What Do Insurance Adjusters Look for During My Roof Claim Inspection?

If you have never been through a roof insurance claim before, you may assume the adjuster is coming to your house simply to look at your roof, confirm there is damage, and decide whether the insurance company is going to replace it.

In my experience, it is rarely that simple.

I have attended many insurance inspections as a roofing contractor, and one thing homeowners should understand is that the inspection usually begins before the adjuster ever puts a ladder against the house.

There is a process to these inspections. There is also a human element to them. Two people can inspect the same roof and sometimes walk away with very different opinions about what they saw.

That's why understanding what the adjuster is actually looking for matters.

The Inspection Usually Starts on the Ground

One of the first things I normally see an adjuster looking for is collateral damage.

Before getting on the roof, they may walk around the property looking at things such as gutters, downspouts, window wraps, siding, metal surfaces and other exterior components.

They're looking for evidence that supports what happened during the storm.

If the claim involves hail, for example, there may be dings in soft metals or aluminum window wraps. You may also see spatter marks and other indicators around the property.

These things matter because they help establish a bigger picture.

If someone claims a property was hit by significant hail, but there isn't a mark anywhere else around the property, that's something an adjuster is going to notice. On the other hand, collateral damage around the home can support what is later found on the roof.

This is why I tell homeowners that a roof claim inspection doesn't necessarily start on the roof.

It starts at the property.

What Happens When the Adjuster Gets on the Roof?

Once on the roof, one of the first things I typically see adjusters do is take overview photographs.

They want photographs showing the different facets and general condition of the roof before getting into individual areas of damage.

From there, the inspection becomes much more detailed.

The adjuster may inspect individual slopes for hail impacts, wind damage and other conditions. They'll often inspect metal roof vents, valleys and other smooth metal surfaces as well.

One technique I frequently see involves chalk.

An adjuster may rub the flat side of a piece of chalk across a smooth metal vent. The chalk catches differently around indentations and can make small hail impacts easier to see and photograph.

The same technique can be used on other smooth metal surfaces.

But shingles are different.

That's where experience—and sometimes subjective judgment—starts becoming very important.

Not All Storm Damage Is Obvious

Hail damage doesn't always photograph well.

Wind damage can be even more complicated.

A shingle can become disturbed or loosened during a wind event and later lay back down. Summer heat can allow shingles to reseal, which means someone inspecting the roof months later may not see a shingle sticking straight up in the air.

That doesn't necessarily mean nothing happened.

You have to know what you're looking for.

There can be creasing, disturbed adhesive seals, displaced shingles and other indicators that need to be evaluated in context.

This is one reason I believe roof inspections have an unavoidable subjective component.

Everyone's eyes are different.

One adjuster may identify something immediately. Another person may walk right past it. Cameras create another problem because subtle hail impacts that are visible when you're standing over a shingle can be extremely difficult to capture in a photograph.

That doesn't mean every mark on a roof is storm damage either.

Age, normal deterioration, blistering, installation problems and mechanical damage can sometimes be mistaken for storm damage. A good inspection should distinguish between those conditions rather than simply counting every imperfection as hail or wind damage.

The Test Square Can Be One of the Most Important Parts of the Inspection

During a hail inspection, you may hear the adjuster or contractor talk about a "test square."

A roofing square equals 100 square feet, so a test area is commonly laid out at approximately 10 feet by 10 feet.

Within that area, the inspector identifies and documents suspected hail impacts and other storm-related damage.

This can become extremely important.

Think about a roof that has one slope facing directly toward the direction the storm came from and another slope that was somewhat protected.

Those two slopes may not have experienced the storm in exactly the same way.

Where an inspection area is established can therefore affect what gets documented.

That's one of the reasons I pay close attention to test areas when I'm attending an adjustment.

If I documented legitimate damage before the adjuster arrived, I want to make sure we're looking at the same areas and discussing what we're seeing.

It doesn't mean the contractor and adjuster have to agree on every mark.

They often don't.

But the damage should at least be looked at.

A Real Inspection That Changed My View of Documentation

One claim in particular reinforced this for me.

I had already inspected the property and documented what I believed to be legitimate hail and wind damage. That documentation was submitted to the insurance carrier before its inspection.

An inspection was scheduled.

The adjuster ended up arriving approximately six hours late, and neither the homeowner nor I knew that the inspection had taken place.

The homeowner's Ring camera later gave us another important piece of information: the adjuster appeared to be on the roof for no more than approximately ten minutes.

Two days later, the homeowner received a denial letter.

When we reviewed the inspection documentation, I had a serious problem with what I saw.

The hail and wind damage that I had previously documented wasn't represented in the adjuster's photographs, and an entire elevation appeared to be missing from the documentation.

We challenged the result and requested another inspection.

This time, we specifically requested that the inspection occur with the relevant parties present so everyone could look at the property together.

The second inspection took place.

Approximately twelve hours later, the claim was approved.

