What does an insurer need from a roof inspection?
A dated record of the damage, photographs with scale, the storm it is linked to and the difference between storm damage and wear.
An insurer generally wants to know what was damaged, when and by what. A dated inspection with clear photographs answers the first two and helps with the third. The insurer's own adjuster may visit, and the roofer's record gives the visit a starting point.
Keep the wording plain. Impacts on the south slope, counted in marked squares, with photographs, serve better than a general statement.
- The storm date and the event linked to it
- Photographs with a scale and slope label
- Counts of impacts where damage is claimed
What the Bureau of Insurance expects first
That the policyholder has tried to resolve the matter with the insurer, and that the record has been kept.
The FACTS sheet records that the Bureau expects a policyholder to try to resolve a problem with the insurer first. A written request to the insurer, with the record attached, is the first step, and the Bureau's complaint route follows if the answer is not satisfactory.
The Bureau cannot act as the policyholder's attorney, so the homeowner keeps the file and makes the requests in their own name.
- Try the insurer first, in writing
- Attach the record to the request
- Use the Bureau's route if the answer is unsatisfactory
Why timing matters for a claim
Because damage recorded close to the event is easier to tie to it. Weather and later storms make the same damage harder to read.
Each season leaves its own marks, and each later storm adds more. An inspection soon after the event records the damage in its freshest state.
Acting early does not mean filing early. It means having a record in hand so that the decision, when it is made, rests on evidence.
- Inspect soon after a named storm
- Record the state before any repair
- Keep the dated record with the policy papers
What if the insurer disagrees?
Ask for the reasons in writing, provide the record and use the complaint route if handling is not fair.
A disagreement is normal in a claim. Ask the insurer to explain its position in writing and to say which parts of the record it accepts. A roofer can answer specific questions about the photographs and counts.
The Bureau looks at how the insurer handled the file. It does not act as the homeowner's lawyer or decide the roof's condition.
- Ask for the reasons in writing
- Send the record with any reply
- Use the Bureau's route if handling is unfair
Keeping this part of the record current
The record for this part of the roof is updated at each visit, with the date and the result, so the history stays accurate.
A homeowner who keeps this section with the roof file can compare it with the next season's check, and the change between the two is the most useful thing the record can show.
The roofer confirms each point on the day and writes the result down before leaving, so the record reflects the roof as it was found rather than as it was remembered later.
