Key takeaways:
Understanding how roofing companies work with insurance providers is essential to keeping jobs on track and supporting customers through the claims process. Here’s what you need to know:
- Know what damage is typically covered. Insurance usually covers wind, hail, fire, sudden water damage, and falling debris, but excludes wear-and-tear, neglect, or roofs past their lifespan.
- Act as a knowledgeable guide for homeowners. Roofers help by inspecting and documenting damage, guiding customers through filing claims, meeting adjusters onsite, and clarifying what’s covered by insurance.
- Communicate and document thoroughly. Detailed, date-stamped photos, clear notes, and ongoing communication with both the insurer and the homeowner help prevent misunderstandings and delays.
- Build trusted relationships with insurance professionals. Reliable work, professionalism, and proactivity can earn your business preferred contractor status and more job referrals from insurance agents and adjusters.
- Overcome challenges of working with insurance companies. Use a roofing CRM like Jobber to manage multi‑day jobs, clearly show customers what’s covered in their claim, and prevent payment delays with clear invoices, follow‑ups, and reminders.
- Avoid common mistakes. Submit comprehensive proof, keep organized records, wait for official claim approval, use clear photography, never provide policy advice without a license, and always keep the homeowner informed.
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When a storm sends shingles flying, homeowners turn to their insurance provider to cover repairs. For roofing businesses, knowing how to work with insurance companies helps keep projects moving forward and reassures customers throughout the process.
But the process isn’t always straightforward— you’re documenting damage, coordinating with adjusters, and helping homeowners understand their coverage.
There’s a lot to navigate, and this guide breaks down what roofers need to know to handle insurance jobs smoothly and professionally.
Types of roof damage covered by homeowner’s insurance
Some homeowners will rely on roofers to help determine whether their repairs are covered by insurance. Knowing what’s covered for homeowners can help you set the right expectations for customers and makes working with insurance companies a lot easier.
Here’s a breakdown of the types of damage that insurance usually covers:
- Wind and hail: Wind rips off shingles. Hail pummels the surface, leaving impact marks. Most standard policies cover storm-related damage like this. But if the damage is the result of a “named storm” (like a hurricane designated by the National Weather Service), you may need a separate policy to be covered for damages.
- Falling debris: Tree branches and patio furniture get thrown around. If debris crashes into the roof or gutters and causes visible damage, insurance typically steps in.
- Fire: Whether it’s a house fire that started in the attic or a lightning strike that turned into flames, fire damage is one of the most straightforward claims. Insurers probably won’t push back on this since it’s sudden, severe, and usually documented by local authorities.
- Water: If a storm rips open a section of the roof and rain starts flooding the attic, that’s covered. If water starts leaking through a five-year-old patch job that was never sealed properly, that won’t be. Insurers typically only cover water damage caused by something sudden and external—not gradual wear or neglect.
Homeowner’s insurance generally won’t cover:
- Roofs past their lifespan (even if a storm “finished the job”)
- Damage caused by moss, rot, or animals
- Leaks that have been ignored for years
READ MORE: Costs, coverage, and best providers of roofing business insurance
The role of roofers in the insurance claim process
The insurance process doesn’t just involve the homeowner and their insurer—it often puts you in the middle. You’re on the roof, coordinating between adjusters and homeowners, and in many cases, you’re the one making sure the repairs actually happen, and happen right.
Here’s how roofers work with insurance companies during a typical claim.
1. Inspect the roof for damage
When the homeowner calls you to check out their damaged roof, you’ll want to show up with a ladder, a camera, and maybe a chalk stick to inspect. You should document:
- Missing or lifted shingles
- Granule loss from hail
- Damaged flashing or underlayment
- Bent or broken gutters from falling debris
Pro Tip: Always timestamp your photos and take more than you need. How much the insurance company is willing to pay will depend on how solid your evidence is.
2. Guide the customer in filing the claim
The homeowner is supposed to file the claim. They probably won’t know how to start or how the process works, and this is your moment to take them through:
- Who to call at their insurance company
- What documents or photos to share
- What kind of timeline they can expect for the repairs to be completed
3. Meet with the adjuster
This is where some roofers might drop the ball, thinking it’s the adjuster’s job to figure it out. You should be on-site when the insurance adjuster arrives, so you can:
- Take them through your findings
- Explain what the homeowner told you
- Point out less obvious damage that might be skipped
- Advocate for the full scope of work—not just the visible stuff
If the adjuster misses something, you could be eating that cost later just to make the homeowner happy.
