Answers · Storms and insurance
Should I file an insurance claim for roof damage?
The short answer
File when the damage is from a covered sudden event and plausibly exceeds your deductible — including the separate wind or hail deductible if you have one. Get an independent contractor's assessment first so you are deciding on a scope rather than on a hope, and ask your agent whether an inquiry is recorded as a claim.
Work through it in this order
- Document the damage yourself: dated photographs, the date of the storm, and any debris on the ground.
- Find your deductible, including any separate percentage-based wind or hail deductible.
- Get an assessment from a contractor you chose, not one who knocked on the door, with photographs and a written scope.
- Compare the scope against the deductible. If it is close, ask what the repair costs without a claim.
- Ask your agent whether asking a question is recorded. In some markets an inquiry is logged, which is worth knowing before you make it.
- File within the policy's notice requirement if you are filing at all.
Small damage is often better paid directly
A repair well under the deductible costs you the whole amount either way, and generates a claim record for nothing. The calculation changes with a large deductible, which is exactly when the contractor's written scope is worth getting first.
Also asked
- Can an insurer drop me for filing a roof claim?
- Non-renewal practices vary by insurer and are regulated differently in each state and province, and roof claims have become a sensitive category in some markets. It is a fair question to put to your agent before filing, and the answer is specific to your insurer and where you live.
General information about roofs and about hiring, not advice about your building. Roofing contractor licensing, permits, insurance practice and deductible rules are set state by state and province by province across the United States and Canada, so your own authority is the current answer.