A roofing claim is decided by the insurer on the evidence of what the roof looked like before and after the event. The roofer documents the damage. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner takes homeowner complaints about how a claim is handled, through its Consumer Complaint Center online.
Key takeaways
- The roofer documents the damage; the insurer decides the claim.
- Photographs, measurements and dates that agree are the strongest record.
- Storm damage is separated from wear, and uncertain items are stated as uncertain.
- Complaints about how a claim is handled go to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner online.
The general pattern of a claim
A claim usually moves from the report of damage, to an inspection, to a decision, and to any repair the decision covers.
The owner reports the damage to the insurer. The insurer may send its own adjuster, who inspects the roof and the house. The adjuster writes a report, and the insurer decides what the policy covers. The owner may then arrange the repair, and the repair is checked against the decision.
A roofer working for the owner documents the damage in parallel. That record is not the insurer's decision, but it gives the owner and the insurer the same facts to read. The roofer does not negotiate the claim for the owner and does not promise an outcome.
- Damage reported to the insurer
- Adjuster inspects and reports
- Decision on what the policy covers
What the roof record should contain
The record contains photographs, measurements, a sketch and a plain statement of what was and was not seen.
The photographs should be dated and show each slope, each edge and the house. Measurements should be placed on a sketch so each finding has a location. The statement should say what the roofer saw, what it measured and what it could not reach safely. A record without those three things is hard to check.
The owner should keep the originals of the photographs and not edit or crop them. An altered image is a point the insurer can challenge, and it weakens the rest of the record.
- Dated photographs of each slope
- Measurements placed on a sketch
- Statement of what was not reached
Storm damage and wear
Old damage is recorded as old, so the claim covers what the storm caused and nothing else.
A roof of several years can have cracked tabs, worn sealant and old stains that predate a storm. The record notes those signs honestly. A claim that includes old damage as new damage is easy to challenge, and the challenge can weaken the whole file.
Where the roofer cannot tell whether a fault is from the storm or from wear, the record says so. The insurer or an adjuster decides how to treat that item, and the owner is not left to argue a point the record cannot settle.
- Old wear recorded as old
- Uncertain items stated as uncertain
- Adjuster decides doubtful items
The timing of the record
A record made soon after the event shows the damage before further weather changes it.
Damage that is left open to the next rain grows, and the evidence of the storm becomes harder to read after a second weather event. A visit soon after the event records the damage as it stands. Any temporary repair made to stop further damage is recorded as temporary, with its date and its cost noted for the owner.
The owner should keep receipts for the temporary work and photographs of it. The insurer may want to see both before the permanent repair is agreed.
- Visit soon after the event
- Temporary repairs recorded as temporary
- Receipts and photographs kept
Where a complaint goes
The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner takes homeowner complaints through its Consumer Complaint Center.
If the owner has a concern about how an insurer handled a claim, the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner runs a Consumer Complaint Center that takes homeowner complaints through its online portal at insurance.wa.gov. The sources for this site give conflicting mailing addresses, so this guide names the online portal only.
A complaint is most useful when the owner can show the record, the insurer's written decision and the dates of each contact. The owner should keep those together before making a complaint.
- Complaints through the online portal
- Mailing addresses not given here
- Record, decision and dates kept together
What this guide does not say
This guide gives the general pattern and the regulator's name, and it does not state deadlines, statutes or limits.
A claim is subject to the terms of the policy and to the rules that apply to it. This guide does not state any deadline for reporting a claim, any limit on what can be claimed, or any statute that governs a claim. Those questions depend on the policy and on the law at the time, and the owner should ask the insurer and the regulator directly.
The roofer does not give a legal opinion on a claim. The record is a factual account, and the owner decides with the insurer and, where needed, a qualified adviser how to use it.
- No deadlines stated
- No limits or statutes stated
- Owner asks insurer and regulator directly
Keeping the file for the next claim
The best claim file is one built before any storm, with a baseline record of the roof in a dry season.
