An insurance roof claim is part inspection, part paperwork, and part negotiation. Done well it pays for a code-compliant, properly installed replacement and restores your home to better-than-pre-loss condition. Done poorly it leaves you under-paid, under-installed, and arguing with a carrier two years later when leaks appear. We have handled hundreds of Houston-area claims with most major Texas carriers and a handful of national specialty insurers. This page explains how the process actually works, what to do (and not do) at each step, and where contractor-versus-carrier scams come from.
- Do you file the claim?
- No. You do, directly with your carrier. We document and represent the contractor scope.
- AOB required?
- No. We work without an Assignment of Benefits.
- Deductible?
- Paid at completion. Never absorbed or rebated. Texas Insurance Code §707.002.
- Service area?
- All of Greater Houston. (713) 480-8877.
Step 1: Document before you call
The strongest claim is built before you pick up the phone. Take dated photos of obvious storm damage from the ground (fallen limbs, displaced shingles, dented gutters, broken window screens). Note the date and approximate time of the storm. Bookmark the NOAA Storm Events Database entry for your zip code. Then schedule a free contractor inspection. Our written report becomes part of your claim file and gives the adjuster something to react to instead of starting from a blank page.
Do not climb on the roof yourself. Do not throw away damaged materials. Do not begin repairs beyond emergency tarping until the adjuster has inspected.
Step 2: Filing the claim
Call your insurance company directly using the claims phone number on your policy declarations page. Provide: policy number, date of loss, type of loss (hail, wind, hurricane, falling object, etc.), brief description, and your preferred contact method. You will receive a claim number on the call and an adjuster appointment within 5 to 15 business days.
Texas Insurance Code requires the carrier to acknowledge your claim within 15 days, accept or deny within 15 business days of receiving all required information, and pay an accepted claim within 5 business days. If the carrier misses these deadlines you have remedies under the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act, including statutory interest and attorney's fees.
The Texas Department of Insurance publishes the consumer guide at tdi.texas.gov.
Step 3: The adjuster meeting
The adjuster meeting is the most important hour of the claim. We meet your adjuster on the roof, walk every slope, and present our documentation. We use Xactimate (the same software the adjuster uses) to ensure scope items match line for line. Most adjusters appreciate well-prepared contractors because it shortens their day and reduces their re-inspection rate.
If the adjuster's scope misses items (a near-universal occurrence), we file a supplement with line items and photo support. Common supplements include ice and water shield, drip edge, ridge vent, decking replacement, code-required upgrades for permit compliance, and chimney flashing.
Step 4: Approval, ACV check, and material order
Once the carrier approves the scope, you receive the Actual Cash Value (ACV) check, equal to the replacement scope minus your deductible and minus depreciation. This is not the full settlement. The depreciation portion is held by the carrier until the work is documented as complete.
We then order materials in your selected shingle profile and color, schedule the install, and pull the City of Houston (or municipal) permit in your name. Permits in your name keep the inspection record with the property and protect you if the contractor later disappears.
Step 5: Installation, completion, depreciation release
Tear-off, deck inspection, underlayment, ice and water shield, drip edge, finish layer. Most Houston single-family homes complete in 2 to 4 working days. We document each phase with photos and provide a complete close-out package.
The close-out package goes to the carrier and triggers the Recoverable Depreciation check, which represents the difference between the ACV payment and the full Replacement Cost Value. Combined with the deductible (paid by you at completion) and the ACV check (paid earlier), this funds the entire project.
Final inspection, manufacturer warranty registration, and certificate of completion are filed within 5 business days of the last day on site.
Roofing claim scams to avoid
Storm seasons attract bad actors. Watch for:
- Door-to-door storm chasers with out-of-state plates who offer to "inspect for free" then pressure you to sign on the spot.
- "We'll absorb your deductible" offers. Class B misdemeanor in Texas. Walk away.
- Mandatory AOB demands before any inspection or quote. Reputable contractors do not need it.
- Requests for the full ACV check before work starts. Standard practice is one-third deposit on material order, one-third at dry-in, balance at completion.
- No physical Houston address on the proposal. Verify on Google Maps before signing.
- No general liability or workers compensation insurance. Always request the certificate naming you as a holder.
Read the National Insurance Crime Bureau's storm-fraud bulletin at nicb.org if you need more context.
End-to-end documentation
Drone scan, on-roof report, Xactimate scope, supplement support.
Adjuster meeting on the roof
Two pairs of eyes the day of inspection. Shorter scope reconciliation.
No Assignment of Benefits required
You stay in control of your claim and your policy.
Texas Insurance Code compliant
Deductible collected at completion, never absorbed or rebated.
Permits in your name
Inspection record stays with the property.
Lifetime workmanship warranty
Direct from us. No third-party administrator.
