How to file a roof insurance claim in Alabama
If a storm just hit your roof, this is the order of operations. Document everything before cleanup, file the claim within your policy window, and get a roofer (not just the adjuster) on the roof.
If a storm just hit your home and your roof took damage, the order of operations matters. Filing a homeowners insurance claim correctly — and on the right timeline — is the difference between getting your roof fully covered and getting your claim partially denied. Here's the process we walk every Yarco customer through.
Step 1: Document the damage before you touch anything
Before you start any cleanup, do these in order:
- Take ground-level photos of every angle of your home. Include the roof, gutters, siding, windows, decks, fences, and any debris that fell. Date-stamped photos from your phone are perfect.
- Save any debris that fell into your yard. Branches, pieces of shingle, hailstones — that's evidence. Pick a corner of your garage and pile it.
- Note the date and time of the storm. Your local National Weather Service has historical records (we'll reference those when filing the claim).
- Don't go on the roof yourself. Wet shingles are dangerous, and your insurance company will want a roofer's documentation anyway.
If water is actively coming into your home right now, skip ahead and call us at (256) 227-6998 — we'll do an emergency tarp and dry-in to stop further damage. Insurance covers emergency mitigation services like this.
Step 2: Get a professional roof inspection (free from us)
Most homeowners' instinct is to call their insurance company first. We recommend the opposite order: get a roofer up there first to document everything from above.
Why? Because hail and wind damage frequently isn't visible from the ground. A roof can look fine from the driveway and have hundreds of impact craters or wind-lifted shingles up top. If you call your insurance company first, the adjuster comes out and may miss things — and once a claim is partially settled, supplementing it later is harder.
When we do a free Yarco storm inspection, we walk the entire roof with photos and a measurement tool, document every issue we find, and give you a written report. That report is what we'll bring to the adjuster meeting later.
Step 3: File the claim within your policy window
Most Alabama homeowners policies require you to file within one year of the date of loss. Some have shorter windows for specific perils (wind/hail can sometimes be 6 months). Pull out your policy and read the "Notice of Loss" section.
When you file:
- Reference the specific storm date — be precise.
- Cite the kind of damage (hail, wind, falling debris, tornado).
- Note that you have professional documentation already (your Yarco report).
- Ask for a same-week adjuster appointment if possible — Alabama law gives carriers 30 days to acknowledge a claim, but most respond faster.
Step 4: Have a roofer at the adjuster meeting
This is the single biggest mistake we see homeowners make: meeting the adjuster alone. The adjuster's job is to evaluate the claim accurately for the insurance carrier. That's not the same job as advocating for your interests.
When we're at the adjuster meeting with you, we walk the roof together, point out every damage indicator, and discuss code-required upgrades the carrier should include (ice-and-water shield, drip edge, ridge venting in many North Alabama jurisdictions). The result is a more complete claim — and homeowners who pay only their deductible.
Step 5: Review the claim approval before you sign
Once the carrier approves the claim, you'll get an itemized estimate from them. Don't sign and accept without reviewing it. Common things to check:
- Line items missing. Did they include your full square count? Decking replacement (if needed)? Code upgrades?
- Depreciation. Most policies cover Recoverable Cash Value (you get back the depreciation when the work is completed) versus Actual Cash Value. RCV is better.
- Code-required upgrades. Ice-and-water shield in valleys, drip edge, ridge venting — required by code in much of North Alabama and frequently missed.
If something is off, we re-supplement the claim with documentation. Most carriers approve supplements when properly supported.
Step 6: Schedule the work
With the claim approved, we schedule your replacement or repair. You pay your deductible at the start of the project, we collect the rest from the carrier directly. Most replacements complete in a single day.
Common questions
Will filing a claim raise my premiums? Maybe. A single weather-related claim usually doesn't, but multiple claims in a short window can. We help you decide whether the damage justifies a claim before you file.
What if my insurance underpays? We re-supplement with documentation of additional damage, missing line items, and code-required upgrades. The vast majority of supplements are approved when properly supported.
Do I have to use the roofer my insurance recommends? No. Alabama law gives you the right to choose your own contractor. Don't let an adjuster tell you otherwise.
If a storm just hit your home and you're not sure where to start, that's exactly when to call us. The free inspection takes an hour, and you'll walk away knowing whether you have a real claim and what to do next. Call (256) 227-6998 or request a free estimate online.
