That’s actually pretty common—insurers love to ask for “proof” after the fact, but who’s out there snapping roof selfies every month? I’ve seen folks get stuck in claim limbo just because their photos were too old or blurry. As for those home maintenance apps, I tried one last year and honestly, it was more work than just dumping pics into a cloud folder. Maybe I’m old school, but simple seems better.
And yeah, moss is sneaky. I started checking for it after a neighbor’s roof basically turned green overnight. It’s wild how fast it can take hold, especially with all the rain we get up here.
I hear you on the apps—tried one and it just kept nagging me to check gutters every week. I just use my phone camera and dump everything in Google Photos, but I’m never sure if that’s “proof” enough for insurance. Has anyone actually had a claim denied because their pics weren’t recent?
I’ve wondered about this too. I’ve got a folder in Google Photos labeled “roof stuff” and I just snap pics every few months, but honestly, half of them are blurry or have my thumb in the corner. Never had a claim denied (knock on wood), but my neighbor did get pushback because his photos were from like three years before the hailstorm. The adjuster wanted proof the damage was new-ish, not old. I guess as long as the pics are time-stamped and show the actual roof, it’s better than nothing... but I wouldn’t bet my deductible on it.
“the adjuster wanted proof the damage was new-ish, not old.”
Seen this a lot. Folks think a few phone pics will cover them, but blurry shots or ones with your thumb in the way can really trip you up. Had a client last year who only had a couple of grainy photos from 2019—insurance pushed back hard after a windstorm. Now, I always tell people: try to get clear, wide shots after any big weather event, and maybe one or two close-ups. Doesn’t have to be fancy, just in focus and showing the roof’s condition. It’s a pain, but it’s saved more than one claim from getting tossed out.
Yeah, I’ve run into this too. I always *think* I’ll remember to take pics after a storm, but half the time I forget or just snap a couple quick ones from the ground. Then when you actually need them, it’s like... was that crack there before? Hard to say. I started using my phone’s date stamp feature—makes it easier to prove when the photo was taken. Still feels like overkill sometimes, but after hearing stories like yours, maybe not. Roof stuff is such a hassle, but skipping checkups definitely seems risky if you ever have to file a claim.