Having worked with hundreds of storm restoration contractors across the nation, we’ve seen it all when it comes to missed items on insurance adjuster’s roofing estimates. One of the easiest things you can do to ensure legitimate supplements are covered is by taking (and documenting) the claim with photos. If you don’t currently have a photo documentation tool or process in place, we highly recommend you checkout CompanyCam.
If you are already working claims and need to supplement insurance claim roof estimates, we can help. For future claims, use this list of what we have found to be the most common missed items and make sure you document them going forward to ensure supplements are covered!
A commonly missed item is starter shingles. A common belief among insurance carriers is that the cost of manufacture and install starter course shingles is captured in the waste allowance for the field singles. While it is possible to make starter course singles from waste, it isn’t desirable especially with architectural or laminate shingles. In addition, the labor rates in Xactimate are not the same to install starter course shingles for field shingles.
Similar to starter course shingles, some insurance carriers believe the cost to manufacture and install ridge and hip cap shingles is in the waste allowance for field shingles. This means that some insurance carriers believe you should pick up scraps of material off the ground, cut them to size, and install that on the ridge and hips. This might be possible with 3-tab shingles but is not recommend with thicker, laminated shingles. Also, the labor rate to install ridge and hip cap shingles is not the same as field shingles.
Some insurance carriers think that step flashing can be reused, so it is commonly left out of adjuster’s estimates. The only time step flashing can be reused is if it was nailed to the wall rather than the roof deck and if it is not showing signs of damage like rust, cracks, etc. In most cases, step flashing won’t meet that criteria to be reused.
This is another commonly missed item since it often goes unnoticed (in the cases of closed valleys). Valley lining cannot be reused since field shingles are nailed through it and it is not likely that you will be able to get nails through the exact same holes as before.
Drip edge is being omitted on more and more adjuster estimates. Some carriers believe that shingles and felt can be torn off without disturbing the drip edge which means it can be reused. However, if the felt, ice and winter shield or starter shingles have been installed underneath the drip edge then the edge will need to be removed in order to replace the former materials.
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