Roof Insurance Claim in Houston: Homeowner Steps

A roof claim runs in a set order: you report the damage to your insurer, protect the house with temporary repairs, meet the insurer's adjuster, receive a written decision, and then hire a contractor for the permanent work. You deal with the insurer yourself. The roofer's job is the construction estimate and the work, not your claim.

1. Know your policy before you call

Pull your declarations page and look for three things.

• Replacement cost or actual cash value. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) explains that replacement cost coverage pays to repair or replace at current prices, while actual cash value pays replacement cost minus depreciation. Its example: a 10-year-old roof that would cost $10,000 to replace today, with a $2,000 deductible, would bring $8,000 under a replacement cost policy but might bring only $5,000 under actual cash value.
• Your wind and hail deductible. TDI notes that it is often higher than the deductible for other damage. Find the exact figure on your declarations page before you budget.
• Who insures your wind. Check whether wind and hail sit on your homeowners policy or on a separate windstorm policy. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) covers wind and hail only in its designated coastal area, which includes parts of Harris County east of Highway 146 inside the city limits of La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shoreacres. If you have a TWIA policy, that claim goes to TWIA.

2. Report the damage promptly

Use the insurer's own phone line, app or website. Per TDI, certain policies give you a year to file, with late claims accepted only for good cause; TWIA wind and hail policyholders have one year from the date of damage.

Describe what you saw and when you noticed it. You don't need anyone to help you word it; a plain, accurate account is what the insurer needs.

3. Protect the house, then wait for the adjuster

Until the adjuster has seen the roof, limit the work to a tarp or similar stopgap. TDI cautions that permanent repairs done before that inspection can give the insurer grounds to deny the claim. Keep receipts for the tarp and other emergency costs. Our after-storm guide covers safety and documentation.

4. Know the insurer's deadlines

TDI lists the timelines Texas insurers must meet:

• tell you it received the claim within 15 days;
• accept or deny the claim within 15 business days of getting all the information it needs from you;
• send payment within five business days after it agrees to pay.

Write down each date and keep every letter and email. If something is unclear, ask the insurer to explain it in writing.

5. Understand how the money arrives

With replacement cost coverage, TDI says payment usually comes in two parts: a first payment, then the rest after repairs begin. Your deductible comes out of the claim. TDI also says insurers won't pay for a new roof only because the old one is worn out, and may not replace the whole roof just because new shingles don't match.

6. Pay your deductible, always

Texas law is firm here. TDI says a contractor may not waive, rebate or absorb your deductible, and your insurer can ask for proof you paid it, such as a canceled check, money order receipt, credit card statement or a payment plan with the contractor. Contracts of $1,000 or more involving an insurance settlement must include a notice that you are responsible for the deductible. A roofer who offers to "cover" it is offering something Texas law prohibits, and TDI suggests reporting that to the Attorney General's consumer hotline at 800-621-0508.

7. Keep the contractor in the contractor's lane

TDI explains that Texas does not allow a roofer to act as a public adjuster on a claim for a property where it is doing or may do the work, or to advertise that it will. A good roofer will give you an itemized construction estimate and labeled photos. Negotiating with your insurer is your job, or the job of a licensed public adjuster or attorney you hire separately.

Compare construction estimates the same way you would without insurance. Our new roof cost guide and questions for a roofer help with that, and our storm-chaser red flags explain what to avoid.

Common questions

Should I contact a roofer or my insurer first?

Report to your insurer promptly; a roofer's inspection can happen before or after. A roofer's inspection helps you understand the damage; it doesn't replace the insurer's own adjuster.

Can my roofer talk to the insurance adjuster for me?

A roofer can explain construction details, but TDI says Texas doesn't allow a contractor to act as your public adjuster on a job it is doing. Policy questions stay between you and your insurer.

Can a roofer pay my deductible?

No. TDI says contractors may not waive, rebate or absorb a deductible, and your insurer can ask for proof you paid it.

Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage to my house?

TDI notes that most home policies don't cover flood damage. Flood coverage is a separate policy, and TDI says most have a 30-day waiting period.

We connect Houston homeowners with independent local pros. You confirm the price and schedule directly with them.