After You File an Insurance Claim
When you file an insurance claim for roof, siding, or gutter damage, the repair process follows specific steps to ensure you, us, and your insurance company are all aligned:
1. Initial Inspection / Proving the Damage
We inspect your property to document visible damage with photos, notes, and measurements. This helps confirm whether the damage is consistent with a storm or other covered event. In extreme cases (e.g., a tree falling on your home), you may start this process by notifying us or your insurance company of obvious damage. Often times, insurance will tell you to get more than one estimate. This is designed to ensure accurate and fair assessments of the damages, costs, and necessary repairs. However, depending on the insurance policy and the business' practices, the precise criteria could change.
2. Insurance Adjuster Inspection
Your insurance company will send an adjuster to inspect your property. The adjuster creates an initial estimate (scope of work) based on what they believe needs to be repaired or replaced.
3. Our Review of the Insurance Scope
We carefully review the insurance company’s scope of work to check for missing or under-measured items. Often, we find that additional materials, labor, or code requirements aren’t included in the initial scope.
For example, your insurance may only cover a partial roof replacement or a small repair instead of a full replacement. At this point, we work to prove the damage again (like in Step 1). Your insurance company may then issue a reinspection of the roof.
It’s very important that you let us know the time and date of this reinspection so we can meet the adjuster, point out the damage, and ensure everyone is on the same page. As the homeowner, you have the right to say to the adjuster:
👉 “I do not feel comfortable letting you on my roof until my contractor arrives.”
This protects you by making sure we are there to represent your best interests before the adjuster inspects your roof.
4. Submitting Supplements
If anything is missing, we submit documentation—photos, code references, or material pricing—to your insurance company. This is called a supplement, which allows them to update the scope of work.
Sometimes this step happens after work begins. For example, if the plywood under your shingles is not useable or damaged, it must be replaced. We won’t know how much until the old shingles and felt are removed.
5. Reviewing with You
Once the updated scope is agreed upon, we go over it with you. This ensures you understand what’s covered, what upgrades are optional, and any out-of-pocket costs.
👉 Reminder: The deductible is always your responsibility.
6. Scheduling the Work
Once all approvals (or any necessary compromises with your insurance) are in place, we schedule your project. Please keep in mind that weather conditions and material availability can affect the exact start date. We’ll stay in touch with updates, so you know when to expect work to begin.
7. Repairs & Final Documentation
We complete all work according to the approved scope. Once finished, we provide your insurance company with final photos, invoices, and a Certificate of Completion.
Most insurance companies hold back a portion of funds—called depreciation—as a safeguard to ensure work is completed. These funds are released once your insurer confirms the repairs are done.
This amount should equal the remaining balance on your invoice. If you pay your balance out of pocket before depreciation is released, that check will come directly to you.
If you’re ever unsure about your remaining balance or a payment discrepancy, please call our office at (864) 266-0632. It’s possible we haven’t yet received your insurer’s most recent scope update and are relying on our last approved estimate.
In conclusion:
We use the same pricing system as most insurance companies. Prices are based on your ZIP code and city. If you notice a difference in pricing, it usually means the insurance company didn’t cover a particular line item. If that’s the case, we’ll review the scope to determine whether the additional line item is necessary and proceed from there.
If it’s something not covered by insurance—like gutter guards—you would be responsible for that cost out of pocket. In those situations, we can either leave your current gutter guards in place or return at a later date to install new ones once you’re ready.
The majority of the time, the only cost you’ll need to worry about is your deductible, which is always paid by you as the homeowner—it works similarly to a co-pay at a doctor’s office. If you ever have any questions about the repairs, don’t hesitate to reach out to a First Choice Constructors S&B LLC team member. We’re always happy to help in any way we can.
