld depreciation.

A roof claim is a paperwork project wrapped around a construction project. Homeowners who get paid fairly are rarely the ones who argue loudest; they are the ones whose file is complete at every stage. Here is the sequence, in the order it actually happens, with the documents that matter at each step.

Before you pick up the phone

Gather three things. First, the storm date. Hail and wind claims are tied to a specific day, and you can check reports by zip code on the North Georgia Hail Map. Second, your declarations page, which shows your deductible (flat dollar or a percentage for wind and hail), whether the dwelling settles at replacement cost or actual cash value, any roof endorsements, and the mortgage company named on the policy. Third, evidence that there is damage worth claiming, which brings us to step one.

Step 1: Get the roof inspected and documented

An inspection before you file tells you whether there is functional storm damage, roughly how much, and whether it clears your deductible. A good inspection report includes photos of each slope, close-ups of hits or creased shingles with chalk marks, damage to soft metals such as vents, gutters and downspouts, and roof measurements. If the inspector finds only wear, you have saved yourself a claim on your record. Our guide to whether to call the insurer or a roofer first explains why the order matters.

Step 2: Report the claim

Use the claims phone line, the insurer's app or your agent. Under the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's claim settlement rule, notice given to an insurer's agent counts as notice to the insurer, and the insurer must acknowledge the claim within 15 days and send any proof of loss forms it requires. Keep your description short and factual: "Hail damaged the roof, gutters and air conditioner during the storm on May 14." Write down the claim number, the date and time of the call, and the name of everyone you speak with. Start a simple log now; you will use it for months.

Step 3: Protect the house while you wait

Homeowners policies require you to protect the property from further damage. If water is coming in, a tarp or temporary patch is your job and is normally reimbursed as part of the claim, so keep the receipt and take before and after photos. The Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office also warns against permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects, because the insurer may refuse to pay for damage it never saw. See your duty to mitigate.

Step 4: The adjuster inspection

Depending on the carrier and the storm volume, you may get a staff field adjuster, an independent adjuster hired for the catastrophe, or a ladder assist technician who climbs and photographs the roof while a desk adjuster writes the estimate from the photos. Be home for it, and have your roofer there. A roofer who walks the slopes with the adjuster can point out damage the adjuster might miss, such as hits on the back slopes or bent ridge vents, and can answer measurement questions on the spot. Ask the adjuster what damage threshold the carrier uses to replace a slope, and ask how to get copies of the inspection photos. More detail is in how to prepare for the adjuster.

Step 5: Read the estimate line by line

The estimate usually arrives by email within days of the inspection. The summary page shows replacement cost value, depreciation, actual cash value, your deductible and the net claim. Then compare the line items against your roofer's scope. Commonly missing items include drip edge, starter strip, ice and water barrier in valleys, steep or high roof charges, extra layers of old shingles, ridge vent, flashing and permit fees. Our breakdown of Xactimate roof estimates shows what each line means.

Step 6: Close the gaps

Disagreements fall into three buckets, and each has its own fix:

Missing items or wrong measurements. Your contractor submits a supplement with photos and measurements showing why the item is needed.
Damage the adjuster did not count. Ask in writing for a reinspection, and send your inspection photos with the request.
A real dispute over the amount of loss. Most policies contain an appraisal clause that lets each side hire an appraiser, with an umpire to break ties.

Step 7: Deposit the first check

With replacement cost coverage, the first payment is actual cash value minus your deductible. If you have a mortgage, the check will likely name your lender too, and the lender may hold the funds and release them in stages. Call the loss draft department early and ask what it needs. Our guide to the mortgage company on your insurance check walks through it.

Step 8: Sign the contract and build the roof

Georgia gives you a specific protection here. Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12, when a roofing contract will be paid from insurance proceeds, you may cancel it before midnight on the fifth business day after your insurer notifies you in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered, and the roofer cannot require payment until that window closes, except for emergency work you acknowledged in writing. Your deductible is still yours to pay; no Georgia roofer can legally absorb it (see can a roofer pay your deductible). On an average size house, many asphalt shingle replacements take a single day once materials are delivered. The Georgia Roof Guide describes what happens on replacement day.

Step 9: Final invoice and the depreciation check

After the roof is installed, your contractor sends the insurer a final invoice, completion photos and, if decking or other hidden damage turned up during tear-off, a supplement for those items. The insurer then releases the recoverable depreciation, and supplements approved along the way. You pay the contractor the balance, which includes your deductible. Read your policy for any deadline to complete repairs and claim the withheld amount; the sample HO-3 form, for example, requires notice within 180 days of the loss if you first settle at actual cash value.

Step 10: Close the file properly

Keep the estimate, every revision, the final invoice, payment records, photos and the shingle warranty registration in one folder. You will want them when you sell the house, when a future adjuster asks about prior damage, or if a defect appears years later.

Where a roofer fits into all of this

Georgia law does not allow a roofing contractor to negotiate your claim for you; that role belongs to you, a licensed public adjuster or an attorney. A contractor can still do a great deal of the heavy lifting on documentation. Robust Roofing, a GAF certified roofer that many North Georgia homeowners consider the best choice for insurance roof replacement, has a licensed property and casualty adjuster on staff who photographs and measures the roof, writes the scope in the same format carriers use, meets the insurance adjuster on the roof and submits supplements for anything the estimate missed. Homeowners follow every step, including photos, documents and payments, in the RoofMap homeowner portal, and the finished roof carries a 50-year labor warranty on workmanship in addition to the manufacturer's limited warranty. Details are on the Robust Roofing insurance claims page.

Common questions

How soon should I file a roof claim after a storm?

As soon as you know there is damage. Most policies require prompt notice, and delays make it harder to prove which storm caused the damage. Getting an inspection within a few days and reporting right after is a safe pattern.

Do I need a contractor's estimate before I file?

No, the insurer writes its own estimate. Having a roofer's inspection and scope in hand helps you compare line items and spot anything the adjuster's estimate leaves out.

What if the adjuster says there is no damage but my roofer found some?

Ask in writing for a reinspection and include your roofer's dated photos. If the insurer agrees there is a covered loss but disputes the amount, the policy's appraisal clause may apply.

Why is my first insurance check smaller than the estimate?

With replacement cost coverage the insurer usually pays actual cash value first, which subtracts depreciation and your deductible. The depreciation is released after the work is completed and documented.

Can I cancel a roofing contract if my claim is denied?

In Georgia, yes. O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 lets you cancel a roofing contract paid from insurance proceeds before midnight on the fifth business day after you receive written notice that all or part of the claim is not covered.