How do insurance adjusters estimate roof damage?
Step 1: Confirm the cause
The adjuster first decides whether a covered peril caused the damage. On a hail claim that usually means marking a 10 by 10 foot test square on each slope and counting hits that bruise or fracture the shingle mat, then checking soft metals like vents, gutters and downspouts for dents that confirm hail size. Wind claims focus on creased, lifted or missing shingles.
Step 2: Measure
Roof area is recorded in squares of 100 square feet, along with the lengths of ridges, hips, valleys, eaves and rakes, the pitch of each slope, and counts of pipe boots, vents and other penetrations. Many carriers also order an aerial measurement report to check the field numbers.
Step 3: Write the scope
Each task becomes a line: tear off, underlayment, shingles with a waste factor, starter, ridge cap, drip edge, flashing, vents, and steep or high roof charges. The software multiplies each quantity by a unit price from a database updated for the local market, so the adjuster is not inventing prices. The real decisions are which lines to include and how many units.
Step 4: Apply the policy
Depreciation is figured from the roof's age and expected life, then the deductible comes off. An actual cash value roof endorsement or a roof payment schedule changes that math.
Where first estimates usually fall short
- A slope or elevation left out of the inspection
- Code items such as drip edge missing
- A waste factor too low for a cut up hip roof
- No line to detach and reset gutters, satellite dishes or solar panels
Most of these gaps are fixed through a supplement. To follow the lines yourself, see how an Xactimate roof estimate is laid out and what adjusters look for on the roof.