The short answer
Around 5 to 10% of the claims we work on get denied. Most of those are sorted out at the first two or three steps below, long before anyone hires an umpire or a public adjuster.
- 1. Compare the reports: put your contractor’s documentation next to the adjuster’s. If they don’t match, you likely have grounds for a re-inspection.
- 2. Ask for a re-inspection: call your insurance, tell them you’re not happy with the first adjustment, and name the adjuster you want.
- 3. Payout lower than your estimate? A professional contractor can supplement the claim to recover the difference.
- 4. Still denied after a re-inspection? You can escalate to an umpire or structural engineer, though most residential claims never need to.
- 5. Public adjusters charge a fee, typically 10 to 15%, and slow things down. A good contractor can often accomplish the same thing without the fee.
How long it takes: typically about a month from filing to payout, anywhere from one week to six. Appeal deadline: check your denial letter for it, and act before it passes.
A denial isn’t always the final word. Many denials are overturned with proper documentation, re-inspections, or professional help. If you’re still trying to understand why yours was turned down, start with why Indiana roof insurance claims get denied.
1. Compare your contractor’s report with the adjuster’s
“With all the proper documentation from your contractor, you should be able to see the damage,” Lyle explains. “And then if the adjuster declines your claim, you’re not required, but you’re eligible to file a re-inspection with the insurance.”
The key is having your contractor’s detailed report (photos, damage assessment, and scope of work) side by side with what the adjuster documented. If there’s a significant gap, that’s your starting point.
If you don’t have that report yet, Better Way Roofing’s detailed inspection is the documentation route. It is a paid inspection, separate from the free roof assessment we give homeowners deciding on roofing work, and it produces dated photos, marked-up damage and a written scope you can put in front of an adjuster. It covers the attic when it’s accessible, the decking, the roof surface, flashing, the ridge and valleys, ventilation, and storm or hail damage. If the storm was recent and you haven’t filed yet, our storm damage roof repair page sets out the order to do things in.
“A contractor can give the adjuster solid evidence of the damage, but we can’t decide whether your claim gets approved. That’s the adjuster’s job. What a good contractor will do is help you understand which line items you need for proper recovery.”
2. Ask your insurer for a re-inspection
“Call the insurance for a re-inspection,” Lyle advises. “Just tell them you’re not happy with the first adjustment.”
It works, especially after big storms when adjusters are rushed. “Adjusters are running and gunning. The adjuster may show up, he’s in a hurry, he’s already approved two or three, so he’s got to deny one. Black shingles: it’s a little bit tougher to see the damage, so he’s gonna decline that and keep moving.”
Most homeowners don’t know they get a say in who comes back: “If you file for a re-inspection, you can also choose what adjuster you want on it, if you have a preference.”
Knowing which adjuster to request is where a contractor helps. “The right contractor, we can tell you. We know which adjusters…” A good local roofer who works insurance claims regularly will know which adjusters are fair and thorough.
“If your claim gets turned down on the first inspection, give us a call. We work these claims all the time, so we can tell you which adjuster to ask for on the re-inspection.”
3. Supplement the claim when the payout is short
“If your contractor comes in at $21,000 and the insurance is at $18,000, but they missed half a dozen line items, a contractor that’s professional about it can add those line items, document everything, showing that it’s needed to get proper recovery,” Lyle explains.
“If a contractor is professional with insurance claims, he can supplement it to get it to where it needs to be, so that the homeowner isn’t out of pocket anything, unless the homeowner wants upgrades. Insurance will only pay like-kind replacement.”
Code compliance is the other common gap. “A lot of it has to do with bringing it back to code. If we’re replacing it, we have to bring it to code, but we have to document that in order to get the insurance to pay for it, showing the paragraph from code enforcement.”
“Share your insurance estimate with your contractor. It lets us see exactly what’s included and make sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to.”
4. Bring in an umpire and a structural engineer
“You would have to get an umpire involved and a structural engineer to come out and document at that point,” Lyle explains. “Have them put it in writing, then they can go back to the insurance. That’s your final straw.”
Whether it works: “It can work. But for our company, we seldom go quite to that extent. That would be the ultimatum, if they’re still unhappy.”
“We can walk you through this whole process if it comes to it, but honestly, most claims get sorted out through re-inspections and supplements long before you ever reach this point.”
5. Hire a public adjuster, if the fee is worth it
A good contractor can often accomplish the same thing without the fee.
The difference between the two kinds of adjuster: “A public adjuster works in your best interest. An independent adjuster is working for the insurance company,” Lyle explains.
Is the fee worth paying to increase your payout? “I would say yes and no,” Lyle admits. “It depends on the outcome of the independent. If an independent adjuster comes out and approves it, and that’s all we need, a contractor that’s educated on it knows the proper steps, can look through it, make sure all the line items are there for proper recovery. Which would, in theory, be kind of what the public adjuster would do.”
Public adjusters do slow things down. “It’ll always take longer with a public adjuster than an independent, because the independent can right then and there say it’s denied or approved. A public adjuster has to send it over to the insurance, and then the desk adjuster will have to look at it.”
But Lyle sees value in the thoroughness: “I’d rather wait a little bit longer and make sure insurance has seen all the proper documentation, than have an independent come out and try and skim over it.”
“We’ve got a handful of public adjusters we’ve built relationships with over years of claims. A good roofing contractor can tell you whether you even need one and which ones are worth using.”
How long the whole process takes
Lyle breaks down the timeline: “If you call into insurance and you’ve got damage, it can take up to three to seven days until you hear back from an adjuster, depending on the size of the storm. Then it can be another two to three weeks until the adjustment happens. That’s worst case scenario.”
“Sometimes they do the scope of work right on site, right then and there, cut you a check. Sometimes it’ll go another week or two by the time your claim’s initiated and you get it in the mail or in your portal.”
“Long story short, in total it could be as little as a week, or it could be as much as six weeks. Typical turnaround, I would say, is probably right around a month.”
“If you need emergency repairs while you wait, we can come tarp it or patch it temporarily and bill the insurance on the back end. Just know that if the claim ends up denied, you could be on the hook for that work.”
What our customers say
“Outstanding experience from start to finish working with these guys. They’re detail oriented, communicative, flexible, and they keep their word. I couldn’t have asked for a better company to help me manage a very stressful situation!”
Jonathon E., Indiana
“I’m very happy with both the work and communication from both the Lehman brothers, even the insurance adjuster pointed out how he likes dealing with them as they are very professional and easy to work with.”
Abe P., Indiana
This article is part of our complete roof insurance claim guide for Indiana homeowners.
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Frequently asked questions
If my claim is approved but costs less than estimated, do I keep the difference?
“Legally, no,” Lyle says. “But I know some people do.” If you send a lower final invoice, insurance pays the lower amount. Inflating the invoice to pocket the difference is fraud.
Can a contractor force me to hire a public adjuster?
“No, that’s completely up to the homeowner. A contractor can’t force you to do anything.”
Should I share my insurance estimate with my contractor?
“Yes, it helps them understand the scope of work that the insurance is allowing,” Lyle explains. Without it, you might miss line items you’re entitled to, like fence damage that was included in your approval.
How long do I have to appeal a denied claim?
Typically 30 to 60 days from the denial letter date. Check your letter for specific deadlines. Missing it can forfeit your right to appeal.
Last updated: October 29, 2026