I get why people swear by taking all those photos, but honestly, I haven’t bothered much with it. My place is only a few years old, so maybe I’m just not as worried yet. When I called my insurance about a minor leak last fall (asphalt shingles, Midwest weather), they never asked for proof of maintenance—just sent someone out to look. Maybe it’s different if your roof’s older or you’ve had claims before, but I feel like sometimes the “you’ll lose your claim without photos” thing gets hyped up more than it actually happens. Not saying it’s a bad idea, just not convinced it’s always necessary.
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. Honestly, with newer roofs, insurance usually isn’t too picky unless there’s a history of issues or the damage looks like it’s from neglect. I’ve managed a bunch of properties and most adjusters just want to see the current problem, not a photo album of every shingle you’ve ever replaced. That said, once your roof gets older or if you’re in a spot that gets hammered by storms, having some “before” pics can save headaches if they start pushing back on claims. Not always necessary, but sometimes it’s just easier to have them than argue later.
That’s a good point about the “before” pics. I’ve had adjusters ask for them after a hailstorm, especially on older roofs, but not always. Do you think it matters what kind of roof you have? Like, I manage a couple places with metal roofs and the insurance folks seem less concerned about regular checkups there compared to asphalt shingles. Has anyone noticed a difference depending on roof type or is it more about the age and local weather?
Do you think it matters what kind of roof you have? Like, I manage a couple places with metal roofs and the insurance folks seem less concerned about regular checkups there compared to asphalt shingles.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing. My places with metal roofs barely get a second glance from adjusters, but the older shingle roofs? They want every detail. I think it’s partly because metal just doesn’t show damage as easily, but age and local weather definitely play into it too. In hail-prone areas, even metal gets extra scrutiny sometimes. Anyone else had issues with insurance on newer roof types, like those synthetic tiles?
In hail-prone areas, even metal gets extra scrutiny sometimes.
That’s been my experience too. I switched to synthetic tiles on one rental, thinking they’d be low-maintenance, but the insurance company wanted a full inspection report before renewing. They said it was because the material’s still “unproven” long-term. Kind of frustrating, since the upfront cost was higher than asphalt. I guess with anything new, they just want more documentation.
