How do you file a claim for a leaking roof?
Short answer. Contain the water and protect the room first, then photograph the leak, the ceiling and anything on the roof you can see from the ground. Have the roof source confirmed and covered, call a drying company if materials are soaked, and report the claim with the storm date and a factual description, keeping every receipt.
The first hour
- Put buckets under drips and move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the area.
- Turn off power to any light fixture or fan in the wet ceiling.
- If the ceiling is bulging with water, a small hole at the low point over a bucket can relieve it.
- Take photos and video before you clean anything up.
The first day
- Find and cover the source. Have a roofer locate the entry point and cover it. Keep the invoice; reasonable emergency repairs are usually part of a covered claim.
- Start drying. If drywall, insulation or flooring is soaked, call a water mitigation company and keep its moisture logs.
- Document the outside. Missing shingles, a limb on the roof, dented gutters, granules in the downspouts.
- Write down the timeline: when the storm hit and when you first saw water.
Making the report
Give your policy number, the storm date, what you saw on the roof, and what is damaged inside. Mention that water entered the home so the insurer treats it as urgent. Record the claim number and adjuster contact. Ask your roofer to be present for the inspection so the exterior source is not overlooked.
Should you file at all?
If the leak came from a worn pipe boot or old flashing with minor interior damage, a repair may make more sense than a claim. See whether to call the roofer or the insurer first, your duty to mitigate and interior water damage coverage.