Insurance Adjuster Roof Inspection and Re-Inspection: What to Expect on a Claim

By The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: October 2026.

An adjuster re-inspection of a roof claim is requested in writing after a denial or a low scope, and it repeats the same steps as the first insurance adjuster roof inspection, which decides whether your storm-damaged roof is covered. Many adjusters chalk a 10 ft by 10 ft test square on each roof slope and count functional hail hits inside it, then apply their carrier’s internal guidelines, which carriers generally do not publish, to decide between repair, slope replacement and full replacement. The visit’s length depends on the roof’s size, pitch and complexity, the adjuster builds an Xactimate sketch, and payment timing then depends on your policy and your state’s claim-handling deadlines. Replacement Cost Value (RCV) versus Actual Cash Value (ACV) decides the check size, and the worked example below shows a $13,888 swing. For the full data set, see the 2026 Permit and Inspection Database.

What Adjusters Look For and How to Prepare

Staff and independent adjusters share a core method even though each carrier has internal guidelines. The adjuster arrives at your house carrying a ladder, a chalk box, a measuring wheel, an Xactimate-loaded tablet (or laptop), and a camera. They walk the roof, chalk 10 ft by 10 ft test squares on each slope, count and circle every hit they consider functional, photograph each square with a number marker, then move to the attic and interior to look for matching water intrusion.

The decision tree is straightforward in outline. Functional hail damage that meets the carrier’s internal threshold gets the slope repaired or replaced, and when enough slopes qualify, or matching replacement shingles are not available, the carrier may approve the whole roof. Wind damage uses a different test: the adjuster looks for creased shingles, lifted tabs, missing shingles, and torn underlayment. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) both publish technical guidance on hail and wind damage to shingles.

Before the visit, document the pre-loss condition, the storm date, every interior leak and the debris in the yard. Without that record the adjuster has one visit to separate years of wear from acute storm damage, and ambiguous hits tend to land as partial scope or denial.

Before the Adjuster Arrives: Documentation Checklist

Run this checklist 24 to 72 hours before the appointment. Every item you cross off strengthens your documentation.

• NOAA storm verification. Pull the Local Storm Report from the National Weather Service office covering your county (the NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports list hail size and wind by date) for the date you reported damage. Print it. Hail size, wind speed, and time of impact will be on it.
• Pre-loss photos. Scour your phone roll, Google Photos timeline, real estate listing photos, and Zillow archives for any image showing the roof intact before the storm date. Email yourself a folder.
• Post-storm walk-around photos. Date-stamped close-ups of every dented gutter, dented downspout, dented HVAC condenser fin, dented mailbox, dented patio table, cracked skylight dome, and broken window screen. These corroborate hail size and direction.
• Interior leak photos. Stained ceilings, water rings on drywall, dripping recessed light cans, attic insulation that is wet or compressed, and visible decking stains from underneath.
• Receipt history. Any roof maintenance invoices, prior inspection reports, prior insurance claims, or warranty documents.
• Roofer report. Have your contractor produce a written damage assessment (typed, on letterhead, with photos) before the inspection. Hand a copy to the adjuster when they arrive.
• Policy declarations page. Know whether you are RCV or ACV, your deductible (flat dollar or percentage-of-Coverage-A), your wind/hail deductible separately, and any cosmetic endorsement.

If you live in a state with named-storm deductibles (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia), confirm whether the storm date triggered the higher deductible. A 2 percent named-storm deductible on a $400,000 dwelling is $8,000 out of pocket, versus a flat $1,000 standard deductible. That math changes whether filing makes sense at all. See our breakdown at filing an insurance claim for roof damage for the full pre-filing checklist.

The Test-Square Method

Test squares are taught in hail damage assessment training, including Haag’s inspector courses, and are widely used by adjusters.

The adjuster pulls out a chalk box and snaps a 10 ft by 10 ft square on each accessible slope, often on the slopes facing each direction the storm could have come from. They walk each square systematically, counting hits that meet their carrier’s functional damage definition. A “hit” is generally a circular impact that displaced granules and either bruised or fractured the underlying asphalt mat. The adjuster circles each qualifying hit with chalk and photographs the square with a numbered placard. Our guide to hail damage vs blistering explains why one test square can mislead.

