Frequently asked
Questions we hear most.
Will my insurance rate go up if I file a claim?
It depends on the carrier and the type of claim. Single weather-related claims usually don’t trigger rate increases — they’re considered acts of nature beyond your control. Multiple claims in 3–5 years, or non-weather-related claims (wear-and-tear arguments, maintenance-related leaks), often do. We can help you decide whether a small claim is worth filing or whether out-of-pocket repair makes more sense.
What’s an ‘AOB’ or ‘assignment of benefits’ and should I sign one?
No, you should not — and we won’t ask you to. An AOB lets a contractor take over your insurance claim, file it on your behalf, and receive the proceeds directly. In NE there have been multiple scam waves where storm-chasing contractors get AOBs signed, collect insurance proceeds, and disappear without doing the work. Legitimate contractors (us included) work on standard contracts where you pay us and insurance reimburses you.
What if the insurance company won’t approve full replacement?
If their offer is unreasonable given the damage, you have appeal rights — and we’ll help you exercise them. Possible next steps include: invoking your policy’s appraisal clause (an independent third-party appraisal that’s binding on the carrier), filing a complaint with your state’s department of insurance, or hiring a public adjuster for serious denials. We’ve never had to go past the appraisal-clause step for a claim where we believed the damage justified full replacement.
How long does an insurance-claim replacement take from storm to install?
Typical timeline in NE: 1–3 days for initial assessment and tarp, 7–21 days for adjuster meeting and approval, 2–6 weeks for materials delivery and crew scheduling. Total: roughly 30–60 days from storm to completed install. Major weather events with widespread damage stretch the back half because materials and labor are both in short supply — book early.
Do you bill the insurance company directly?
Standard practice: the insurance company pays you (the homeowner), and you pay us. We invoice you. Some carriers issue two-party checks (made out to you AND the contractor) — those require both signatures to deposit. We’ll explain whichever model your carrier uses before we start work.
Next step
Get an honest written quote.
Photo-documented assessment. Itemized quote. We’ll tell you if repair makes more sense than replacement.
The claim process
From storm to settlement.
STEP 01
Initial damage assessment
Within 24 hours of contact. Photo-documented condition report. Temporary tarp installed if needed. Written narrative of damage suitable for claim filing.
STEP 02
Claim filing assistance
We help you file the claim with your carrier (or work with the one you’ve already filed). We provide them our documentation up front.
STEP 03
Adjuster meeting + scope advocacy
We attend the adjuster’s site visit with you. We walk the damage together. We make the case for the proper scope of work, with industry-standard citations.
STEP 04
Repair after approval
Work begins after insurance approval. Lifetime workmanship warranty applies. Supplemental claims filed if additional damage is discovered during tear-off.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear most.
Will my insurance rate go up if I file a claim?
It depends on the carrier and the type of claim. Single weather-related claims usually don’t trigger rate increases — they’re considered acts of nature beyond your control. Multiple claims in 3–5 years, or non-weather-related claims (wear-and-tear arguments, maintenance-related leaks), often do. We can help you decide whether a small claim is worth filing or whether out-of-pocket repair makes more sense.
What’s an ‘AOB’ or ‘assignment of benefits’ and should I sign one?
No, you should not — and we won’t ask you to. An AOB lets a contractor take over your insurance claim, file it on your behalf, and receive the proceeds directly. In NE there have been multiple scam waves where storm-chasing contractors get AOBs signed, collect insurance proceeds, and disappear without doing the work. Legitimate contractors (us included) work on standard contracts where you pay us and insurance reimburses you.
What if the insurance company won’t approve full replacement?
If their offer is unreasonable given the damage, you have appeal rights — and we’ll help you exercise them. Possible next steps include: invoking your policy’s appraisal clause (an independent third-party appraisal that’s binding on the carrier), filing a complaint with your state’s department of insurance, or hiring a public adjuster for serious denials. We’ve never had to go past the appraisal-clause step for a claim where we believed the damage justified full replacement.
How long does an insurance-claim replacement take from storm to install?
Typical timeline in NE: 1–3 days for initial assessment and tarp, 7–21 days for adjuster meeting and approval, 2–6 weeks for materials delivery and crew scheduling. Total: roughly 30–60 days from storm to completed install. Major weather events with widespread damage stretch the back half because materials and labor are both in short supply — book early.
Do you bill the insurance company directly?
Standard practice: the insurance company pays you (the homeowner), and you pay us. We invoice you. Some carriers issue two-party checks (made out to you AND the contractor) — those require both signatures to deposit. We’ll explain whichever model your carrier uses before we start work.
Next step
Get an honest written quote.
Photo-documented assessment. Itemized quote. We’ll tell you if repair makes more sense than replacement.
