Your roofer and your insurance company don't have to be enemies.
How a roof insurance claim works. Who does what, from the first inspection to the finished roof. The words you'll hear, and what you pay.
The steps of a roof claim
The inspection
A Roof Cake project manager checks the whole roof and the outside of your home, and you get a report with photos.
The damage and your deductible
Your report lists what the repair would cost. If the damage costs less to fix than your deductible, a claim may not gain you anything.
Filing is your call
If you decide to file, you contact your insurance company.
The adjuster inspects
Your insurance company sends an adjuster to look at the damage.
The scope
Your insurance company writes up what it will cover. That list is the scope.
Going over the scope
We go over the scope with you, beside what the inspection found.
The work
We repair or replace the roof. The crew protects your property while it works.
The completion documents
Roof Cake sends your insurance company the completion documents when the work is done. If a document has to come from you, we package it and walk you through it.
Done
The final payment is settled, and the roof carries the manufacturer's warranty and our workmanship warranty.
What do my claim documents mean?
- Deductible
- The part of a claim you pay yourself. Your policy sets the amount.
- Scope
- Your insurance company's written list of what it will cover.
- Replacement cost value (RCV)
- What it costs to replace the damaged roof today.
- Actual cash value (ACV)
- The replacement cost minus depreciation for the roof's age and wear. It is often what insurance pays first.
- Recoverable depreciation
- The part held back until the work is done. Many policies pay it once the roof is finished.
- Non-recoverable depreciation
- Depreciation your policy doesn't pay back. It's part of your share.
- Supplement
- A request to add something the first estimate missed.
What portion of the cost are you responsible for?
On a claim, you pay your deductible, the upgrades you choose, and the non-recoverable depreciation.
When you hire Roof Cake directly, your insurance company's payments come to you: usually the ACV first, then the recoverable depreciation once the work is done, where your policy pays it. You pay Roof Cake from those payments and your share.
If your mortgage company is named on the check, we'll help you navigate that process.
Because your homeowners insurance policy is a binding legal contract, you are contractually obligated to cover your deductible. This amount is automatically subtracted from your insurance claim payout rather than paid as a separate check to the insurer.
Roof Cake doesn't decide insurance coverage, and no roofer can promise what an insurance company will pay.