A roofer repairs or replaces the roof. A public adjuster is a licensed professional who prepares and negotiates your claim with the insurance company, and does no repair work. After a storm you will likely need the roof work either way, so the practical question is who you call first and who you let speak for you. Call a roofer first to document the damage, make the roof safe and write a repair scope. Then take that paperwork to your insurer. At Exterior Genie, our HAAG-certified inspectors do that first inspection and help homeowners with insurance claims.
TL;DR
- A roofer inspects, documents, tarps and rebuilds. A public adjuster, where you hire one, represents you in the claim itself and does not repair anything.
- Contractors in several states may not negotiate your claim or advertise that they will. They can give construction facts, such as damage, materials and repair cost.
- Public adjuster fees are regulated. Texas allows up to 10% of the claim payment, and the NAIC model act sets caps of 10% or 15% depending on the claim type.
- Report the loss to your insurer right away, photograph everything and make only temporary repairs until the insurer's adjuster has inspected.
- Settle the claim amount before you start a full rebuild, so you avoid a string of change orders.
Table of Contents
- Who does what on a roof claim
- What a roofer does that no one else can
- What a public adjuster does
- Where the legal line sits
- What a public adjuster costs
- The order that protects you: a step-by-step routine
- When to call whom: quick answers
- Exterior Genie for roof claims in the Midlands
- Perspective
- FAQ
- Sources
Who does what on a roof claim
Three different people may touch your claim, and they work for different parties.
| Role | Works for | Main job | Repairs the roof? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roofing contractor | You, as the builder | Inspects, documents damage, writes the repair scope and price, does the work | Yes |
| Insurance company adjuster | The insurer | Inspects the loss, writes the estimate, recommends or decides payment under the policy | No |
| Public adjuster | You, the policyholder | Prepares, presents and negotiates the claim | No |
| Appraiser | Each side picks one | Resolves a dispute over the amount of loss | No |
The New York Department of Financial Services describes the public adjuster as licensed and representing the policyholder, not the insurer. Its page also explains that homeowner policies contain an appraisal provision. Each side selects a competent, disinterested appraiser, and the two appraisers select an umpire to settle disagreements. The appraiser is a tool for resolving a disagreement over value. It is not someone you hire to run the claim.
What a roofer does that no one else can
The roof is a physical structure, and someone has to climb on it. A roofer looks at the shingles, flashing, decking, vents and gutters. The roofer photographs the damage and writes a scope of work with a price. Then the roofer fixes it.
That scope matters. Your insurer's adjuster writes an estimate from what they saw in one visit. A contractor's detailed estimate shows what the repair requires in materials, labor and code-related steps. We cover why this paper matters in why a roofing contractor estimate matters for claims and how inspection evidence supports a claim in how roof inspection supports your insurance claim.
A roofer also handles the urgent part. Water coming through a ceiling at 2 a.m. is not a paperwork problem. Our emergency repair service runs 24/7, including roof tarping, so the damage stops growing while the claim is still open. Temporary protection is also what insurers expect you to do. The Minnesota Department of Commerce tells homeowners to make only temporary repairs to prevent further damage until the insurer's adjuster inspects.
Our insurance claim assistance is delivered by HAAG-certified inspectors. That means the person documenting your roof is trained to assess storm, hail and wind damage. Our storm damage restoration team then carries the repair through from documentation to finished roof.
What a public adjuster does
A public adjuster is a claims professional you hire to represent you. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, a licensed public adjuster is someone you hire to help you with your claim, with fees and rules set by state law. In practice that means reading the policy, valuing the loss, filing paperwork and negotiating with the insurer's adjuster.
Two practical points follow from the licensing rules.
- A public adjuster does not repair your roof. Texas law bars a licensed public adjuster from taking part in the repair of a property whose claim they adjust. You still need a contractor.
- Licensing varies by state. The Texas rules and the others cited here are examples. Before you sign anything with anyone in South Carolina, confirm the rules with the South Carolina Department of Insurance, the state's insurance regulator.
