Insurance claims are where the roofing industry gets the worst. Between "free roof" scams, deductible fraud, and low-ball scopes that leave homeowners paying out of pocket for code-required items, most people end up either overpaying, getting a substandard roof, or both. We built our insurance claim process around Texas law and basic ethics. Here's how it actually works.
Step 1 — Start with the inspection
Before you file anything, let us inspect the roof. This costs you nothing. If the damage clearly qualifies for a claim — we'll document it thoroughly (photos, hail impact counts per slope, collateral damage on gutters and A/C fins) and hand you the documentation. If the damage doesn't qualify, we'll tell you. Filing a claim that insurance denies can still count against your claim history.
Step 2 — File the claim
You call your insurance carrier and file. We'll give you a 1-page summary of the damage to reference when you file. The claim gets a number, an adjuster is assigned, and an inspection is scheduled — typically within 7–14 days.
Step 3 — Meet the adjuster on the roof
This is the single most important step, and it's where most homeowners lose money. When an adjuster inspects solo, they find what they find — and they're human, their eyes get tired, and the slopes they didn't climb don't get documented. When we meet the adjuster on-site, we walk every slope with them, show chalk-marked hail strikes, and make sure every damaged element gets photographed and counted.
We're respectful — adjusters have a job to do and we don't make it adversarial. We just make sure the inspection is thorough. The difference in settlement between a supervised and unsupervised adjuster meeting is routinely thousands of dollars.
Step 4 — Review the scope
Within 7–14 days of the adjuster meeting, you'll receive an Estimate or Statement of Loss — a line-item document showing what insurance is paying for and at what price. We review it with you. Almost always, items are missing:
- Drip edge (code-required in San Antonio)
- Ice-and-water shield in valleys and penetrations
- Starter strip at eaves and rakes
- Ridge vent replacement
- Synthetic underlayment upgrade when old felt is specified
- Flashing at chimneys, walls, and skylights
- Decking replacement allowance
- Proper shingle grade matched to what's on the house
- Code upgrades (Texas building codes have evolved — older homes often need updates)
Step 5 — Write the supplement
A supplement is a formal request to add missing items or correct pricing. We write supplements in Xactimate (the industry-standard pricing platform insurance uses), submit with photo documentation, and follow up until decisions come back. The vast majority of properly-documented supplements get approved. We've had initial scopes that underpaid by $4,000–$8,000 get corrected this way.
Step 6 — Install and collect
Once the scope is final, we order materials, schedule the install, and do the work. After the work is complete, we provide the certificate of completion. You submit it to insurance and they release the depreciation payment (the difference between ACV and RCV). You pay us the full RCV amount plus your deductible — no more, no less.
A firm policy on deductibles
We do not waive, eat, rebate, or in any way cover your insurance deductible. Under Texas Insurance Code § 27.02, that's insurance fraud — a Class B misdemeanor that both the contractor and the homeowner can be charged with. Any contractor offering "we'll handle your deductible" is either breaking the law or getting ready to underbuild your roof to cover it. Neither is okay. We're not doing that.
Legitimate ways to make your deductible manageable: ask about financing (several lenders offer low-interest deductible loans), use HSA/emergency savings, or in some cases split the deductible across multiple months of installments with us. All of those are legal. Deductible waiving is not.