Roofing guide
How to file an insurance claim for roof damage in Arizona
What is usually covered, the order to do things in, and where a roofer fits.
To file a roof damage claim in Arizona, document the damage with dated photos, contact your insurance company before any repairs begin, then have a licensed roofer inspect and write up the damage. The Arizona Department of Insurance says policies generally cover the portion of a roof damaged by wind, rain, or falling objects. Age and wear are not covered.
TL;DR
Sudden storm damage is usually a claim. Old, worn-out roofing is not. Call the insurer before repairs, get the roof documented, and only sign with a licensed Arizona contractor.
- Covered: the damaged portion from wind, rain, hail, falling objects (Arizona DIFI)
- Not covered: wear, age, and neglect
- Call the insurer before repairing or cleaning up (Arizona DIFI)
- A roofer's photos and written findings support the claim
- Check any roofer's license at the Arizona Registrar of Contractors
- Emergency steps to stop active water are fine; keep receipts
What Arizona's insurance department says
The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) publishes guidance for storm damage. Two points matter most for roofs.
First, homeowners policies generally cover only the portion of a roof damaged by, or collapsed from, falling objects, rain, snow, or wind. Second, contact your insurer before you repair, replace, clean, or dispose of property. If you fix things before they evaluate, your claim could be denied.
Covered or not? The usual line
Sudden and accidental damage from a storm is the kind of thing policies are for. A roof that leaks because its underlayment is 25 years old is maintenance, and insurers treat it that way.
A good inspection tells you which one you have before you file. Filing a claim for wear can waste your time.
Watch out for
- Door-knocking crews after a storm who want you to sign before an inspection. Check their license first.
- Anyone offering to "cover your deductible." Ask your insurer about that before agreeing to anything.
- Signing an assignment of benefits or contract you have not read.
- Repairing before the insurer evaluates. Emergency protection is fine; full repairs are not.
How 10X Roofing Advantage helps
We inspect the roof, photograph the damage, and write up what we found. We work with your insurance company on the claim. The repair carries a 10-year craftsmanship warranty.
AZ ROC #355299.
Step by step
Make it safe.
Catch active water, move belongings. Do not go on the roof.
Photograph everything with the date: roof from the ground, ceilings, attic, debris.
Call your insurance company and open a claim.
Ask what they need and when the adjuster will come.
Schedule a roof inspection.
The roofer documents the damage from the roof with photos and a written report.
Share the roofer's photos and written findings with the adjuster.
Review the insurer's estimate against the roofer's scope.
Ask about anything missing.
Once approved, schedule the repair with a licensed Arizona contractor.
Keep every receipt.
Sources
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, Homeowners Insurance, Storms & Disasters: https://difi.az.gov/consumers/homeowners-insurance
- Arizona DIFI, Insurance & Storms or Disasters (PDF): https://insurance.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Insurance%20and%20Storms%20Or%20Disasters.pdf
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors, Contractor Search: https://azroc.my.site.com/AZRoc/s/contractor-search
Written by the 10X Roofing Advantage team, Glendale, AZ. Reviewed by {{REVIEWER}}. Published {{PUBLISHED}}. Last updated {{UPDATED}}. 10X Roofing Advantage is licensed under Arizona ROC #355299 and has roofed in Phoenix for 20 years.