I can't tell you why the first inspection didn't document the same conditions. I wasn't standing next to that adjuster when he performed it, and I won't pretend to know what someone else was thinking.

What I can tell you is what that experience reinforced for me:

Proper documentation matters.

A denial letter doesn't make physical damage disappear. Likewise, a contractor saying there is damage doesn't automatically establish coverage.

The evidence matters.

The Adjuster Isn't Simply There to "Approve a Roof"

This is probably one of the biggest misunderstandings I encounter with homeowners.

An adjuster isn't coming out simply to approve a roof replacement.

The adjuster is investigating a claimed loss, documenting conditions and evaluating the damage as part of the carrier's claim process. Ultimately, whether particular damage is covered depends on the policy and the circumstances of the loss.

That's an important distinction.

I've met homeowners who genuinely don't understand how rainwater can be coming through their ceiling while an insurance denial letter is sitting on their kitchen table.

The answer is that having a damaged or leaking roof and having a covered insurance loss are not necessarily the same question.

A roof can leak because of age.

It can leak because of improper installation.

It can leak because flashing failed.

And it can leak because a covered storm damaged it.

Determining what happened—and documenting evidence supporting that conclusion—is a major part of the claim.

My Opinion About Insurance Inspections

This is where I'll separate my personal opinion from the mechanics of the claim process.

I believe homeowners should approach an insurance inspection prepared to prove and document their loss rather than assuming someone else will find everything for them.

I've worked with good adjusters.

A good adjuster will inspect the property, listen when damage is pointed out, document what is there and evaluate whether coverage applies under the policy.

I've also been involved in inspections where I strongly disagreed with what was documented or overlooked.

For that reason, I don't recommend homeowners treat an insurance inspection like a casual walkthrough where they simply open the gate and wait for the insurance company to tell them what happened.

Treat it seriously.

Ask questions.

Document your property.

And make sure the areas you believe were damaged actually get inspected.

Should Your Roofing Contractor Be at the Adjuster's Inspection?

In my opinion, yes.

I believe one of the best things a homeowner can do is have an experienced roofing professional present who has already inspected the property.

The contractor and insurance adjuster have different roles.

Your contractor can point out damage previously identified, explain roofing conditions and make sure areas of concern aren't accidentally overlooked.

That doesn't mean the contractor should stand on the roof arguing with the adjuster.

That's usually counterproductive.

The goal should be a thorough inspection.

If I have photographs showing damage on a particular slope, I want the adjuster to see that slope. If I've identified collateral damage on an elevation, I want to make sure that elevation is inspected. If the adjuster disagrees with my assessment, we can discuss why.

I'd rather have that conversation while everyone is standing at the property than discover after a denial that an important area wasn't documented.

Take Pictures Before the Adjuster Arrives

This is one of the simplest things that can make a major difference.

Document the condition of the property before the adjustment whenever it can be done safely.

That doesn't mean a homeowner should climb onto a steep roof with a cell phone.

Have a qualified person perform the roof inspection.

Good documentation can include wide photographs showing where an area is located, closer photographs showing the condition being identified, photographs of collateral damage, damaged siding or metals, and photographs of interior water intrusion when applicable.

Wisconsin's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance similarly recommends making a list of damaged items and photographing damage as part of the claim process.

Documentation creates a record.

And when there is later disagreement about what was present at the time of the loss, that record can become extremely important.

What I Would Tell a Homeowner Before Their Adjustment

If an insurance adjuster is coming tomorrow, my advice is pretty straightforward.

Have the property inspected beforehand by a qualified professional if possible. Document the suspected damage. Have that professional available for the adjustment. Make sure the adjuster knows about every area of concern, including interior damage and collateral damage away from the roof.

Then let the adjuster do the inspection.

You don't need to coach the adjuster.

You don't need to exaggerate damage.

And you certainly don't want anyone manufacturing or creating damage.

You simply want the actual condition of the property thoroughly documented.

Afterward, compare what was observed during the inspection with what ultimately appears in the insurance company's scope or decision.

If something significant was missed, ask questions.

If necessary, provide the photographs and documentation again and request that the carrier review the additional information or reinspect the property.

The Biggest Lesson I've Learned

After attending insurance inspections and dealing with both approvals and denials, the biggest lesson I've learned is simple:

Don't rely on memory when you can rely on documentation.

A roof inspection is performed by human beings.

Things can be interpreted differently. Things can photograph poorly. Things can be overlooked. Contractors can be wrong, and adjusters can be wrong.

That's why photographs, measurements, collateral evidence, inspection notes and a thorough examination of the entire property matter so much.

Your goal shouldn't be to "get insurance to buy a roof."

Your goal should be to accurately establish what happened to your property, document the resulting damage, and allow the insurance policy to determine what coverage applies.

Those are two very different mindsets.

And in my experience, homeowners who understand that distinction are much better prepared when the adjuster pulls into their driveway.