How to file a roof insurance claim in Texas

Roof insurance claims in Texas are a process. Done right, you get a roof repaired or replaced for the cost of your deductible. Done wrong, you get a partial payout, miss damaged items, and end up paying out of pocket. This guide is what we tell every Houston customer who walks through our door post-storm.

The first 24 hours

Don't call your insurance company first. Document first, call second.

1. Get water out of the house. Tarps, buckets, towels. If water is actively coming in, call us or any reputable roofer for emergency tarping. Most charge $0-$500 for tarping a single area; insurance typically reimburses this.
2. Photograph everything from the ground. Wide shots of the roof from every angle, close-ups of obvious damage, interior water stains, hail dents on cars and AC units (these are evidence the storm was real).
3. Save receipts for any emergency mitigation. Tarps, fans, dehumidifiers, hotel costs if you have to leave the house — all reimbursable.
4. Check for life safety issues. Damaged electrical near water, structural damage, gas leaks. If anything looks unsafe, call utilities first.

Documentation that wins claims

The single biggest factor in claim outcomes is the quality of documentation. Adjusters are trained to underestimate when documentation is weak.

What to document

• Date and time of the storm. Pull the National Weather Service confirmation for your zip code that day.
• Hail size if applicable. Photograph any hailstones still present — coins or rulers in frame for scale.
• Roof damage from the ground. Don't go on the roof yourself. Use a phone with a long lens or a drone if you have one. We document with drones for every claim — it's become standard.
• Interior damage. Water stains, drywall cracks, ceiling sagging, mold growth.
• Adjacent damage. Hail dents on cars, AC units, fences, gutters. These corroborate the storm severity.
• Pre-loss condition. If you have any pre-storm photos of your roof, include them. Real estate listings, Google Street View, recent inspection photos all help.

Drone documentation has become the difference-maker on contested claims. We drone-image every roof we tarp. The high-resolution overhead photos make it impossible for an adjuster to miss damage that's clearly there.

Filing the claim

After documentation:

1. Call your insurance company's claims line (not your agent — go straight to claims).
2. Report the date and type of damage. Be factual: "wind/hail damage to roof, [date]." Don't speculate about causes.
3. Get a claim number. Write it down. You'll reference it constantly.
4. Ask when the adjuster will be assigned and how to contact them. Most major Texas insurers assign within 1-3 days post-storm; major events (Beryl 2024) may run 1-2 weeks.
5. Get the email address for submitting supplemental documentation. You'll need it.

Don't do these things

• Don't commit to the cause of damage. Just report what you see. Let the adjuster investigate.
• Don't accept the first phone estimate. An over-the-phone estimate isn't a binding offer.
• Don't sign anything yet. Especially anything an "insurance specialist" or storm-chaser contractor puts in front of you.
• Don't throw away damaged materials. Save shingles, gutters, anything visibly damaged. The adjuster may want to see them.

The adjuster meeting

The single most important moment in your claim. Have a roofer attend with you. A reputable contractor on the roof during the inspection catches damage the adjuster might miss and writes a parallel scope so any disagreements get resolved on-site.

What we (your roofer) bring to the adjuster meeting

• Drone documentation from before tarping.
• Detailed scope of work — line items for every damaged element.
• Local pricing data — what the actual labor + materials cost in this market.
• Code requirements that may trigger upgrades (decking replacement, ice/water shield, ventilation balance).
• Photographic record of any pre-existing conditions vs storm damage.

Most adjusters are fair professionals. Some are aggressive about minimizing payouts — those are the ones where having a roofer present matters most.

Reading the adjuster's scope

After the inspection you'll get a scope of work — a line-item list of what the insurance will pay for. Read it carefully.

What to look for

• Roof scope: shingle removal, underlayment, decking, flashing, vents, ridge cap, drip edge, ice/water shield (where required), starter strip.
• Square count: total roofing squares (one square = 100 sq ft). Should match your home — undercounted squares = under-paid claim.
• Per-square pricing: compare to the local market. If it's much below current Houston pricing, the adjuster is using outdated tables.
• Code upgrades: ventilation, ice/water shield, decking replacement may all be required by code. If they're missing from the scope, supplement.
• Depreciation vs replacement cost. Most policies pay actual cash value (ACV) initially, then the depreciation withhold once work is complete. Make sure both numbers are clear.
• Adjacent items: gutters, downspouts, fascia, soffit, painted surfaces. Often missed.

Filing supplements

A supplement is a request to add items to the scope after the initial inspection. Most Texas roof claims need at least one supplement — adjusters routinely miss things.

Common supplemental items

• Damaged decking discovered during tear-off (often missed in initial scope).
• Code-required ventilation balance.
• Code-required ice/water shield in valleys.
• Damaged gutters, downspouts, fascia.
• Underlayment upgrades to synthetic where felt was specified.
• Starter strip and ridge cap (often categorized as part of "shingles" but should be separate line items).

Submit supplements with photographic evidence and a written explanation. Most approve within 1-2 weeks.

If your claim is denied

Common denial reasons and what to do:

• "Wear and tear, not storm damage." Most common denial. Counter with specific photographic evidence of storm damage indicators (impact patterns, freshly-broken granules, missing tabs in clean breaks). Get a second roofer to write a parallel report.
• "Damage was pre-existing." Counter with pre-storm photos, recent inspection reports, or real estate listing photos.
• "Not enough damage to trigger replacement." Counter with a documented count of damaged squares. If >25% of the roof is damaged, most policies require replacement, not repair.
• "Cosmetic damage only." Common for hail. Counter with documentation showing the damage compromises the shingle's function (granule loss, mat exposure, accelerated aging).

You have the right to request a re-inspection by a different adjuster. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance. Both work — the second adjuster often agrees with the homeowner.

When to hire a public adjuster

A public adjuster works for you, not the insurance company. They typically take 10-15% of the final settlement. Hire one if:

• Your initial scope is wildly below the actual repair cost.
• Your claim has been denied or dramatically underpaid.
• You don't have time to fight a complex claim yourself.
• The damage is significant ($30K+) and the disagreement is structural.

Don't hire one if: The disagreement is minor and a supplement can resolve it, or if your roofer is already doing the heavy lifting on documentation. Most claims with a competent roofer in the room don't need a public adjuster.

Texas claim deadlines

• Notify insurer of damage: Texas requires "prompt" notice — typically interpreted as 30-60 days from the storm. Earlier is better.
• File a written claim: Most policies require within 60-90 days.
• Statute of limitations on lawsuits: 2 years from the date of denial under Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542.
• Recoverable depreciation deadline: Most policies require completion of repairs within 6-24 months to recover the depreciation withhold.

Bottom line: document immediately, file within 30 days, get a roofer in the room for the inspection, expect to file a supplement, and know your rights if denied.

Need help with a Houston claim? We handle the whole process — drone documentation, adjuster meetings, supplement filing, depreciation recovery. No charge for the claim work; we recover it through the project.