Pre-adjuster damage documentation
We document the damage before the adjuster arrives. Wide context shots, forensic close-ups, square-footage diagrams, narrative description. This goes into the claim file before the adjuster has formed an opinion.
Adjuster meeting attendance
We meet the adjuster on-site. We walk the damage with them, point out items they might miss (back-slope wind damage, hidden hail bruising, ridge cap loss), and explain why the proper scope is what it is.
Industry-standard scope justification
Roofing has formal industry standards (NRCA Roofing Manual, manufacturer installation guidelines) that govern “like kind and quality” replacement. When matching shingles isn’t possible, those standards typically require full-slope replacement. We cite the standards in writing for the adjuster’s file.
Code-upgrade coverage
Many NE homes have older roofs that don’t meet current code (insufficient ice-and-water shield, undersized ventilation). Most policies include “law and ordinance” coverage that funds bringing the new roof up to current code. We make sure that coverage is invoked.
Supplemental claim filing
When the initial scope misses items that are discovered during tear-off (rotted deck, hidden underlayment damage), we file supplemental claims with documentation. Most carriers pay supplementals readily when properly documented.
What we don’t do
We don’t inflate claims. We don’t manufacture damage. We don’t sign “assignment of benefits” contracts that let us take over your claim and disappear with the proceeds (a common scam after major storms — never sign one). We work for you, on a standard contract, with our normal markup. The advocacy is included in the job, not a separate fee.
The claim process
From storm to settlement.
STEP 01
Initial damage assessment
Within 24 hours of contact. Photo-documented condition report. Temporary tarp installed if needed. Written narrative of damage suitable for claim filing.
STEP 02
Claim filing assistance
We help you file the claim with your carrier (or work with the one you’ve already filed). We provide them our documentation up front.
STEP 03
Adjuster meeting + scope advocacy
We attend the adjuster’s site visit with you. We walk the damage together. We make the case for the proper scope of work, with industry-standard citations.
STEP 04
Repair after approval
Work begins after insurance approval. Lifetime workmanship warranty applies. Supplemental claims filed if additional damage is discovered during tear-off.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear most.
Will my insurance rate go up if I file a claim?
It depends on the carrier and the type of claim. Single weather-related claims usually don’t trigger rate increases — they’re considered acts of nature beyond your control. Multiple claims in 3–5 years, or non-weather-related claims (wear-and-tear arguments, maintenance-related leaks), often do. We can help you decide whether a small claim is worth filing or whether out-of-pocket repair makes more sense.
What’s an ‘AOB’ or ‘assignment of benefits’ and should I sign one?
No, you should not — and we won’t ask you to. An AOB lets a contractor take over your insurance claim, file it on your behalf, and receive the proceeds directly. In NE there have been multiple scam waves where storm-chasing contractors get AOBs signed, collect insurance proceeds, and disappear without doing the work. Legitimate contractors (us included) work on standard contracts where you pay us and insurance reimburses you.
What if the insurance company won’t approve full replacement?
If their offer is unreasonable given the damage, you have appeal rights — and we’ll help you exercise them. Possible next steps include: invoking your policy’s appraisal clause (an independent third-party appraisal that’s binding on the carrier), filing a complaint with your state’s department of insurance, or hiring a public adjuster for serious denials. We’ve never had to go past the appraisal-clause step for a claim where we believed the damage justified full replacement.
How long does an insurance-claim replacement take from storm to install?
Typical timeline in NE: 1–3 days for initial assessment and tarp, 7–21 days for adjuster meeting and approval, 2–6 weeks for materials delivery and crew scheduling. Total: roughly 30–60 days from storm to completed install. Major weather events with widespread damage stretch the back half because materials and labor are both in short supply — book early.
Do you bill the insurance company directly?
Standard practice: the insurance company pays you (the homeowner), and you pay us. We invoice you. Some carriers issue two-party checks (made out to you AND the contractor) — those require both signatures to deposit. We’ll explain whichever model your carrier uses before we start work.
Next step
Get an honest written quote.
Photo-documented assessment. Itemized quote. We’ll tell you if repair makes more sense than replacement.
The carrier’s first offer is almost never the right one
How insurance claims actually get paid.
When a storm damages your roof, your insurance carrier dispatches an adjuster. The adjuster’s job is to settle the claim for what they believe is necessary repair — not what would actually return your roof to pre-storm condition. They use software-driven pricing (Xactimate) that often doesn’t reflect actual NE market rates, and they make scope assumptions (“we can match the shingles”) that frequently aren’t true.
