That “cosmetic only” thing tripped me up after a hailstorm a few years back. My metal roof looked like a golf ball, but the adjuster said it was just cosmetic and not covered. Fast forward two winters, and sure enough, some of those dents started rusting where the paint chipped. I had to fight tooth and nail to get them to cover the repairs later. Walking the roof with the adjuster made a difference—he missed a couple spots until I pointed them out. I’ve learned to document everything, even if it feels overkill. Insurance fine print is a headache... I wish they’d make it clearer what’s actually covered, especially with all these exclusions.
That’s a good point about documenting everything—even if it feels like overkill at the time. I ran into something similar with my siding after a windstorm. The adjuster said the dents were “just cosmetic” too, but a year later, moisture got in and started causing issues underneath. I learned to take close-up photos, date-stamp them, and keep all emails with the insurance company. It’s tedious but honestly, when you have to go back and prove damage got worse, it makes a difference. The exclusions are so specific... I wish they’d spell it out in plain English instead of all that legal jargon.
Had almost the exact same thing happen with my gutters after a hailstorm. Adjuster said it was “just cosmetic,” but a year later, water started backing up and rotting the fascia. I’ve gotten in the habit of snapping pics every time there’s a storm now... learned that lesson the hard way. Insurance paperwork drives me nuts—half the time I’m not even sure what’s covered until something goes wrong.
That “just cosmetic” line from adjusters gets tossed around way too much, honestly. I’ve seen plenty of cases where what looked like minor dings on gutters or fascia turned into real headaches a year or two down the road—water intrusion, rot, even mold if it goes unchecked. Good call on snapping photos after storms; documenting everything is half the battle with insurance.
One thing I always recommend is checking your policy for the difference between “cosmetic” and “functional” damage. Some policies are super specific about what they’ll pay for, and sometimes you can get stuck with a higher deductible for wind/hail claims versus other types of damage. Have you ever tried getting a second opinion from a contractor before agreeing with the adjuster’s assessment? Sometimes having a pro point out underlying issues (like hidden leaks or improper drainage) can help push the claim in your favor.
Curious—did your policy have a separate wind/hail deductible, or was it just the standard one? That’s tripped up a lot of folks I know, especially after big storms.
That “cosmetic only” excuse drives me nuts too. I’ve seen folks ignore a couple of small dents, then next rainy season… surprise, water spots on the ceiling. My own policy has a separate wind/hail deductible, which I didn’t even realize until after a storm last year—ouch. Getting a contractor to check things out before agreeing with the adjuster definitely helped me catch stuff the insurance guy missed. It’s wild how much can hide under what looks like just a scratch.