There is no single published hit count that triggers replacement. Carriers set internal guidelines, and the outcome can also depend on the shingle type, whether matching replacement shingles are available, and any state matching rules. Ask the adjuster which threshold was applied and get the estimate and photos in writing.

Not every dimple counts. Bird tracks, marble drops from rooftop debris, foot scuffs from prior service techs, mechanical damage from a satellite installer, and natural granule embedment from manufacturing all get excluded. A trained adjuster can tell the difference by the impact pattern, the direction of granule displacement, and whether the bruise (a soft spot you can feel by pressing a thumb on the spot) is present.

Functional Damage vs Cosmetic Damage (The Critical Distinction)

The functional-versus-cosmetic call is a common ground for denial. Functional damage means the impact compromised the shingle’s ability to shed water and protect the structure. Cosmetic damage means the shingle looks worse but still performs. For the policy wording behind that line, see our guide to covered perils vs wear and tear.

Functional indicators include: granule loss exposing the asphalt mat, a visible fracture in the mat (you can see it as a dark spot or crack), a bruise (you press the spot and feel a soft give), tab separation from the courses below, and creasing along the seal line from wind uplift.

Cosmetic indicators include: granule displacement that still leaves a tinted asphalt surface, surface scuffs that did not penetrate the mat, dimples without granule loss, and discoloration. Carriers will not pay to replace cosmetic-only damage unless your policy carries a cosmetic damage endorsement (some Texas, Colorado, and Kansas policies offer this for an extra premium).

Damage Type	Functional?	Typical Coverage
Mat fracture with exposed asphalt	Yes	Covered, counts as hit
Bruise (soft spot, no visible crack yet)	Yes	Covered, counts as hit
Granule loss without mat exposure	No	Not covered absent endorsement
Creased shingle from wind	Yes	Covered as wind damage
Missing shingle	Yes	Covered, photographed individually
Lifted seal strip	Yes	Covered as wind damage
Tree branch puncture	Yes	Covered, separate from hail/wind
Foot traffic scuff	No	Pre-existing, not covered
Bird tracks/marble drops	No	Not storm damage
Granule embedment (factory)	No	Pre-existing condition

If you only have cosmetic damage and want to dispute it, your strongest play is the cosmetic endorsement check (which most policies do not carry) or evidence that the granule loss is severe enough to materially shorten the shingle’s UV protection life. Peer-reviewed research supports the general point: a 2025 study in Frontiers in Materials by Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety researchers (Meisenzahl, Giammanco and Hedayati) found in laboratory testing that repeated small-hail impacts combined with natural weathering reduced shingles’ resistance to later large hail and “exacerbate[d] the natural aging of asphalt shingles.” Whether an adjuster accepts that argument on a specific claim depends on the carrier and the policy wording.

What Adjusters Check on the Roof

The roof walk covers ten components beyond the shingle field, listed below.

Component	What They Look For	Why It Matters
Shingle field	Hits per 100 sq ft, creased tabs, missing shingles	Primary damage trigger
Ridge and hip caps	Creased or lifted caps, missing ridge vent sections	Higher hit count typical, wind sensitivity
Valleys (open and closed)	Dented W-valley metal, displaced shingles, exposed underlayment	Functional water shed concern
Flashing	Step, counter, drip edge, chimney, skylight, dormer	Wind uplift and impact denting
Vents and pipe boots	Cracked rubber boots, dented metal hoods, hail-cracked plastic	Often the most visible hail evidence. See roof flashing repair.
Gutters and downspouts	Dents, dings, separation, debris	Hail size verification
Skylights	Cracked domes, broken glass, dented frames	Hail size verification and direct damage
HVAC condenser fins	Combed or flattened aluminum fins	Independent hail verification (no homeowner can fake this)
Soffit and fascia	Dents, paint chip, separation	Wind and impact secondary evidence
Roof decking visible through openings	Wet sheathing, sagging, fastener pops	Long-term moisture intrusion evidence

The HVAC condenser fin check is one of the most underrated parts of the inspection. Hail dents on aluminum fins are impossible to fake and provide an independent timeline of when hail fell at the property. Make sure your condenser is accessible and not covered when the adjuster arrives. For a deeper look at how inspections are scoped from the homeowner side, see how to get a roof inspection and roof inspection cost.

