Storm claims
Hail and wind claims
Spring storms here leave a lot of roofs looking fine from the street and leaking by June. When the insurer's adjuster calls that old damage, the argument is usually about evidence, and evidence can be gathered.
I take hail and wind claims on homes, rentals, churches and small commercial buildings: roofs, siding, gutters, windows, fences and the water that gets in afterwards. I read the policy's roof terms first, because many now pay a roof by its age, and then look at whether the insurer's own estimate fits its own policy.
Why storm claims come back short
The reasons on the letter repeat. Each has an answer.
Called it old damage
The adjuster says the hail hit years ago. Storm dates, weather data and an engineer's look at the bruising can show when.
Called it cosmetic
Dents that 'don't affect function' may still be covered. It depends on the exact words in your policy.
Matching refused
The insurer will patch a section with shingles or siding that don't match. Some policies and rules require more.
Late notice
A claim filed months after the storm isn't always too late. What counts is whether the delay hurt the insurer's look at the damage.
Roof paid by its age
A roof schedule can cut a payment hard. We check that it was in the policy you actually bought and that the math is right.
Wind versus water
Rain blown in through storm damage is often covered even where flooding isn't. The order of events matters.
Hail and wind questions
A roofer offered to handle my claim. Should I let him?
A contractor can write an estimate and show the damage. Deciding what the policy owes, and arguing it, is legal work. Keep the roofer, and talk to a lawyer before you sign anything that hands over the claim.
The adjuster spent twenty minutes on the roof. Is that normal?
Short inspections happen, and they miss things. Write down the date, who came and what they looked at. A second inspection is often the first step.
Can I still claim for a storm from last year?
Maybe. Policies set a time to report damage and a time to sue, and they're different. Call and we'll find both dates.