Insurance · process only, no outcome promises
What to document, what sudden vs gradual means, what an inspection report contains, and how to talk to your insurer. This guide explains the process — it does not promise any outcome, because no roofer can.
The process, in order
Sudden damage happens in one event: a storm lifts shingles, hail cracks a pipe boot, a limb punctures the roof. Gradual damage happens over time: sealant drying out, shingles wearing thin, a small leak left alone for months. Insurers generally cover sudden damage and generally do not cover gradual wear — but the line between the two is decided case by case, by your policy. A leak that started in a storm and was left for a year can become a gradual-damage argument; that is one more reason to call fast.
Photos of the stain and the source, the entry point traced to its cause, the scope of the fix, and a written quote. That report is yours to share with your insurer. It is a record of what is wrong — not a promise about what your insurer will pay.
We document the damage with photos and a written report, and we fix the roof. We do not meet adjusters or negotiate claims on your behalf, we do not promise an insurance outcome, and we never suggest a deductible can be waived or absorbed. Your insurer decides coverage; we decide the repair.
Questions, answered
It depends on what caused the leak and on your policy. Insurers generally treat sudden storm damage differently from gradual wear — a leak from a storm is a different conversation from a leak caused by years of wear. Final coverage always depends on your specific policy terms, and nobody outside your insurer can promise you an outcome.
Sudden damage happens in one event — a storm lifts shingles, hail cracks a pipe boot, a limb punctures the roof. Gradual damage happens over time — sealant drying out, shingles wearing thin, a small leak left alone for months. Insurers generally cover sudden damage and generally do not cover gradual wear — but the line between the two is decided case by case, by your policy.
Photos and video of the stain, the drip and any damaged items; the date and time it started; what the weather was doing; and the same spots photographed again a day later, so the insurer can see whether the stain is growing. Keep the roofer's written report and photos — they are the record of the source and the scope.
Often, for larger claims. Share the roofer's written report and photos with them, and get any decision in writing. We document the damage; we do not meet adjusters or negotiate claims on your behalf, and we never promise an insurance outcome.
Ask your insurer for the reasons in writing. You can get a second opinion or a second inspection, and you can ask what would change the decision. Nothing on this page is a promise about any claim — coverage is decided by your policy and your insurer, case by case.