Tip 1 – Be on time for an adjuster appointment.

Tip 2 – Participate in your first adjuster overview appointment. Do not leave the meeting to your contractor, roofer or remodeler. Adjusters want to meet just with the homeowner for the first meeting and not have a contractor looking over their shoulder.

Tip 3 – If you have pictures and other documentation of the initial damage, make sure to show the adjuster. Sometimes you need to remove a tree or tarp off an area of the roof. Take pictures before you do that and then share those pictures with the insurance adjuster.

Tip 4 – Make a checklist of anything that got damaged as a result of the storm or situation and present the full list to the adjuster.

Tip 5 – Understand that the adjuster will be at your home for several hours. Adjusters need to thoroughly review the damage resulting from the storm, which can include areas both outside and inside the home.

Tip 6 – Not happy with the evaluation of the inspector? Ask the claim center for another inspection. You’re allowed a second inspection by law in most states.

Tip 7 – If a second inspection is provided, don’t be surprised if the insurance company asks to have your contractor on site for this inspection. You can still participate, but a second inspection may be more thorough and require the expertise of your contractor.

Tip 8 – Still not satisfied after the second inspection? Then talk to the claim center again. Ask if they can bring in an engineer to help evaluate the situation.

Tip 9 – Don’t beat up on the adjuster. Sure you may have had your home insurance for 20 years and never filed a claim. While you may “feel” like you deserve a new roof, it doesn’t work that way. The adjusters follow a specific set of parameters to determine what type of reimbursement their agency will provide to you.

Tip 10 – Honesty counts. In other words, the adjuster is there to evaluate the storm damage, so don’t try to include pre-existing problems in the claim. Just stick to pointing out what happened as a result of the storm.