- Totally agree, the roofer’s letter seems to move things along more than any stack of receipts I’ve ever sent.
- Drone inspections? Mixed bag in my experience. Some carriers love the footage, others act like it’s just “supplemental” and still want boots on the roof.
- Honestly, sometimes feels like it just adds another hoop to jump through. Had a claim last year where the drone pics were super clear, but they still sent an adjuster out anyway...
- Maybe in a few years it’ll be standard, but right now, I wouldn’t count on it speeding things up much.
- Had a similar runaround last fall. Sent drone shots, super clear hail hits, but
—yep, same here.“they still sent an adjuster out anyway...”
- Carrier said drone images were “helpful” but not enough.
- Ended up getting a written statement from my installer, and that finally did the trick.
- Honestly, feels like the old-school letter still carries more weight than tech right now.
- Maybe it’ll change, but for now, I’m sticking with paperwork and a phone call.
That’s been my experience too—tech is great, but when it comes to insurance, old-fashioned paperwork still seems to win out. I’ve had claims where I sent in drone photos and thermal imaging, thinking it would make things easy... but the adjuster still wanted to see it in person. If anyone’s stuck in the process, I usually recommend three things: get clear photos (even if they want more), ask your roofer for a signed statement on age/condition, and keep a paper trail of all repairs. Sometimes feels like overkill, but it’s saved me a lot of hassle when questions come up later. Funny how it’s 2024 and we’re still mailing letters for this stuff.
Every time I think I’ve got the system figured out, insurance throws me a curveball. Last year, I had a roof claim where I sent in a whole folder—photos, drone shots, even a video of the leak dripping into a bucket during a thunderstorm. Adjuster still wanted to come out and poke around with his clipboard. I swear, if I ever lose my paper receipts, I’m doomed. Half the time I feel like I’m running a tiny archive just for my roofs... but yeah, having that “paper trail” has bailed me out more than once.
I get the urge to keep every scrap of paper and photo, but honestly, I think we’re letting insurance companies make us do their job for them. I’ve had my share of claims—hail damage, a tree branch through the garage roof—and every time, I send them what I’ve got, but I draw the line at being my own archivist. If they want to see it, they can come out and look. That’s what I pay premiums for, right?
I know the “paper trail” can help, but it’s not foolproof. I had a neighbor who kept everything—receipts, warranties, even the original shingle samples—and his claim still dragged on for months because the adjuster wanted to “verify” the installation date. Meanwhile, my last claim, I barely had a couple of phone pics and a contractor’s invoice, and it went through in a week. Sometimes it just depends on who you get on the other end.
Honestly, I think we stress too much about having every single receipt. Roofers go out of business, paperwork gets lost in moves, and half the time, insurance just wants an excuse to delay or deny. I’d rather focus on keeping a few key documents—like the main invoice and warranty—than try to run a full-blown archive. If they want more, let them work for it.
I get why folks want to be prepared, but I’m not convinced it always makes a difference. Sometimes it feels like they’re just looking for reasons to say no, no matter how many files you send. Maybe I’m just jaded after dealing with a few too many adjusters, but I’d rather spend my time patching leaks than scanning receipts from 2012.