If the loss is more than a roof, such as a fire that makes the house hard to keep, a licensed public adjuster is one way a homeowner gets representation through a large claim. If a fire loss leads you to consider selling a fire-damaged house, having your claim valued in full first gives you a clearer picture of your options.
Where the legal line sits
Many homeowners hear "your roofer will handle the insurance." That phrase deserves care, because several states restrict what contractors may say and do.
- Texas. The Texas Department of Insurance says a roofer or contractor cannot act as a public insurance adjuster on claims where they are also doing the work, and cannot advertise that they would. The department also notes civil and criminal penalties in its bulletin on unlicensed activity.
- Iowa. The Iowa Insurance Division states that without a public adjuster license, a contractor cannot investigate, evaluate, advise, negotiate or advocate for a customer in the adjustment of a claim, including by advertising to be claim specialists.
- Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Insurance Department bulletin says roofers who advertise as claim specialists or say they deal with insurance companies are acting as unlicensed public adjusters.
The common thread is that a contractor may give construction facts and the repair price, but may not stand in your shoes and negotiate your settlement. That is the correct division of labor. You are the policyholder. The claim is yours, and the roofer's job is to give you accurate roof information and then do the work well.
It also explains why you should be wary of anyone who promises that your deductible will disappear or that the insurer will pay for a full roof before anyone has inspected. Our post on the roofing insurance claim deductible explains what you owe and why.
What a public adjuster costs
Public adjusters are normally paid a percentage of what the insurer pays. The rules cap that percentage.
- The Texas Department of Insurance says adjusters can charge up to 10% of the total amount the company will pay, and that the fee can be based on the whole settlement. It also says you have 72 hours after signing to cancel.
- The NAIC Public Adjuster Licensing Model Act sets caps of no more than 10% on a catastrophic claim and no more than 15% on any other claim. It also bars an adjuster from collecting fees or deposits before the claim is settled. States may adopt different numbers, so this is the model, not a promise for your state.
For example, on a $20,000 roof settlement, a 10% fee is $2,000. Whether that is worth it depends on how much more the adjuster recovers than you would have on your own. The Minnesota Department of Commerce suggests deciding whether the help will recover enough to offset the fee. It also says to get a written contract that identifies all fees. It warns against anyone who claims to be from a government agency, says their services are mandatory or uses high-pressure sales tactics.
The NAIC model also lists what the written contract must contain. That includes the adjuster's name, address, license number, the insurer and policy number, a description of the loss and services, and the full compensation terms. If a contract lacks these, ask why before you sign.
The order that protects you: a step-by-step routine
Whether or not you ever hire a public adjuster, the sequence below keeps your claim clean. Most of it comes from state insurance regulators.
1. Document before you clean up
Take photos and video of every damaged area, inside and out, before any cleanup. The Minnesota Department of Commerce also advises keeping your policy and claim number handy and keeping a log of who you spoke to and when. Where it goes wrong: homeowners throw away damaged materials or tarp a leak before taking photographs. A HAAG-certified inspector from our team will photograph the roof, which also gives you a professional record to sit alongside your own.
2. Stop further damage
Tarp the roof, cover broken windows and move belongings. Keep receipts. These are temporary repairs only. We provide emergency roof tarping around the clock, so a leak at night does not wait until Monday.
3. Report the loss right away
Call your insurer, give the date of the storm and get a claim number. Minnesota's guidance says to report it immediately and then wait for the company's adjuster to arrive. It also says not to call anyone to repair or replace the loss before getting instructions from the insurer's adjuster. In practice, that means waiting for the inspection before you sign a full replacement contract. Our roof damage insurance claim steps and roof insurance claim checklist lay out this part in more detail.
4. Get a written roof inspection and repair scope
A roofer's written scope gives you something specific to compare against the insurer's estimate. The question is whether the insurer's estimate covers what the roof needs. Ours includes honest guidance on repair versus replacement, because not every storm-hit roof needs to come off. You can book a roof inspection before the insurer's visit or after it.
5. Meet the insurer's adjuster
Be present for the inspection and point out what you documented. Answer factual questions plainly and do not guess about causes or dates. If you disagree with the estimate afterward, ask the insurer to explain the difference line by line.