A baseline record made in a dry season, with dated photographs and measurements, is the most useful thing an owner can hold when a storm arrives. The storm record can then be compared with it, and the change is shown clearly.
The owner should add to the file each year, with the spring check and any repair. The file grows over time and is ready for any claim, sale or insurance review.
- Baseline made in a dry season
- Storm record compared with baseline
- File updated each year
The adjuster and the roofer on the same roof
When both an adjuster and a roofer inspect the roof, the two records should agree on the facts and may differ on the cause.
An adjuster works for the insurer and a roofer works for the owner, so the two may read the same damage differently. The facts, such as a missing tab, a lifted edge or a dated stain, should match. The cause, such as whether the storm or wear made the damage, is the point where the two may part, and the record should say which findings are facts and which are opinions.
The owner can ask to be present during the adjuster's visit. Being present lets the owner hear the findings and ask about any item the adjuster does not mention. The owner should not dispute the findings on the spot, but should note them and raise questions in writing afterwards.
- Facts should match between records
- Cause is where records may differ
- Owner may attend the adjuster visit
Measurements that stand up
A measurement is useful when it is taken at a fixed point and can be repeated.
A measurement of a lifted edge, the length of a torn area or the spacing of a line of nails is most useful when it is taken from a named point that a later reader can find. The record notes the point, the method and the result. A vague description such as "a large area of damage" is weaker than a measured length with its location on the sketch.
Where a measurement cannot be taken safely, the record says so and gives the reason. That honesty is itself part of the record.
- Measurements taken from named points
- Method and result recorded
- Unsafe measurements stated as not taken
Documents to keep with the claim
The claim file holds the policy, the correspondence, the records and the receipts in one place.
Keep the policy and any endorsement, the notice of the claim, every letter and email with the insurer, the roof record, the photographs, the sketch, the temporary repair receipts and the permanent repair contract. Keep them in the order they were made, with dates, so the file can be read as a sequence.
A file that is complete and in order is easier for an adjuster to follow and harder to dispute. The owner should keep copies off the property as well, so the record survives a fire or a flood at the house.
- Policy and correspondence kept
- Receipts and contracts kept
- Copies kept away from the house
Explaining a claim to the household
A claim affects the whole household, and the owner should keep the record in a form everyone can read.
The owner may need to explain the claim to a family member, a tenant or a co-owner, and the record should be clear enough for them. A short summary at the front of the file, with the dates, the main findings and the status, helps everyone follow the claim without reading every page.
The summary is not a substitute for the full record. It is a guide to it, and the full record is what the insurer will read.
- Short summary at the front of the file
- Dates, main findings and status shown
- Full record kept behind the summary
Photographs taken from the ground
Photographs taken from the ground after an event are a fast and safe record of the roof before anyone climbs it.
The owner can take photographs of the roof from the ground in the first days after an event, from each side of the house and from a fixed spot each time. The photographs are dated, and the spot is noted, so the same view can be taken again later. A ground record is not a substitute for a roof inspection, but it is a safe first record that the insurer can read.
The owner should not climb onto a damaged roof to take photographs. A ladder on firm footing at the eave is the most the owner should attempt, and the crew will take the closer photographs on its visit.
- Photographs from fixed spots on the ground
- Dates and spots recorded
- No climbing onto a damaged roof
Frequently asked questions
Who decides my claim?
The insurer decides under the terms of the policy. The roofer documents the damage and does not decide the claim.
Can the roofer talk to my insurer for me?
The roofer can provide the written record. Whether the owner wants the roofer to speak to the insurer is the owner's choice, and the roofer does not negotiate the claim.
Should I repair before the adjuster visits?
Make the temporary repairs needed to stop further damage, and keep receipts and photographs. Ask the insurer what it expects before any permanent repair.
Where do I complain?
The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner takes homeowner complaints through its Consumer Complaint Center online at insurance.wa.gov.
Sources
This guide is general information for Ferry County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.