Insurance paperwork and home planning documents on a desk
Insurance basics

Understand the claim before the paperwork starts driving the project.

Roof claims get expensive when the language is unclear. Deductibles, depreciation, supplements, exclusions, and detach-and-reset all change the real number you are working with. This page is here to make those pieces easier to sort before you sign anything.
Snapshot
Main concern
Claims + coverage gaps
Also covers
Depreciation + supplements
Best next step
Review your policy
Why this matters

Most of the trouble starts after the storm, when the numbers and plan stop matching the house.

The adjuster summary is not the same thing as a finished plan. Homeowners get trapped between roof quotes, depreciation holdback, deductible expectations, policy exclusions, and the solar question nobody raised early enough. The goal is to understand where the money is supposed to come from, what is still missing from the plan, and what should be clarified before work starts.

The claim terms that change the real budget

RCV vs. ACV
Replacement cost value and actual cash value are not interchangeable. One usually assumes recoverable depreciation. The other can leave you covering a much larger gap out of pocket.
Deductible reality
The deductible is part of the project math from day one. If the plan is thin or the payout is delayed, that deductible feels bigger fast.
Supplements
A supplement is what gets written when the original plan missed real work. That is common, especially when flashing, code items, or solar detach-and-reset were not accounted for up front.

How to keep the claim from turning into a plan mess

1
Read the adjuster plan before signing a roof contract
Make sure the plan actually reflects the roof condition, code items, accessories, and any solar-related work before the project starts moving.
2
Separate roof work from solar work, but line them up early
Detach-and-reset should be discussed before the reroof, not after materials are ordered and schedules are locked.
3
Clarify missing items while the file is still active
If something is missing, document it and push the supplement conversation early. Waiting until install day is how projects stall.

Insurance basics homeowners ask first

Talk to an advisor

A short conversation can save a lot of avoidable friction when the paperwork and the house are telling different stories.