Cornerstone guide · 12 min read
The storm damage insurance claim guide
Nine steps from the storm to the final check, with every term that trips homeowners up explained in plain language. This is the same walkthrough we give at the kitchen table.
The process
Nine steps, start to finish
Most of a storm claim is sequence and documentation. Do these in order and the whole thing goes smoother.
01
Note the date of loss
Everything in a claim hangs off the date the storm hit. Write it down, along with what you saw and any local news or weather coverage of the event. If you are not certain of the exact day, we can help verify it against storm data for your address.
02
Get a documented inspection first
Before you call your carrier, find out whether you actually have a claim. A free professional inspection produces slope-by-slope photos and an honest verdict. If the damage does not support a claim, we will tell you, filing one you cannot win gains you nothing.
03
File the claim
You file, not the contractor. Give the carrier the date of loss, describe the damage and ask for the claim number, your adjuster's contact information and a copy of your policy declarations page. Ask specifically whether your policy is ACV or RCV and what your deductible is.
04
Meet the adjuster on the roof
The carrier sends an adjuster to assess damage. We meet them there and walk the roof together. Adjusters cover a lot of homes in a day; having somebody present who knows the roof means damage on the back slope does not get missed because nobody went up there.
05
Read the scope of loss line by line
The carrier issues an estimate, the scope of loss. This is where claims are won or lost. We go through it with you and check what is missing: decking, drip edge, ice-and-water, ventilation, flashing, gutters, or entire slopes that were skipped.
06
Understand the money
Your first check is usually the ACV payment, replacement cost minus depreciation, minus your deductible. It is not the whole amount and it is not supposed to be. The rest, called recoverable depreciation, is released after the work is completed and documented.
07
Supplement what was left out
When the approved scope does not cover what the job actually requires, we submit a supplement with photos, measurements and code documentation. This is normal, expected, and the reason a contractor experienced with claims is worth having.
08
Build the roof
Once the scope is agreed, we schedule the work, pull the permit and rebuild the roof to the approved scope, plus any upgrades you choose to pay for out of pocket. We document the build as we go, because that documentation is what releases the rest of your money.
09
Collect final payment
We send the final invoice and completion documentation to the carrier, they release the recoverable depreciation, and the claim closes. You pay your deductible and any upgrades. That is the whole cycle.
The vocabulary
Six terms that decide what you get paid
Carriers use these words as though everyone knows them. Most homeowners have never needed to.
ACV, Actual Cash Value
What your roof is worth today: replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. If your policy is ACV-only, that reduced amount is all you get, and the gap comes out of your pocket.
RCV, Replacement Cost Value
What it costs to rebuild with like materials today, with no deduction for age. RCV policies pay depreciation back to you once the work is done, that is the recoverable part.
Deductible
Your share, defined in the policy, often a flat amount or a percentage of the dwelling coverage. It is deducted from the payout. It is also your legal responsibility, no honest contractor will absorb it for you.
Depreciation
The value subtracted for the age and condition of what was damaged. On an RCV policy it is recoverable after completion; on an ACV policy it is not.
Ordinance & Law coverage
Pays for code-required upgrades that did not exist when your roof was built. Georgia code has changed. This coverage is frequently unclaimed simply because homeowners do not know to ask about it.
Supplement
A documented request to add items the original scope omitted. Not a dispute, a normal part of nearly every real claim.
Coverage
What is covered, and what is not
Typically covered
- Wind damage, lifted, creased, torn or missing shingles
- Hail damage, bruising, granule loss, cracked shingles
- Falling debris, limbs and trees
- Storm-driven water intrusion following a covered event
- Fire and lightning damage
Typically not covered
- Wear and tear, a roof that simply reached the end of its life
- Aging or brittle shingles with no storm event behind it
- Deferred maintenance, problems left unrepaired for years
- Manufacturing defects, which are a warranty matter, not a claim
- Damage from work performed by an unqualified installer
Your policy is the final word, coverage varies by carrier and endorsement. This guide is general information from a roofing contractor, not insurance advice.
Questions
What homeowners ask us about claims
Typically four to eight weeks from filing to final payment. Busy seasons after a large regional storm run longer because every adjuster in the state is booked.
Next
Where we fit in your claim
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