How to File a Hail Damage Roof Insurance Claim

Before you call: read two lines on your declarations page

Find your declarations page and locate these two items. They determine everything.

1. RCV or ACV

Replacement cost value pays what it costs to replace the roof today. It is normally paid in two parts: an initial actual-cash-value check, then the withheld depreciation released once the work is finished and invoiced.

Actual cash value pays replacement cost minus depreciation for the roof's age, and that is all you get. On a 15 year old roof this can be half. Some policies convert to ACV for roofs over a certain age even when the rest of the policy is RCV. Look for a "roof surfacing payment schedule" endorsement.

2. Your wind and hail deductible

North Dakota policies frequently carry a separate wind and hail deductible expressed as a percentage of the dwelling coverage, not a flat dollar amount. On a $350,000 dwelling, 2 percent is $7,000. Homeowners routinely discover this at claim time.

The claim process

1. Document first. Photos of ground hail with a scale, soft metal dents, date and time. Get a free contractor inspection with a photo report.
2. Report the claim. Give the date of loss and describe the damage factually. You will receive a claim number and an adjuster assignment.
3. Schedule the adjuster inspection and have your contractor there. This is the single highest-leverage thing you can do. Two people on the roof looking at the same slopes at the same time resolves disputes before they become disputes.
4. Receive the scope and estimate. This is a line-item document listing every task and quantity the insurer will pay for.
5. Compare the scope to your contractor's. Missing items are normal and are addressed by supplement, not by argument.
6. Work is done, final invoice submitted, depreciation released if you are on RCV.

Items commonly missing from an adjuster scope

These are legitimate supplement requests, not padding:

• Ice and water shield where current code requires it but the old roof lacked it
• Drip edge, which is code-required and frequently omitted
• Ridge vent replacement rather than reuse
• Starter course at eaves and rakes
• Steep or high charges where the pitch warrants them
• Detach and reset of satellite dishes, solar, gutters
• Deck replacement discovered after tear-off
• Permit fees

Your contractor submits these with photos and code citations. Most get approved. This is a normal part of the process, and a contractor who does not know how to supplement will either eat the cost or cut the scope of your roof.

If the scope is too low or the claim is denied

1. Get it in writing. The stated reason matters.
2. Request a re-inspection with your contractor present.
3. Submit additional evidence: strike counts in test squares, third-party hail reports, photos of soft metal damage.
4. Invoke the appraisal clause. Nearly every policy has one. Each side appoints an appraiser, the two select an umpire, and the resulting decision is binding on the amount of loss. It is much faster and cheaper than litigation.
5. File with the North Dakota Insurance Department if you believe the claim is being handled in bad faith.

Things that will hurt you

• Signing a contingency agreement at the door. Read what you sign. Some assign your claim rights to the contractor.
• Accepting a deductible waiver. It is insurance fraud in North Dakota and it exposes you, not just the contractor.
• Starting work before the adjuster inspects. Emergency tarping is fine and expected. A full tear-off before inspection destroys your evidence.
• Waiting. Every month makes causation harder to prove.
• Taking the check and not doing the work on an RCV policy. You forfeit the withheld depreciation, and an unrepaired roof can affect coverage at renewal.

Questions we get asked