Documentation Support for Your Roof Insurance Claim

Signs you may need insurance claim documentation

• A hail or windstorm you can date, followed by new damage to the roof or siding
• Dented gutters, vents or condenser fins on the same side as damaged shingles
• An adjuster appointment on the calendar and no independent record of the damage
• An insurer estimate you cannot follow line by line
• A settlement letter that subtracts depreciation you do not understand
• Hidden damage, such as soft decking, found during work on an approved claim

What roof insurance claim documentation support includes, and what it does not

What we do:

• Inspect the roof, gutters, siding and attic, and deliver a dated photo report.
• Measure the roof: squares, pitch, ridge, eave, rake and valley lengths, and every penetration.
• Write a line-item repair or replacement scope in Xactimate format.
• Meet the adjuster on site to show the damage and share our measurements.
• Explain the insurer's estimate and settlement letter so you can see what was included.
• Document hidden damage found once work begins, and provide completion photos and a final invoice at the end.

What we do not do: file or call in a claim for you, negotiate with your insurer on your behalf, act as your public adjuster, decide what is covered, or pay, waive or rebate any part of your deductible. If you want someone to negotiate the claim for you, Illinois licenses public adjusters for that work, and attorneys handle disputed claims.

Illinois storm-repair rules for contractors, in plain English

Illinois sets specific rules for repairs after damaging weather in the Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513), and roofers are licensed under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335). In plain terms:

• A contractor may not advertise or promise to pay or rebate any portion of your insurance deductible.
• Contractors are restricted from representing or negotiating for a homeowner on an insurance claim for storm repairs.
• If you sign a contract for storm work to be paid from insurance and the insurer then denies all or part of the claim in writing, the law gives you a short window to cancel that contract.
• Home repair work over $1,000 requires a written contract.
• Roofing contractors must hold a license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and the license number belongs on contracts and bids. See our licenses and insurance page for how to check it.

This is a summary, not legal advice; the statute text and your own attorney have the final word.

Why an Xactimate-format line-item scope helps

An adjuster's estimate is a list of priced line items: tear-off per square, underlayment, ice barrier, drip edge, starter course, shingles with a waste allowance, ridge cap, each type of flashing, pipe boots and vents, steep-slope and high-roof labor, disposal, and sometimes permit fees and overhead and profit. When our scope uses the same line items and units, differences jump out. You can see at a glance whether one estimate measured 28 squares and the other 32, or whether a steep-roof charge or a code-required item was left off.

That comparison is the whole point. We measure carefully, photograph what we list, and leave out anything we cannot support with evidence.

ACV, RCV and recoverable depreciation in plain numbers

• Replacement cost value (RCV): what it costs today to replace the damaged roof with materials of like kind and quality.
• Depreciation: the reduction the insurer applies for age and wear.
• Actual cash value (ACV): RCV minus depreciation.
• Recoverable depreciation: on many replacement-cost policies, the depreciation held back at first and released once the work is finished and documented.

A hypothetical example: RCV of $20,000, depreciation of $6,000, deductible of $2,000. The first payment would be $12,000, which is RCV minus depreciation minus the deductible. After the roof is installed and the completion paperwork is submitted, the remaining $6,000 is released, so the insurer pays $18,000 in total and you pay the remaining $2,000, which is your deductible. Some policies pay only ACV on roofs, especially older ones, and many replacement-cost policies set a time limit for finishing the work. Your declarations page and policy wording say which applies.

Meeting the insurance adjuster at your roof

The adjuster inspects for the insurer. We attend so nothing is missed for lack of looking: we point out the test areas marked during our storm damage inspection, the collateral damage on metals and siding, and any interior stains, and we share measurements and product details for your existing shingles. We answer technical questions; we do not argue coverage. Try to be home or reachable, and before the adjuster leaves, ask when the written estimate will arrive. When it does, we go through it with you line by line.

Supplements, deadlines and closing paperwork

Some damage stays hidden until tear-off: rotted decking under a hail-battered slope, a second layer of old shingles, or a code requirement the original estimate did not include. When that happens we pause, photograph it and price it as a supplement. The request goes to your insurer through the channel your carrier designates, with you informed at each step, and the insurer decides whether to approve it.

Deadlines matter as much as documents. Policies set time limits for reporting a loss, for submitting proof of loss, for completing repairs to collect held-back depreciation, and for filing suit, and these differ from one policy to the next. Read yours, or ask your agent, instead of trusting a rule of thumb from a salesperson. When the job is done you receive completion photos and a final invoice, the documents insurers typically ask for before releasing recoverable depreciation.

What it costs

On an insured loss, your share is normally the deductible plus anything outside the approved scope, such as an upgrade you choose. We never offer to pay, waive or rebate a deductible. If the damage is minor, these typical repair ranges help you weigh the cost against your deductible:

How the work goes

1. Inspection and photo report

   We document the roof, siding, gutters and attic with dated photos and measurements.

2. You contact your insurer

   If you decide to report the loss, you open the claim yourself; your policy sets the notice rules.

3. Adjuster meeting

   We meet the adjuster on site, show the documented damage and share our measurements.

4. Line-by-line review

   We walk you through the insurer's estimate and compare it with our Xactimate-format scope.

5. Work and closing documents

   Hidden damage is documented as a supplement; completion photos and a final invoice close the file.

Insurance Claim Documentation questions

Do I still pay my deductible if insurance replaces my roof?

Yes. The deductible is part of your contract with your insurer, and Illinois law bars contractors from promising to pay or rebate any portion of it. A contractor who offers to "take care of" your deductible is offering something the law prohibits, and putting your claim at risk in the process.

What if my insurance estimate is lower than the roofer's estimate?

Compare them line by line. Most gaps come from measurements, missing line items or different quantities, and each one is either supported by photos and measurements or it is not. You can ask your adjuster to review documented differences or to reinspect. If you still disagree, many policies include an appraisal provision, and the Illinois Department of Insurance accepts consumer complaints. A licensed public adjuster or an attorney can represent you; a contractor cannot.

Why is my mortgage company's name on the insurance check?

Lenders have a financial stake in the house, so claim payments for the building are often made out to both the homeowner and the mortgage company. The lender either endorses the check or holds the funds and releases them as work progresses. Call your lender's loss-draft department early to learn what it requires.

Should I get a roof inspection before filing an insurance claim?

Many homeowners do, because a roof inspection tells you whether there is storm damage at all before you open a claim. It does not change your policy's notice requirements, so if damage is likely, report it promptly. Our hail and wind insurance guide covers the timeline from storm to settlement.