Learn how a roof damage claim works in Tennessee and what roofers can and can't do, then get free repair or replacement quotes from up to 3 licensed, insured local roofers.
Prefer to talk? Call or text Ben Arp at (423) 920-4333
Takes less than 60 seconds
A roof claim involves three parties: you, your insurance company and the roofer who does the work. Tennessee has a law written for exactly that situation. Since 2012, residential roofing contracts expected to be paid from an insurance claim must include written disclosures and give you a way out if your insurer denies all or part of the claim. This page walks through the claim process, explains those protections in plain language, and covers what to watch for when a contractor offers to handle the claim for you.
Start by documenting the damage with photos and video and protecting the house from more water. Then report the claim. TDCI points out that policies may set deadlines for notice and that giving your insurer only partial information delays processing. The insurer assigns an adjuster, who inspects the roof and writes an estimate.
Once you have that estimate, get roofing quotes for the same scope. If a roofer finds damage the adjuster missed, TDCI's guidance is to contact your insurance company to resolve the difference. If you have a mortgage, the lender may be named on the check or may hold structural repair money in escrow and release it as work is completed.
Under Tennessee Code sections 62-6-601 through 62-6-604, a roofer whose contract is expected to be paid from insurance must give you certain information in writing before you sign: a business mailing address, a phone number, any contractor, home improvement or public adjuster license numbers held in any state, an email or fax for cancellations, and a detailed description of the damage and repairs. The contract also has to carry a boldface cancellation notice and a detachable cancellation form.
If your insurer later tells you in writing that all or part of the claim isn't covered, you can cancel by notifying the roofer before midnight on the third business day after you receive that notice. Until coverage is confirmed in writing or that window closes, the roofer can't require payment, and after a valid cancellation must refund your money within 10 business days, apart from emergency repairs you approved in writing.
Your roofer can meet the adjuster at the house, point out damage and supply photos and measurements; TDCI's own guidance mentions having your contractor meet with you and the adjuster. Negotiating the claim on your behalf is a different role. In Tennessee, no one may act or hold out as a public adjuster without a license from the Department of Commerce and Insurance.
If you want professional help with a disputed claim, a licensed public adjuster represents you and is usually paid a percentage of the settlement. TDCI recommends confirming the license, asking for references and getting fees in writing. Read every page of any document that would give a contractor control over your claim or your insurance payments before you sign it.
Your deductible is the share of the loss your policy assigns to you, and it's subtracted from what the insurer pays. If a roofer offers to cover, absorb or waive it, ask exactly how the numbers work. The money has to come from somewhere, and one way is an inflated estimate sent to your insurer under your name. Talk to your insurer or agent before agreeing to any arrangement like that.
Some policies also pay in stages, with part of the money held back until repairs are finished. Ask your adjuster how your policy handles this so the payment schedule in your roofing contract lines up with when insurance funds actually arrive.
Ask the insurer to explain the decision in writing and point to the policy language it relied on. You can request a re-inspection, send in a roofer's photos and estimate, or ask whether your policy has an appraisal provision for settling disputes over the amount of a loss.
If you still disagree, TDCI can mediate complaints about policies written in Tennessee; the department lists 615-741-2218 and 1-800-342-4029. And if a denial arrives after you've signed a roofing contract, remember that the three-business-day cancellation window starts when you receive the insurer's written notice.
A roofer can document damage, attend the adjuster's inspection and provide photos, measurements and an estimate. Negotiating the claim on your behalf is the job of a public adjuster, and Tennessee requires public adjusters to be licensed by the Department of Commerce and Insurance. Ask anyone offering to handle your claim for their license number.
Tennessee law lets you cancel a roofing contract tied to an insurance claim if the insurer tells you in writing that all or part of the claim isn't covered. Your signed, dated cancellation must reach the roofer before midnight on the third business day after you receive that notice. Payments are refunded within 10 business days, except for approved emergency repairs.
Either can work. An early inspection from a roofer can help you decide whether the damage is likely to exceed your deductible before you file. Having a roofer present during the adjuster's visit can also help make sure damage isn't missed. Either way, compare quotes against the adjuster's written estimate.
No. This site connects homeowners with local roofers for free quotes; it doesn't file claims, negotiate with insurers or act as an adjuster. Your insurance company, your agent or a licensed public adjuster are the right contacts for claim questions. The roofers you're matched with can document damage and quote the repair.
Yes. Homeowners never pay us anything. Roofing contractors in our network pay a referral fee, and you are under no obligation to hire any of them.
Tell us about your roof once and get up to 3 free quotes from licensed local roofers. No cost, no obligation.
Roofers usually reach out within 24-48 hours