The result: most homeowners settle for partial-slope repair when the right scope is full-slope replacement (because shingles can’t be matched). They get paid 2018 pricing for 2026 work. They sign the release before they realize the deck damage wasn’t included. We sit in those adjuster meetings with you and make the case — politely, with documentation, with industry-standard citations — for the proper scope of work.
Pre-adjuster damage documentation
We document the damage before the adjuster arrives. Wide context shots, forensic close-ups, square-footage diagrams, narrative description. This goes into the claim file before the adjuster has formed an opinion.
Adjuster meeting attendance
We meet the adjuster on-site. We walk the damage with them, point out items they might miss (back-slope wind damage, hidden hail bruising, ridge cap loss), and explain why the proper scope is what it is.
Industry-standard scope justification
Roofing has formal industry standards (NRCA Roofing Manual, manufacturer installation guidelines) that govern “like kind and quality” replacement. When matching shingles isn’t possible, those standards typically require full-slope replacement. We cite the standards in writing for the adjuster’s file.
Code-upgrade coverage
Many NE homes have older roofs that don’t meet current code (insufficient ice-and-water shield, undersized ventilation). Most policies include “law and ordinance” coverage that funds bringing the new roof up to current code. We make sure that coverage is invoked.
Supplemental claim filing
When the initial scope misses items that are discovered during tear-off (rotted deck, hidden underlayment damage), we file supplemental claims with documentation. Most carriers pay supplementals readily when properly documented.
What we don’t do
We don’t inflate claims. We don’t manufacture damage. We don’t sign “assignment of benefits” contracts that let us take over your claim and disappear with the proceeds (a common scam after major storms — never sign one). We work for you, on a standard contract, with our normal markup. The advocacy is included in the job, not a separate fee.
The claim process
From storm to settlement.
STEP 01
Initial damage assessment
Within 24 hours of contact. Photo-documented condition report. Temporary tarp installed if needed. Written narrative of damage suitable for claim filing.
STEP 02
Claim filing assistance
We help you file the claim with your carrier (or work with the one you’ve already filed). We provide them our documentation up front.
STEP 03
Adjuster meeting + scope advocacy
We attend the adjuster’s site visit with you. We walk the damage together. We make the case for the proper scope of work, with industry-standard citations.
STEP 04
Repair after approval
Work begins after insurance approval. Lifetime workmanship warranty applies. Supplemental claims filed if additional damage is discovered during tear-off.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear most.
Will my insurance rate go up if I file a claim?
It depends on the carrier and the type of claim. Single weather-related claims usually don’t trigger rate increases — they’re considered acts of nature beyond your control. Multiple claims in 3–5 years, or non-weather-related claims (wear-and-tear arguments, maintenance-related leaks), often do. We can help you decide whether a small claim is worth filing or whether out-of-pocket repair makes more sense.
What’s an ‘AOB’ or ‘assignment of benefits’ and should I sign one?
No, you should not — and we won’t ask you to. An AOB lets a contractor take over your insurance claim, file it on your behalf, and receive the proceeds directly. In NE there have been multiple scam waves where storm-chasing contractors get AOBs signed, collect insurance proceeds, and disappear without doing the work. Legitimate contractors (us included) work on standard contracts where you pay us and insurance reimburses you.
What if the insurance company won’t approve full replacement?
If their offer is unreasonable given the damage, you have appeal rights — and we’ll help you exercise them. Possible next steps include: invoking your policy’s appraisal clause (an independent third-party appraisal that’s binding on the carrier), filing a complaint with your state’s department of insurance, or hiring a public adjuster for serious denials. We’ve never had to go past the appraisal-clause step for a claim where we believed the damage justified full replacement.
How long does an insurance-claim replacement take from storm to install?
Typical timeline in NE: 1–3 days for initial assessment and tarp, 7–21 days for adjuster meeting and approval, 2–6 weeks for materials delivery and crew scheduling. Total: roughly 30–60 days from storm to completed install. Major weather events with widespread damage stretch the back half because materials and labor are both in short supply — book early.
Do you bill the insurance company directly?
Standard practice: the insurance company pays you (the homeowner), and you pay us. We invoice you. Some carriers issue two-party checks (made out to you AND the contractor) — those require both signatures to deposit. We’ll explain whichever model your carrier uses before we start work.
Next step
Get an honest written quote.
Photo-documented assessment. Itemized quote. We’ll tell you if repair makes more sense than replacement.
Storm claim advocacy · 6 NE states
Most homeowners get under-paid by their adjuster — and don’t know it.
Insurance carriers don’t pay claims they aren’t asked to pay. The difference between a partial-replacement settlement and a full-roof check is usually a roofer who knows exactly which industry standards justify the larger scope — and a homeowner with the patience to make the case. We’re that roofer. We’ve done this a thousand times. We don’t inflate claims; we don’t let you get under-paid either.