A roof claim goes smoother when you know how it works before you file. This guide walks through the parts of your policy that matter, what happens after you file, and your rights under Colorado law.
This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy is the final word, so read it and talk with your agent.
Know Your Policy Before You File
Pull out your declarations page and look for these four things:
- Your wind and hail deductible. Many Colorado policies use a separate deductible for wind and hail. It may be a flat amount or a percentage of your home's insured value, often 1% to 2% or more. On a home insured for $500,000, a 2% deductible is $10,000.
- Replacement cost (RCV) or actual cash value (ACV). RCV pays to replace the roof, usually in two payments. ACV pays only the depreciated value of your old roof, which can be far less.
- Cosmetic damage exclusions. Some policies don't cover dents that don't affect how the roof works, especially on metal roofs.
- Your reporting deadline. Policies set their own deadlines to report damage, and they differ by company. Report as soon as you can.
How the Claim Process Works
- Get an inspection. A roofer documents the damage, so you know if a claim makes sense. If the repair costs less than your deductible, a claim may not be worth filing.
- File with your insurer. You call your insurance company or agent and report the date of the storm.
- The adjuster visits. Your insurer sends an adjuster to inspect the roof. You can have your roofer there to show the damage they documented.
- You get a scope of loss. This is the insurer's list of approved repairs and what it will pay.
- Payment. With RCV coverage, you usually get a first check for the depreciated value, minus your deductible. The rest, called recoverable depreciation, is paid after the work is done and the insurer gets the final invoice.
- Supplements. If the roofer finds damage that wasn't visible at first, such as rotted decking under the shingles, it can be documented and sent to the insurer for review.
Your Deductible Is Yours to Pay
In Colorado, it's illegal for a roofer to pay, waive, or rebate your deductible, or to promise to. Any roofer who offers is breaking the law. Every roofing contract must say this in writing.
If Your Claim Is Denied
A denial isn't always the end. You have options:
- Ask your insurer to explain the denial in writing.
- Get a second inspection with clear photos and measurements.
- Ask your insurer about its appeal process.
- File a complaint with the Colorado Division of Insurance if you think the claim was handled unfairly.
If you signed a roofing contract that depended on insurance money, Colorado law lets you cancel it within 72 hours of receiving the written denial. The roofer must return your payments within 10 days.
How Condor Helps
We inspect your roof to Haag Engineering's hail-damage standards, mark and photograph every hit, and give you a clear record of what we found. We can meet your adjuster on-site to show the documented damage.
What we don't do: negotiate your claim or represent you with your insurer. You stay in charge of your claim. That's how Colorado law draws the line, and we follow it.
Questions about your roof after a storm? Call 303-900-2184.