What They Check in the Attic

The adjuster checks the attic for water intrusion that matches the exterior damage, using five signs.

• Underside of decking. Water staining patterns directly under damaged exterior areas. Fresh stains (still dark and damp) versus old stains (chalky, white-edged, dry).
• Insulation. Compressed, matted, or visibly wet batts indicating recent water flow.
• Rafters and truss members. Drip lines, mold initiation (typically white to gray fuzz, sometimes black), and any sagging.
• Nail pops. Fasteners that have backed out from cyclic wetting and drying, indicating chronic moisture.
• Ventilation. Whether soffit vents are clear and whether ridge or gable vents are functioning. Poor ventilation accelerates shingle failure and adjusters sometimes flag it as a maintenance issue that voids partial coverage.

If the attic shows no water intrusion but the exterior shows clear hail or wind damage, you can still get coverage. The water intrusion check is corroborative, not required. Modern shingles can be functionally damaged in ways that have not yet caused a leak.

ACV vs RCV: Coverage Math (Worked Example)

The policy type decides how much of a $24,800 scope you actually receive.

Replacement Cost Value (RCV) means the carrier pays the full cost to replace the roof with materials of like kind and quality, minus your deductible. RCV is paid in two checks: an ACV check up front, and a Recoverable Depreciation check after you complete the work and submit final invoices.

Actual Cash Value (ACV) means the carrier pays the depreciated value only. You absorb the depreciation. There is no second check.

Worked example. Your roof is 14 years old (asphalt shingle with a 25-year manufacturer life). Total Xactimate replacement scope: $24,800. Deductible: $2,000. Depreciation: 56 percent (14 of 25 years).

Step	RCV Policy	ACV Policy
Total RCV scope	$24,800	$24,800
Less depreciation (56%)	$13,888	$13,888
ACV (RCV minus depreciation)	$10,912	$10,912
Less deductible	$2,000	$2,000
First check (ACV minus deductible)	$8,912	$8,912
Recoverable depreciation (after work complete)	$13,888	$0
Total carrier payment	$22,800	$8,912
Your out of pocket	$2,000	$15,888

The difference: $13,888. Same damage, same deductible, $13,888 swing based purely on which policy type you carry. ACV policies are cheaper to buy (typically 10 to 25 percent lower premium) but can be catastrophic on a real claim. Check your declarations page now. For replacement cost ballparks across markets, see how much does a new roof cost.

How Carrier Practices Differ

Carriers differ in whether they send staff or independent adjusters, how much they rely on desk reviewers and aerial imagery such as EagleView or HOVER, and when they bring in an engineering firm on a disputed claim. They generally do not publish their internal hail thresholds, so treat any carrier-by-carrier hit count you see online as unverified. Ask your carrier in writing which guidelines your adjuster applied, and request a copy of the estimate and photos. In Florida, policyholders can also request state-run mediation of a disputed residential property claim under Fla. Stat. 627.7015.

Should Your Roofing Contractor Be Present?

Yes, where the carrier allows it. No published study measures how much a contractor’s presence changes a settlement, so none is quoted; the practical reasons are 5 line items below.

• The contractor and adjuster review damage together on the roof. Ambiguous hits get discussed and resolved in real time.
• The contractor flags code-required items (drip edge upgrade, ice and water shield zones, ridge vent reinstall) that the adjuster may not include.
• The contractor verifies the Xactimate sketch matches the actual roof geometry (squares, valleys, hips, ridges). Measurement errors in either direction change the whole estimate.
• The contractor advocates for line items like decking replacement, ice and water shield, synthetic underlayment, and starter strip that often get omitted from initial scopes.
• The contractor verifies tear-off, dump fees, and labor lines reflect local market rates.

Pick a contractor with insurance claim experience. Ask how many adjuster inspections they have attended in the last 12 months. A roofer who rarely meets adjusters will be less useful on the roof. See how to choose a roofing contractor for the vetting checklist.

Florida AOB Compliance During Adjuster Inspection

Florida’s assignment of benefits reforms (HB 7065 in 2019 and SB 2-A in December 2022) limit what a contractor can do with your claim; contractors can still help document damage, but the rules turn on the policy issue date, as Fla. Stat. 627.7152 shows.