6. Decide whether to bring in representation
If the claim is large, complicated, or the insurer's number and the repair scope are far apart, you have options. You can ask the insurer to reconsider using your documented scope, invoke the policy's appraisal provision, or hire a licensed public adjuster. If you hire one, check the license with your state's insurance regulator, read the fee terms and keep the contract in writing. For denial and dispute situations, see why insurance denies roof claims and insurance bad faith roofing claims.
7. Settle the amount, then rebuild
Agree the settlement and your budget before the full rebuild begins. Starting before the claim is settled can mean many change orders and open items negotiated midway through the job. Once the number is settled, the roofer can order materials and schedule the crew with a firm budget.
When to call whom: quick answers
| Your situation | First call |
|---|---|
| Active leak or missing shingles after a storm | A roofer, for emergency tarping and a damage record |
| You don't yet know whether the damage is covered | Your insurer to report the loss, plus a roof inspection |
| The insurer's estimate is far below the repair scope | Your insurer for a line-by-line review, then your options for dispute |
| You need someone to negotiate the claim for you | A licensed public adjuster in your state |
| The claim is settled and you need the roof rebuilt | A roofer |
Notice that the roofer appears in the first, second and last rows. The roof has to be protected, inspected and rebuilt whichever route the claim takes.
Exterior Genie for roof claims in the Midlands
We are a veteran-owned general contractor serving Lexington, Columbia and the rest of the Midlands of South Carolina. Our inspectors are HAAG-certified, and we are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor. Our roof repair and roof replacement work carries a lifetime workmanship warranty. If you need a roof inspection and claim help after a storm, start at our services page or call us for emergency repair.
We don't publish prices for roofing, because each roof is different. A written scope after inspection is how you get a number that fits your house.
Perspective
Every week a homeowner asks us whether they need a roofer or someone else to deal with the insurance company. Our answer starts with the roof. Water does not wait for a claim decision, and an accurate record of the damage is the foundation for everything that follows.
We built Exterior Genie on military discipline: clear communication, coordinated project management and no surprises. For a roof claim that means a HAAG-certified inspection, a written scope, honest advice on whether you need a repair or a replacement, and a crew that finishes the job and stands behind it with a lifetime workmanship warranty.
We also respect the line the law draws. The claim belongs to you and your insurer, and your state decides who may negotiate it. Our part is to give you the construction facts and then build the roof properly.
Ebben
FAQ
Can a roofer act as my public adjuster?
In states such as Texas, Iowa and Oklahoma, no. A contractor who is doing the repair cannot adjust the claim or advertise that they will, unless the state's rules say otherwise. A roofer can inspect, document damage and give you a repair price. Check your own state's rules with its insurance department.
Is an appraiser the same as an adjuster?
No. An insurer's adjuster inspects the loss and estimates payment. A public adjuster represents you. An appraiser resolves a dispute over the amount of loss: each side picks one, and the two choose an umpire, as the New York Department of Financial Services explains.
How much does a public adjuster charge?
Usually a percentage of the claim payment. Texas allows up to 10%, and the NAIC model act uses caps of 10% for catastrophic claims and 15% for others. Your state may set its own limit. Get the fee in a written contract before you sign.
What should I keep for my roof claim?
Keep photos and video from before cleanup, your policy and claim number, a log of every call with names and dates, and receipts for temporary repairs. Add your roofer's written inspection and scope. Together they give you a clear record to compare with the insurer's estimate.
Sources
- Public adjusters: What to know before you hire one, Texas Department of Insurance
- Roofing and insurance: Know the law, Texas Department of Insurance
- Bulletin B-0051-08, Texas Department of Insurance
- Consumer Connection: Contractors, Public Adjusters, Iowa Insurance Division
- Roofing Contractor Bulletin, Oklahoma Insurance Department
- Adjusters, Appraisers & Umpires, New York Department of Financial Services
- Public Adjuster Licensing Model Act, NAIC
- Residential Property Owners and Renters on Filing an Insurance Claim, Minnesota Department of Commerce