4. Agree to the scope of work with the insurance company
Once the adjuster signs off, it’s time to lock in the scope of work. This is the moment you and the homeowner will see what’s getting covered and what’s not. There’s a chance you’ll go back and forth with the insurance company, ironing out things like:
- Ice and water shield requirements
- Number of squares
- Flashing replacement
- Vent upgrades
Unfortunately, there’s also a chance they’ll approve less than what’s actually needed. That’s when you should push back professionally and show your receipts—photos, measurements, and manufacturer guidelines.
5. Start the repair work
Once the paperwork’s settled, it’s go time. Get your crew ready, prep the materials, and tackle the job. But remember, unless the homeowner agrees to cover extra costs out of their own pocket, you need to stick to the scope that the insurance company approved.
That means:
- No surprise upgrades unless they’re documented
- No change orders without a heads-up
- No tossing in extras just to make it right without talking to the homeowner first
Pro Tip: If you find rotten decking or discover the wrong underlayment, for example, take a picture and loop the homeowner in. They can request a supplement so you’re not stuck eating the cost.
Best practices for working with insurance companies
Working storm jobs or insurance-backed repairs is about playing the long game. You’re balancing the needs of the homeowner, the scrutiny of the insurance adjuster, and your own bottom line.
These best practices for working with insurance companies will save you time, win you trust, and get you paid faster:
- Document everything: Your documentation is how you justify your scope and back up supplements. Take “before” photos with date stamps, during-the-job photos of damage, and “after” shots. Take notes on wind direction, storm date, and material condition. Take measurements and make diagrams—even just quick ones.
- Communicate early and often: Insurance jobs fall apart when people go quiet, so reach out before the adjuster shows up and be there during the inspection. Afterward, send a recap of what you saw and what you expect to repair. When the scope is approved, give the homeowner a breakdown of what’s covered and what’s not.
- Know the policy language: The more you can explain how coverage works, the more valuable you are. It helps to know what qualifies as wind or hail damage, what cosmetic damage means to insurers, why water damage might be denied, etc.
- Align your pricing with insurance expectations: If you price a roof at $13K and the adjuster says it’s $10K, now you’re in a pickle. Building estimates that align with carrier standards will show you’re not padding the numbers.
- Build a relationship with insurers: Every insurance adjuster you meet is also a door to future work. They remember who shows up prepared and who’s respectful, and those roofers may get referrals from adjusters, restoration companies, or even insurance agents looking to recommend someone reliable.
How to get roofing jobs from insurance companies
The smart roofing companies get leads from insurance companies, and you can do it too if you play your cards right.
When homeowners panic about damage to their roof, who do they call first? Probably their home insurance agent. And they might ask if the agency knows anyone who can come and take a look.
If your roofing company is the name the agent trusts and recommends, you’ve got a golden pipeline of pre-qualified leads. So, how do you become that go-to contractor?
Tips for forming partnerships
- Earn the “preferred contractor” status: This is something you need to prove. Show up on time, document your inspections thoroughly, and be respectful with adjusters (even when you don’t agree). If you’re known for being professional, agents and carriers will start to take notice.
- Get in the room: Attend insurance continuing ed classes, real estate networking mixers, and local chamber of commerce events. Make friends, but don’t pitch. Be the professional who knows how working with an insurance company should go.
- Market to insurance professionals: Create a leave-behind flyer that highlights your strengths, like quick response times or inspection availability. Show them you make their job easier.
- Offer high-value, low-lift services: Free storm inspections or 24-hour response after any major weather events. Even something as simple as a templated report format that adjusters can drop into their system. Little efforts like these can stack up.
What to remember
- Keep in mind, these relationships can be competitive and fragile. One bad job or miscommunication, and your name might come off that referral list. Someone else will get those roofing jobs from the insurance companies.
- Follow through every time. If you say you’ll be there on Tuesday at 10 am, hold yourself to it. It doesn’t hurt to be early either.
- Don’t cross legal lines. You’re not a public adjuster (unless you actually are), so don’t negotiate claims on the homeowner’s behalf. Just report what you see and stick to the facts.
