What is the insurance adjuster's documentation process on a roof claim?
What goes in the file
- Overview photos: the front of the house with the address, each elevation and each slope.
- Test squares: chalked areas with hits circled and counted, photographed slope by slope.
- Close-ups: individual hail bruises, creased or missing shingles, damaged vents and flashing.
- Collateral damage: gutters, downspouts, AC fins, screens and siding.
- Measurements: squares, pitch, ridges, valleys, eaves and rakes, by tape or from an aerial report.
- Notes: estimated roof age, number of layers, shingle type, prior repairs, interior damage and what you said about the storm.
What it produces
Most carriers turn this into an estimate in Xactimate or similar software, with a summary of replacement cost, depreciation, deductible and net payment, plus a photo report and a sketch of the roof planes. Our Xactimate guide explains how the lines read.
Why you want copies
Ask in writing for the full estimate and the photo report, not just the payment letter. If a slope you know was hit is missing from the photos, or the hit counts look low, the documentation shows exactly where the disagreement is. Your roofer's photos and measurements are your parallel file, and the differences between the two files become the basis of a supplement or a reinspection request.
Keep in mind that the notes often record your own statements. A careless guess about the roof's age or an old leak can follow the claim.