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Coverage

When a Claim Hits a Wall, We Push Back

Most insurance shops sell you a policy and disappear. We stay involved on the claims side — supplements, scope of loss disputes, denied appeals, and adjuster negotiations on the insurance-paid jobs that drive most of a roofer's revenue.

For most roofing contractors, insurance-paid replacements are the bulk of the work. A homeowner files a hail claim, an adjuster scopes it, the contractor signs an agreement, and the work gets paid out of the homeowner's policy. That process runs smoothly maybe two-thirds of the time. The other third is where contractors lose money — when the scope is too low, when the carrier denies items they should have paid for, when supplements get ignored, when an adjuster invokes the 25% rule, or when a denial letter shows up on a job you already started.

That's where we come in. We're not public adjusters and we don't take a cut of the claim. We help the contractor — our policyholder — document the loss, write supplements that get paid, and respond to denials with the language insurers actually respect.

What we help with

  • Supplements on insurance-paid replacementsWhen the adjuster's original scope misses code-required items — drip edge, ice and water shield, starter strip, ridge vent, deck replacement for rot — we help write a clean supplement that maps to the carrier's own pricing format and documentation expectations.
  • Scope of loss disputesWhen the contractor's scope and the adjuster's scope don't match, the dispute usually comes down to whether items are storm-related or pre-existing. We know what evidence carriers want — overhead photos, slope-by-slope counts, manufacturer matching letters — and how to present it.
  • Denied claim appealsWhen a claim is denied entirely — the most common reasons being "wear and tear," "no qualifying weather event," "outside the policy period," or "matching exclusion" — we help the contractor build a documentation package and walk through the appeal process with the homeowner.
  • 25% rule and code-required full replacementsWhen the carrier wants to repair instead of replace, knowing how the 25% rule actually reads in your state — and which other building code provisions can require a full replacement regardless — is the difference between a $4,000 patch and a $24,000 replacement.
  • Adjuster negotiation languageThere are phrases that work and phrases that don't. We coach contractors on what to put in writing, what to keep verbal, and which manager to escalate to when an adjuster won't budge.
  • Documentation and photo workflowThe contractors who win supplements consistently are the ones who photograph everything from the start of the job. We can help set up a documentation workflow that turns every job into an audit-proof file.

When you should call us

Call us as early in the process as possible. The supplements and disputes that get paid are the ones where the contractor knew what to document on day one. The ones that get denied are usually the ones where we get a phone call after the contractor has been arguing with the adjuster for three weeks and there's nothing in writing.

Practical triggers to pick up the phone:

  • Adjuster's scope of loss looks low compared to what the job actually requires
  • Homeowner forwards you a denial letter
  • You discover deck rot or other hidden damage during tear-off
  • Carrier is invoking the 25% rule, matching exclusion, or wear-and-tear language
  • Adjuster won't return calls or stops responding
  • You're being asked to sign an "approved scope" you don't agree with

Claims support is included with our policies

When you're insured with us, claims support is part of the relationship — not a separate fee. Get a quote and bring the policy in-house, or call us to talk through a current claim.

Common questions

Is claims support actually a service or just marketing?

It's a real service that's included for our policyholders. When a homeowner's claim hits a wall — denied, underpaid, scope-disputed — we help the roofing contractor and the homeowner work through the supplement and appeal process. We're not public adjusters and we don't represent the homeowner in negotiation, but we know what insurers look for and we help contractors document jobs in a way that holds up under scrutiny.

What is a roofing supplement?

A supplement is an additional charge submitted to a homeowner's insurance carrier after the initial claim has been approved, when the actual scope of work turns out to be larger than what the adjuster originally wrote. Common roofing supplements include code-required items the adjuster missed (drip edge, ice and water shield, ridge vent), additional layers discovered after tear-off, deck replacement for rotted sheathing, and detail work around chimneys, skylights, and walls. Supplements are normal and expected — most insurance-paid roof replacements need at least one.

What happens when an insurance company denies a roof claim?

Denials happen for predictable reasons: the carrier says the damage is wear-and-tear instead of storm damage, they invoke a 'matching' or 'manufacturer discontinued' exclusion, they claim the roof was already at the end of its useful life, or they apply the 25% rule to deny full replacement on a partial-damage claim. Each of those has a counter-strategy. Documentation is everything — photos taken at the time of inspection, supplier price lists, code references, and a written scope of loss that follows the carrier's own format.

What is the 25% rule?

The 25% rule is a building code provision in many jurisdictions that requires a roof to be replaced (rather than patched) if more than 25% of its surface is damaged or being repaired within any 12-month period. It exists for fire safety reasons. Insurance carriers sometimes try to use the rule against contractors — arguing that because less than 25% is damaged, only a partial repair is owed — even when other code provisions or matching standards make a full replacement necessary. Knowing how the rule actually reads in your state matters when you're disputing a low scope of loss.

Do you handle claims for the contractor or for the homeowner?

We work with the contractor. The homeowner is the policyholder and remains the carrier's customer, but we help our contractor clients understand what to ask for, how to document the job, and how to escalate when an adjuster is being unreasonable. In some states, only a licensed public adjuster can negotiate directly with a carrier on the homeowner's behalf — we know where that line is and we don't cross it.