What do insurance adjusters look for on roofs?
Short answer. Adjusters look for damage from a covered storm, such as hail bruises and fractures, wind creases and missing shingles, and dented vents and gutters, plus evidence tying it to a specific date. They also look for anything that reduces or blocks payment, like age-related wear, prior unrepaired damage, installation defects, and conditions such as extra layers that change the scope.
Evidence that supports a claim
- Hail: soft bruises, exposed asphalt and cracks in a random pattern, counted in test squares on each directional slope.
- Wind: creased tabs, broken seal strips, lifted or missing shingles, and damaged ridge caps. See wind damage roof claims.
- Collateral: dents in vents, gutters, downspouts, screens, AC fins and painted surfaces that confirm storm size and direction.
- Interior: fresh stains that line up with roof openings.
Conditions that can reduce or block payment
- Age and wear: granule loss, curling and cracking from sun and time. Older roofs may also be on ACV or a payment schedule; see roof age and insurance.
- Prior damage: hail damage from an earlier storm that was never repaired, especially if a past claim was paid.
- Installation issues: high nailing, missing starter strip, exposed nails or improper flashing.
- Maintenance problems: rotted decking from long-term leaks, clogged valleys, moss or debris.
- Manufacturing defects: blistering or cracking patterns that come from the product, not the storm.
Facts that change the scope
- The number of layers, which affects tear off cost.
- Pitch and height, which affect labor charges.
- Whether the shingle is still available for a matching repair.
- Components like drip edge, ice and water barrier, pipe boots and vents.
For a deeper breakdown, see what roof adjusters look for.