- Keep working to earn the spot. Even preferred vendors are replaceable, so you’ve still got a shot to get added to the list. Treat every job like it’s a first impression.
READ MORE: How to get roofing leads
Common challenges of working with insurance companies
You’ve got multiple players involved when working with insurance companies. Timelines shift like the wind, and homeowners get confused. On top of all that, you’re still running a roofing business and your own schedule.
Here are some of the biggest challenges and how to tackle them.
1. Multi-day jobs that go off the rails
You line up a three-day roof replacement, but it rains halfway through. Or the crew needs to pull off for an emergency repair down the street. Meanwhile, the homeowner’s texting you, and the adjuster’s asking for updates.
How to overcome it:
Use a roofing CRM (customer relationship management) system like Jobber to manage customer details, job history, and communication—all from one place.
Automatically track your team’s progress with GPS waypoints. Easily keep in touch with customers with on-my-way texts and follow-up messages, so no one slips through the cracks.
What I really like about Jobber is that it has everything all in one platform.
From putting together quotes, signing the contract, scheduling, invoicing, and collecting payments. I can do it all in one stop from my phone.
2. The customer’s confused about what’s covered
The customer thinks they have the option to upgrade to better shingles. Or they swear their coverage includes the gutters, but it doesn’t.
Unless you clearly break things down up front, these assumptions could lead to awkward explanations later on.
How to overcome it:
Set up a tablet or printed sheet that shows what’s covered under their claim and what’s optional (and costs extra).
Be upfront about out-of-pocket costs and explain them in plain language. You’re helping homeowners make confident decisions about their home.
3. Invoicing headaches and payment delays
You finish the job, send the invoice to the insurer, and wait. Then you get a rejection because the format wasn’t right, or a supplement wasn’t filed properly. Meanwhile, you’ve already paid your crew.
How to overcome it:
- Align the format of your invoice with what the insurer expects—line items, photos, labor hours, etc.
- Follow up fast on supplements. If you found hidden damage or had to replace more decking, don’t wait two weeks to submit. File it right away with photo documentation.
- Remind the homeowner, because sometimes final checks get sent to them (and not you). A quick heads-up saves you from chasing money that’s already sitting in their mailbox.
4. Forgetting job details that cost you later
You show up for a job and realize your ladder isn’t long enough. Or the pitch is steeper than you remembered. These small oversights eat up time and mess with your schedule.
How to overcome it:
Before each job, confirm the ladder sizes you need. Note the roof pitch and height. Check for attic access and safety hazards. Document driveway availability and any gates.
Mistakes to avoid
Success depends on doing quality work and knowing what not to do. Some roofing contractors run into the same avoidable mistakes that can delay payouts and frustrate homeowners. Or worse, damage those valuable partnerships with insurance carriers.
Below are common pitfalls you might encounter when working with an insurance company, along with tips to avoid them.
1. Not providing enough proof
Lack of proof can stall claims or lead to underpaid estimates.
How to avoid it: Take date-stamped photos and notes before, during, and after the job. Include images from multiple angles.
2. Receipts, scope notes, and communication history get lost
This can leave you unprepared if the claim is challenged.
How to avoid it: Keep a digital file for each job with photos, receipts, estimates, and notes from calls or site visits
3. Starting work before a claim is officially approved
This could result in denied payments or confusion about coverage.
How to avoid it: Always wait for written confirmation from the insurer. Make sure the full scope of work is signed.
4. Unclear or weak photography
There’s room for doubt, which can slow down the approval process.
How to avoid it: Use a standardized photo process on every job—wide shots, close-ups, and context photos that show affected areas clearly.
5. Trying to interpret a policy or speak on behalf of the homeowner
Doing so could get you into legal trouble.
How to avoid it: You’re there to help, not to adjust. Guide the homeowner and support their claim, but don’t give policy advice unless you’re licensed.
6. Leaving the customer in the dark
This leads to frustration and no trust, even if you’re handling things behind the scenes.
How to avoid it: Give regular updates on where things stand with the claim and what’s next
Streamline your roofing business with Jobber
Running a roofing company and managing the chaos of storm season takes serious coordination—especially when you work with insurance companies. With the right tools, staying organized doesn’t have to eat up all your time.
Jobber helps you track job progress, stay on top of payments, and communicate with customers—from the first call to the final invoice.