• Under residential and commercial property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, a policyholder may not assign post-loss benefits; any such assignment is void, invalid and unenforceable (Fla. Stat. 627.7152(13)).
• For policies issued from July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2022, an assignment agreement must let you rescind it without penalty within 14 days after signing, among other requirements (Fla. Stat. 627.7152(2)).
• One-way attorney fee shifting for property insurance claims, a major prior driver of litigation, was repealed by SB 2-A (2022) and HB 837 (2023).
• Some Florida policies, including some Citizens policies, contain managed repair provisions; check yours before choosing a contractor.

What this means during the adjuster inspection: do not sign anything labeled “Assignment of Benefits” or “Direction to Pay” without reading it carefully. Your contractor should be there to participate, not to take over the claim. For the full breakdown of the reform timeline, see Florida AOB roofing reform and our state license overview at Florida roofing contractor license.

The Estimate: Reading the Adjuster’s Sketch

After the inspection, the adjuster’s report arrives with an Xactimate sketch (or Symbility or CoreLogic equivalent), a line-item scope and a coverage summary. In Florida the detailed estimate must reach you within 7 days after it is generated (Fla. Stat. 627.70131(3)(e)).

The sketch shows the roof in 2D with each plane labeled (F1 front 1, F2 front 2, R1 rear 1, etc), the dimensions of each plane, the slope (4/12, 6/12, etc), and the calculated area in squares. One square equals 100 sq ft. A 30-square roof is 3,000 sq ft of surface area.

The line items typically include: tear-off shingles, install starter row, install field shingles, install ridge cap, install drip edge, install underlayment (felt or synthetic), install ice and water shield (where the jurisdiction requires an ice barrier under IRC R905.1.2, or where specified), pipe boot replacement, dump fee, debris removal, permit fee, and overhead and profit (O&P) at typically 20 percent (10 percent overhead, 10 percent profit) when scope qualifies.

What is often missed in initial scopes:

• Decking replacement where tear-off reveals damaged sheathing (documented on actual condition after tear-off).
• Drip edge code upgrade (most jurisdictions require it per IRC R905.2.8.5 even if not present originally).
• Ice barrier at the eaves where IRC R905.1.2 requires it, which applies in areas the jurisdiction designates in Table R301.2 as having a history of ice damming.
• Ridge vent or ridge cap install if the existing system is non-ventilated and code now requires intake/exhaust ratio per IRC R806.
• Step flashing replacement at walls and chimneys.
• Counter flashing reset at chimneys.
• Skylight flashing kits.
• Satellite dish reset.
• Gutter detach and reset.
• Solar panel detach and reset, where panels have to come off for the roof work. See our guide to detach and reset of solar panels in a roof claim.

Each missing item is money. Have your contractor compare the adjuster scope to a clean roofing scope line by line.

Common Reasons Adjusters Underpay Claims

Common underpayment patterns to check for are below. The dollar figures are rough editorial estimates for a typical single-family roof, not survey results.

Underpayment Pattern	Rough Dollar Impact (editorial estimate)	How to Fight It
Undersized roof measurement	$500 to $3,500	Contractor on-site measurement, EagleView or HOVER report
Missing O&P at 20%	$2,500 to $6,000	Cite carrier guidelines on three-trades rule (when 3+ trades involved)
Missing drip edge code upgrade	$300 to $900	Cite local code adoption of IRC R905.2.8.5
Missing decking replacement	$1,500 to $5,000	Document condition after tear-off, supplemental claim
ACV settlement on RCV policy	$5,000 to $30,000	Reference policy declarations, complete work, claim depreciation
Partial roof when full required	$8,000 to $20,000	Matching-shingle availability documentation, NRCA matching guidelines
Cosmetic-only denial on functional damage	Full claim	Bruise documentation, mat fracture photos, engineering report
Wind damage capped at “repair only”	$3,000 to $15,000	Document seal strip failure across multiple courses

The matching-shingle argument is particularly powerful. If the shingle on your roof is discontinued (Owens Corning Oakridge color changes, GAF Timberline HDZ replacing earlier lines, CertainTeed Landmark color discontinuations), the carrier may have to replace undamaged adjoining areas to reach a reasonably uniform appearance under state matching rules (Florida’s Fla. Stat. 626.9744 lets the insurer weigh repair cost, uniformity and remaining useful life). Document the existing shingle by manufacturer wrapper or warranty paperwork before tear-off.

