Roof claim questions, answered
Short, direct answers to the questions homeowners actually ask during a roof damage claim. For the full process start-to-finish, see our in-depth guides.
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I Did Everything Right and My Hail Claim Was Still Denied: A Case Study
Three roofing contractors documented significant hail damage; the insurer's two inspections found none. The full, dated timeline of the site founder's own denied claim — and what it teaches.
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What Size Hail Damages a Roof?
Pea, quarter, golf ball — what hail sizes actually damage asphalt, metal, and tile roofs, why roof age matters as much as stone size, and when an inspection is worth it.
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Will Filing a Roof Claim Raise My Insurance Rates?
The honest answer on premiums after a hail or wind claim: surcharges, lost claim-free discounts, the CLUE report, non-renewal risk, and when filing still makes sense.
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My Roofer Offered to Cover My Deductible — Is That Legal?
Why deductible waivers are illegal in many states, how the scheme actually works, the risk to you as the homeowner, and what a legitimate discount looks like instead.
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The Adjuster Says No Damage, But My Roofer Disagrees
What to do when the insurance adjuster and your roofing contractor reach opposite conclusions: reinspections, documentation, second opinions, and escalation options.
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Roof Claim Denied for "Wear and Tear": What to Do Next
Why wear-and-tear is the most common roof claim denial, how insurers distinguish storm damage from aging, and the evidence that can turn the decision around.
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ACV vs. RCV: How Recoverable Depreciation Actually Works
Why your first claim check is smaller than the estimate, how recoverable depreciation is calculated and released, and the deadlines that can cost you the second check.
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How Long After a Storm Can You File a Roof Claim?
Filing deadlines explained: what 'prompt notice' means in your policy, typical one- to two-year state windows, and why waiting hurts your claim even inside the deadline.
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Should You File a Claim for a Few Missing Shingles?
How to run the math on a small wind damage claim: repair cost vs. your deductible, the claim-history cost of filing, and when a small repair signals a bigger problem.
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How Long Does a Roof Insurance Claim Take?
A realistic timeline from first call to final payment: acknowledgment, inspection, decision, and depreciation release — plus what commonly causes delays and how to push back.
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What Is a Supplement in a Roof Insurance Claim?
Why your roofer is billing the insurance company for more than the original estimate, what supplements legitimately cover, and how to tell normal from padding.
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Partial Repair vs. Full Replacement: The Shingle-Matching Problem
When insurers can patch one slope instead of replacing the roof, why discontinued shingles change everything, and how matching rules and ITEL reports factor in.
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Will Insurance Pay for Emergency Roof Tarping?
Your duty to mitigate after storm damage, how emergency tarping reimbursement works, what to document before and after, and the tarping scams to avoid.
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Can You Keep Leftover Insurance Claim Money?
What actually happens if repairs cost less than the payout, how ACV settlements and mortgage companies change the answer, and where the legal lines are.