Do this first
What to do right now
- Find the policy itself, not the certificate: you need the declarations page, the wind and hail deductible, and the property endorsements.
- Establish the date of loss and match it to a specific storm event; carriers verify against radar and weather station records.
- Get an independent, photo-documented roof inspection with test squares and core cuts before the adjuster visits.
- Give written notice to the carrier promptly and keep a dated log of every contact, claim number and adjuster name.
- Separate emergency mitigation invoices from permanent repair estimates, and keep receipts for both.
- Have your contractor present for the adjuster inspection so scope disagreements get resolved on the roof.
The four policy terms that decide your outcome
The wind and hail deductible. Many Texas commercial policies apply a percentage deductible to
wind and hail losses, calculated on the insured value of the building rather than the loss. On a large Dallas facility
that can be a very large number, and it is the single most common surprise owners hit. ACV versus RCV.
If roof surfacing is settled at actual cash value, the payout is depreciated by the age and condition of the roof, and
you fund the difference. Cosmetic damage exclusions. Increasingly common on metal roofs and rooftop
equipment, these exclude dents that do not affect function. Notice and suit provisions. Policies
require prompt notice, and Texas statute imposes its own pre-suit notice requirements and limitation periods for
property insurance disputes. None of this is legal advice, read your policy and, on a large loss, get a lawyer or
licensed public adjuster who represents you.
Wear and tear is not a covered peril
Insurance responds to sudden and accidental physical loss. It does not fund the replacement of a roof that reached
the end of its service life, and carriers routinely deny claims on that basis when a roof is old, has documented prior
leaks and no evidence of a specific storm event. This is why maintenance records matter: a Dallas building with an
annual inspection file and dated repair invoices is in a far stronger position than one with a decade of silence
followed by a replacement-sized claim.
Who is allowed to do what in Texas
Texas licenses public insurance adjusters, and a roofing contractor generally may not act as your adjuster on a
claim they also intend to repair. Be sceptical of anyone who offers to "handle the whole claim", promises to waive or
absorb your deductible, or asks you to sign an assignment of benefits at the kitchen table. Absorbing a deductible is
not a favour: it is a problem. The proper role of a contractor is to inspect, document and price the work.
What good documentation contains
Marked test squares with hit counts, wide and close photographs with scale references, core cuts showing insulation
condition, photographs of collateral damage to soft metals and rooftop units, a moisture survey where wet insulation is
suspected, the roof age and system type, prior maintenance and repair records, and interior damage photographs with
dates. That package is what turns a disputed claim in Dallas into a settled one.