Disputing an Adjuster’s Findings

If this happens	Then do this
Scope is lower than the contractor’s estimate by under 25 percent	Send a supplemental claim with line-by-line photos and measurements
Settlement is more than 25 percent below the contractor’s estimate	Request a written re-inspection, then consider a public adjuster
Denial cites cosmetic damage only	Request the denial in writing, then submit bruise and mat-fracture photos and an engineering report
Carrier has no decision after 60 days	File a Department of Insurance complaint (in Florida, Division of Consumer Services)
Amount of loss is disputed but coverage is not	Invoke the appraisal clause

If you disagree with the scope or denial, you have six options in this order; the deadline that matters first is the claim-notice window (in Florida, 1 year for the claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim, Fla. Stat. 627.70132).

1. Request a re-inspection in writing. Send a written request to your claim handler within any deadline stated in your policy or claim letter, and name the disputed items (for example, the 5 hits the adjuster discounted in square 3). Include new evidence (contractor report, additional photos, engineering opinion). If the carrier relies on a Haag-certified inspector, it helps to know what a Haag certification does and does not prove.
2. Submit a supplemental claim. For items discovered after work begins (rotted decking, hidden damage), submit before completion with photo documentation.
3. Invoke the appraisal clause. Nearly every policy includes an appraisal provision. Each party picks an appraiser, the two appraisers pick a neutral umpire, and the trio sets the loss amount. Binding (in most states) and often faster than litigation.
4. File a Department of Insurance complaint. Each state has a regulator that takes consumer complaints. In Florida, complaints go to the Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services. California has CDI. Texas has TDI. Complaints are tracked publicly and pressure carriers.
5. Hire a public adjuster. Licensed advocate who works on contingency (fees are capped by law in some states, including Florida).
6. Litigation. Last resort. Florida post-AOB reform eliminates one-way attorney fees, so litigation is now harder to fund.

When to Hire a Public Adjuster

Public adjusters are licensed by each state’s insurance regulator. They represent the policyholder (not the carrier) and earn a contingency fee on the claim recovery. Some states cap those fees. Florida caps them at 10 percent of claim payments for claims made within one year after a declared state of emergency and 20 percent otherwise (Fla. Stat. 626.854(11)(b)).

Hire a public adjuster when:

• The claim has been denied entirely on questionable grounds.
• The settlement offer is more than 25 percent below your contractor’s estimate.
• The carrier is dragging the timeline past 60 days without a decision.
• The damage is complex (multiple causes, partial collapse, interior damage exceeding $25,000).
• You are unable to advocate effectively due to time, expertise, or stress.

Do not hire a public adjuster when:

• The carrier has paid fully on the contractor estimate.
• The claim is under $5,000 (the contingency fee eats most of the upside).
• You have a strong roofer who handles the carrier negotiation effectively for no fee.

Verify any public adjuster’s license at your state’s insurance regulator website before signing a contract.

The Post-Inspection Timeline

The table runs from the adjuster filing a report to the recoverable-depreciation check on an RCV policy. The day ranges are editorial estimates, not deadlines; your policy and state claim-handling laws set the outer limits.

Step	Days After Inspection	What Happens
Report submitted	1 to 14 days	Adjuster files report to carrier
Coverage determination	7 to 30 days	Carrier confirms covered scope and amount
First check issued (ACV)	10 to 30 days	ACV minus deductible mailed or direct deposited
Work begins	30 to 90 days	Contractor schedules tear-off and install
Supplemental claims filed (if needed)	During work	Rotted decking, hidden damage, code upgrades
Work completed	1 to 3 days of install	Final invoices and photos to carrier
Recoverable depreciation released	14 to 45 days	Second check issued for depreciation
Mortgage company endorsement	varies	If escrowed, mortgage company endorses checks after inspection
Final inspection	after install	Permit inspection, optional carrier QA

If your mortgage is escrowed, both checks are typically made out to you and the mortgage holder jointly. The mortgage holder may require their own post-work inspection before endorsing the second check, which adds 5 to 21 days. Plan accordingly. For statutory deadlines on when an insurer must acknowledge, inspect and decide, see our guide to roof inspection timelines and state claim deadlines. For the broader claims resource, see our learn center.