You have filed an insurance claim for roof damage. Maybe a hailstorm hit your neighborhood, or wind ripped shingles off your roof. The next step is the insurance inspection, where an adjuster visits your property to assess the damage and determine what the insurance company will pay.
This inspection is one of the most important steps in the claim process. The adjuster's findings determine the scope of work and the dollar amount your insurance company approves. Understanding what happens during this inspection helps you prepare and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Who is the Insurance Adjuster?
The adjuster is a representative of your insurance company. Their job is to inspect the damage, document what they find, and write a scope of work with associated costs. This scope becomes the basis for your claim payment.
There are two types of adjusters you may encounter. Staff adjusters work directly for your insurance company. Independent adjusters are hired by your insurance company on a contract basis, often after large storms when the company's staff adjusters cannot handle the volume alone.
After a major Colorado hailstorm, you are more likely to get an independent adjuster. These adjusters are often brought in from other states and may not be familiar with Colorado-specific building practices, common materials, or local code requirements. This is one reason having your roofing contractor present during the inspection is valuable.
Scheduling the Inspection
After you file your claim, your insurance company will assign an adjuster and schedule the inspection. Timing varies. During a quiet period, you may get an inspection within a week. After a major storm that affects thousands of homes, the wait can stretch to several weeks or even months as insurance companies work through the backlog.
When scheduling, ask if you can have your roofing contractor present during the inspection. Most insurance companies allow this, and it is a smart practice. Your contractor can point out damage the adjuster might miss, answer technical questions about the roof, and ensure the scope of work is accurate.
What the Adjuster Inspects
The adjuster's inspection covers several areas of your property.
The roof surface. The adjuster will climb onto the roof (or sometimes use a drone) and inspect every slope. They look for hail hits on shingles, which appear as dark circular marks where granules have been displaced. They check for cracked, split, or missing shingles. They inspect the condition of flashing around chimneys, vents, and walls. They examine pipe boots, ridge caps, and other roofing components.
Gutters and downspouts. Hail typically leaves visible dents on aluminum gutters. The adjuster checks for dents, damage to gutter screens, and damage to downspouts. Gutter damage often corroborates roof damage because both are caused by the same storm.
Siding, window screens, and other exterior surfaces. The adjuster may check these areas because damage patterns across multiple surfaces help confirm the storm's severity and the size of hail that struck the property.
Interior damage. If you have reported leaks or water damage inside the home, the adjuster will inspect those areas too. Interior damage resulting from roof damage is typically covered under the same claim.
How Damage is Documented
The adjuster takes photos of each area of damage. They measure the roof's dimensions. They count the number of hail hits per test square (a 10 foot by 10 foot area marked on the roof). Most insurance companies require a minimum number of hits per test square to approve replacement for that slope.
The adjuster notes the shingle type, age, and condition. They document whether the damage is from the claimed storm or from pre-existing conditions like normal wear, improper installation, or previous storms.
How to Prepare for the Inspection
Preparation makes a big difference in the inspection's outcome.
Have your roofing contractor's inspection report ready. If your contractor has already inspected the roof and documented damage, share that documentation with the adjuster. It provides a starting point and ensures all damage areas are addressed.
Be present during the inspection. If you can be on site (or have a representative there), you can answer the adjuster's questions about the property, the timeline of events, and any interior damage you have noticed.
Have your contractor present. An experienced roofing contractor knows how to identify storm damage on a roof and can communicate with the adjuster in industry terminology. They can point out damage patterns the adjuster might overlook, especially if the adjuster is from out of state and less familiar with Colorado hail damage presentation storm damage services.
Document everything yourself. Take photos of damage from the ground, in the attic, and of any interior water damage before the adjuster arrives. These serve as backup documentation.
After the Inspection: The Scope of Work
Within days to weeks after the inspection, you will receive the adjuster's report and scope of work. This document lists every item the adjuster approved for repair or replacement, along with pricing.
Review this scope carefully with your roofing contractor. Common items that are sometimes missed or under-scoped include drip edge replacement (code requires it in many jurisdictions), ice and water shield at eaves and valleys, step flashing and counter flashing at walls and chimneys, pipe boot replacements, ridge vent replacement, and starter strips at eaves and rakes.
If your contractor identifies items that were missed, the standard process is to submit a supplement request to the insurance company. This is a formal request for additional scope and payment for items that were not included in the original estimate. Supplementing is a normal part of the insurance claim process, not an adversarial action insurance claim assistance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not accept the first estimate without review. The adjuster's initial scope is a starting point, not the final word. Have your contractor review it thoroughly.
Do not let time pressure force a bad decision. You typically have one year from the storm date to complete the work and claim recoverable depreciation. Take the time to get the scope right.
Do not hire a contractor who was not present for the inspection. A contractor who reviews the adjuster's scope without having seen the actual damage is working blind. The best outcomes come from contractors who are involved from the initial inspection through completion.
Gates Enterprises and Insurance Inspections
Gates Enterprises works with homeowners throughout the insurance inspection process. We provide pre-inspection documentation with detailed photos and damage reports. We attend adjuster inspections when possible to ensure accurate damage identification. We review every adjuster scope line by line and submit supplements for any missed items. And we keep you informed throughout the process so you always know where your claim stands.
If you have storm damage and need help navigating the insurance inspection process, call Gates Enterprises at (720) 766-3377 or contact us online.