What if the insurance adjuster won't get on my roof?
Short answer. Adjusters often stay off roofs that are steep, two stories or more, wet, or slick, usually because of safety rules. You should not accept a decision made only from the ground: ask for a ladder assist inspection, a drone inspection or a rescheduled visit, and send your roofer's dated photos of every slope.
Why it happens
Many carriers limit adjusters on steep pitches and on high or wet roofs. Some adjusters inspect from a ladder at the eave, use binoculars or a camera pole, or rely on aerial imagery. Hail bruises on shingles are hard to see from the ground, so a ground-only inspection tends to undercount damage.
What to ask for
- A ladder assist. Insurers commonly hire ladder assist services: a trained crew sets the ladder, walks the roof, chalks test squares and photographs for the adjuster.
- A drone inspection. High resolution drone images can show hail hits, missing shingles and creases slope by slope.
- A dry day. If the roof was wet or covered in debris, ask to reschedule.
- Your contractor's evidence. Your roofer can walk the roof while the adjuster watches from the ladder, or provide test square photos with chalk marks, measurements and close-ups.
If the estimate comes back low
Put it in writing: the adjuster did not inspect the roof surface, so please send a ladder assist or reinspect, and review the attached photos. Ask for a reinspection, and if the dispute becomes how much damage exists rather than whether it is covered, the appraisal clause may be an option. Our guide on what adjusters look for shows what the photos should capture.
Do not climb a steep roof yourself to prove the point. No claim is worth a fall.