Storm Damage & Insurance Claims

Storm Damage & Insurance Claims in St. Louis, MO

We document the damage thoroughly before your adjuster arrives, communicate with your insurance company directly, and help make the claims process as straightforward as possible.

Why Call Us First

We Handle the Insurance Claim — You Shouldn’t Have To

St. Louis Roofing & Siding is primarily a retail roofing company, but insurance and storm-related jobs have made up a growing share of our work over the last two years. St. Louis gets hit with severe hail in the spring and summer — sometimes multiple events in a single season — and most homeowners don’t know the damage is there until it starts to show up inside the house. The single most important thing you can do after a storm is call us before your adjuster comes out. Once your adjuster closes the file, reopening it is a slow, frustrating process. We protect that window.

Our licensed drone pilot — Amy Vandevender, FAA Remote Pilot Certificate holder — flies steep or hard-to-access roofs to deliver a complete aerial photo documentation package before your adjuster sets foot on site. Insurance companies take FAA-licensed aerial documentation seriously. It’s timestamped, comprehensive, and covers areas a ladder inspection can miss. We’ve guided hundreds of homeowners across the St. Louis metro through the insurance claim process and have the documentation practices to back it up.

What’s Included With Every Storm Claim

  • Free five-point inspection, plus drone aerial photo documentation for steep or hard-to-access roofs
  • Damage assessment report for your insurance company
  • Direct adjuster communication — we speak their language
  • Present during your adjuster visit
  • Written estimate before work begins
  • Owens Corning Preferred installation
  • 5-year workmanship warranty
  • Magnetic nail sweep and full cleanup

Need a new roof but weren’t planning for the expense? Financing options available.

Request a Free Storm Inspection

We’ll document the damage before your adjuster arrives.

“Josh didn’t just accept the answer. He continued to pursue the matter and ultimately proved that the original inspector was wrong, resulting in the insurance company agreeing to pay 100% of the cost of my new roof.”

Terri Herman — Kirkwood, MO · 5-star Google review
How It Works

From Storm to New Roof — Step by Step

01

Call Us First

Before you call your insurance company or let an adjuster schedule a visit, call us. We’ll come out immediately after the storm, assess the roof, and document everything. This is the step most homeowners skip — and it costs them.

02

Drone Documentation

For steep or hard-to-access roofs, Amy flies an FAA-licensed drone to capture high-resolution aerial photos of every area of damage; other roofs get a full ground and ladder assessment. Either way, we compile a formal damage assessment report your insurance company will recognize and respect.

03

Adjuster Visit — We’re There

We show up to your adjuster appointment and walk the roof alongside them. We know what adjusters look for, we speak their language, and we make sure nothing is missed before they close the file.

04

Approved & Scheduled

Once your claim is approved, we schedule your replacement, handle the install with our trusted crew, do a full magnetic nail sweep, and leave your property cleaner than we found it.

Insurance Claims, Explained

How Does the Roof Insurance Claim Process Work in St. Louis?

If your roof has been damaged by hail, wind, or another severe weather event, the insurance claim process can feel overwhelming. The good news: you don’t have to navigate it alone. We walk you through every step above and work directly with your insurance company on the roofing portion of your claim — so you can focus on your home, not the paperwork. Below are the questions St. Louis homeowners ask us most about the insurance side of a storm claim.

What Can Trigger a Roof Insurance Claim?

Hail and high winds can damage a roofing system even when the damage isn’t obvious from the ground. Before visiting your property, St. Louis Roofing & Siding uses professional storm-tracking technology and meteorological reports to review the storm history at your specific location. This helps us identify when hail, damaging winds, or other significant weather events may have affected your home. We then perform an on-site inspection to determine whether there is evidence of storm-related damage.

Serving Homeowners Across Greater St. Louis

We regularly work with homeowners and insurance adjusters throughout:

  • St. Louis County
  • St. Louis City
  • St. Charles County
  • Jefferson County
  • Surrounding St. Louis communities

There is no separate charge for us to meet your adjuster. However, because working through an insurance restoration project requires a significant investment of our team’s time and expertise, we ask homeowners who choose us to assist with the process to contract with St. Louis Roofing & Siding for the approved roofing work.

Common Storm Claim Questions, Answered

Don’t Wait Too Long to Report Storm Damage

Insurance policies have requirements regarding when a loss must be reported and when repairs or replacement must be completed. These requirements vary by insurance company and policy. If you suspect storm damage, it is a good idea to review your policy and contact your insurance agent or carrier promptly rather than assuming you have a specific amount of time to file.

What Is an Insurance Supplement?

Sometimes an insurance estimate does not include everything required to properly complete the roofing project. When appropriate, additional documentation can be submitted to the insurance company for consideration. This is commonly referred to as a supplement. Supporting documentation may include:

  • Photographs
  • Roof measurements
  • Manufacturer installation requirements
  • Material specifications
  • Building-code requirements
  • Additional information discovered during construction

The insurance company ultimately determines whether additional items are covered under the homeowner’s policy. Our goal is to make sure the carrier has the information it needs to evaluate the actual scope of the roofing work.

RCV vs. ACV: What’s the Difference?

Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policies generally provide coverage based on the cost to repair or replace covered property, subject to the terms, limits, deductible, and conditions of the policy. With many RCV claims, the insurance company initially withholds depreciation. After the work is completed and the required documentation is submitted, eligible recoverable depreciation may be released. Actual Cash Value (ACV) generally reflects replacement cost minus depreciation based on factors such as the roof’s age and condition. Your insurance carrier or agent can explain exactly how your particular policy handles depreciation and claim payments.

What About My Insurance Deductible?

Your deductible is the portion of a covered loss that is the homeowner’s responsibility. Depending on your policy, you may have a fixed-dollar deductible, or a percentage-based wind/hail deductible. For example, a 2% deductible on a home insured for $300,000 would equal $6,000. Because deductibles can vary significantly, we recommend checking the declarations page of your homeowners policy so you understand your financial responsibility before beginning the project.

Can I Choose My Own Roofing Contractor?

In most situations, homeowners are free to choose the roofing contractor they want to perform the work. Your insurance company may provide contractor recommendations or preferred-vendor programs, but you do not necessarily have to use the contractor suggested by your carrier. When choosing a roofer, look beyond price. Consider the contractor’s experience, local reputation, manufacturer credentials, insurance restoration experience, workmanship, warranties, and familiarity with local building requirements.

What Happens if My Roof Claim Is Denied?

A denied claim does not necessarily mean there are no additional steps available. First, find out why the claim was denied. Depending on the circumstances, additional photographs, documentation, or information may help clarify the condition of the roof. Homeowners may also ask their insurance company about its procedures for reconsideration or reinspection. Coverage decisions are ultimately made by the insurance carrier according to the terms of the policy.

Will Filing a Hail Claim Raise My Insurance Rates?

There is no single answer that applies to every homeowner. Insurance premiums are affected by many factors, including the carrier, location, claims history, property characteristics, overall storm losses in the area, and the insurer’s underwriting and rating practices. Your insurance agent or carrier is the best source for information about how a claim could affect your individual policy.

Why Choose St. Louis Roofing & Siding for a Storm Damage Claim?

Insurance restoration involves more than simply replacing shingles. Our team helps homeowners understand the roofing portion of the process from the initial inspection through project completion. St. Louis Roofing & Siding can:

  • Review storm history for your property
  • Perform a professional roof inspection
  • Photograph and document storm damage
  • Meet your insurance adjuster on-site
  • Review the insurance scope
  • Identify roofing items that may require additional documentation
  • Provide supporting documentation when appropriate
  • Complete the approved roofing work
  • Submit required completion documentation

Most importantly, we are a local St. Louis roofing company. We’re here before the storm, during the insurance process, and after your new roof is installed.

Schedule a Free Storm Damage Inspection

If you think your home may have been affected by hail or damaging winds, don’t wait until a small problem becomes a larger one. Schedule a free storm damage inspection with St. Louis Roofing & Siding. We’ll inspect your roof, document what we find, and explain your options so you can make an informed decision about what to do next.

Common Questions

Storm Damage FAQ

What’s the first thing I should do after a hailstorm in Kirkwood?
Call St. Louis Roofing & Siding before you call your insurance company. We know that sounds counterintuitive, but filing a claim and scheduling an adjuster before you have documentation locks in a narrow window for them to assess damage. We come out and document everything, adding FAA-licensed drone photography for steep or hard-to-access roofs, and prepare your damage report before the adjuster arrives — which gives you a much stronger position throughout the claims process.
How do drone photos actually help my insurance claim?
Adjusters move quickly and sometimes miss damage — especially on complex roof lines or in areas that are hard to reach on foot. Our aerial documentation is timestamped, high-resolution, and covers your entire roof surface. When your adjuster arrives with our photos already in hand, they’re working from a complete, well-documented picture of the damage rather than a rushed ladder walk.
How long does it take from storm to new roof?
Once your claim is approved, we typically schedule replacement within two to three weeks depending on the time of year and the volume of storm damage in the area. The claims process itself varies by insurance company — most straightforward hail damage claims are approved and ready to move forward within two to four weeks of the adjuster visit. We stay in contact with you throughout and push the process forward wherever we can.
What if my insurance claim is denied?
Denials happen, but they’re not necessarily final. If your claim is denied, we review the adjuster’s findings against our documentation and advise you on whether it’s worth requesting a reinspection or filing a dispute. In some cases, our aerial photo evidence is enough to reopen the review. We’ll also give you an honest assessment of whether the damage we documented meets the threshold your insurer uses for a covered claim — we won’t push you toward a dispute that won’t go your way.
What does insurance typically cover for roof storm damage?
Most standard homeowner policies cover sudden storm damage from hail and wind — including shingle granule loss, cracked or dented shingles, damaged flashing, and any structural damage to the deck or fascia. What they cover versus what they pay out depends on your deductible, your policy type (ACV vs. RCV), and how old your current roof is. We walk you through what to expect before your adjuster comes so you’re not caught off guard by depreciation or deductible math. We also help you understand your settlement before you sign anything.
Storm Damage in Kirkwood, MO?
Call before your adjuster arrives. We document everything thoroughly, from day one.