How do I handle an insurance claim for my roof?
Short answer. Handle a roof claim like a short project: set up one folder for the policy, photos and letters, keep a call log, decide who meets the adjuster, and track each milestone until the depreciation is released. The insurer runs its process, but you control the evidence and the follow up, and that is what keeps a claim moving.
Set up the file on day one
- The policy and declarations page, with the deductible and roof settlement terms highlighted.
- The claim number and the adjuster's name, phone and email.
- Dated photos of the roof, gutters, AC unit, ceilings and any tarp.
- A call log: date, person, what was said, what was promised.
- Receipts for tarps, emergency repairs, and lodging if the home is unlivable.
Decide the roles
- You: report the claim, approve the contract, sign checks.
- Your roofer: inspection, meeting the adjuster, estimate comparison, supplements and the work itself.
- The insurer's adjuster: inspection, estimate and payment.
- Your mortgage company: endorsing checks, if it is listed.
Milestones to track
- Claim reported
- Adjuster inspection date
- Estimate received and reviewed line by line. See reading the estimate.
- First check received and endorsed
- Supplement sent and answered
- Roof installed and final invoice sent
- Depreciation released. See recoverable depreciation.
Follow up in writing
If a milestone stalls for more than a week or two, email the adjuster with the claim number and a specific request. Written requests create a record and, if needed, the basis for a supervisor review or a complaint. Also see the Georgia roof claim timeline.