Licensed roofing professionals • Fort Wayne, IN • Updated April 2026
If your roof just took a hit from Fort Wayne hail, filing the insurance claim is the difference between getting a new roof and getting a $2,000 partial payout that still leaves you with a damaged home. The Indiana homeowners who get their full claim paid do the same things in the same order. The ones who get lowballed or denied skip steps, rush the adjuster meeting, or trust the wrong contractor.
This is the complete checklist. Print it, work through it, and don't skip steps.
Phase 1: Before You Call Insurance (First 24 Hours)
☐ Document the storm itself
Save local news reports, NOAA weather data, and any radar screenshots from the day of the storm. You can pull historical weather at weather.gov and search by zip code for the day in question. This establishes that a qualifying weather event happened — insurance will try to claim pre-existing damage if they can.
☐ Photograph everything (before you touch anything)
Start wide and work in. From across the street. From the yard. Up close on damaged siding, dented gutters, broken window screens, and anything in the yard that wasn't there before. Take 30+ photos. Timestamp them (most phones do this automatically — verify in your camera settings).
☐ Check the soft metals first
Insurance adjusters look at gutters, window screens, AC fin tubes, mailboxes, and grills before they ever climb the roof. These metals dent at lower impact thresholds than shingles, so if they're dented, the roof almost certainly is too. Photograph every dent.
☐ Do NOT touch the damage yet
Resist the urge to start pulling off damaged shingles or cleaning up debris. Adjusters need to see it in place. If you must tarp for active water damage, photograph before and after. See our documentation guide for the specific photo types adjusters look for.
☐ Find your policy and deductible
Pull your declarations page. Find your dwelling coverage limit, your wind/hail deductible (often separate from your main deductible in Indiana), and whether you have ACV (actual cash value) or RCV (replacement cost value) coverage. RCV means insurance pays for a new roof; ACV means they pay depreciated value — a major difference.
Phase 2: The Claim Call (Day 1-2)
☐ Call the claims line, not your agent
Your local agent is a middleman. Call the 24/7 claims number on your insurance card directly. Faster, less miscommunication.
☐ Report, don't negotiate
Give them: date of storm, nature of damage, whether there's active water intrusion, and your preferred appointment window. Do NOT speculate on cost, do NOT estimate square footage, do NOT commit to anything. Get a claim number.
☐ Ask for the specific adjuster's name and direct contact
You want to know who is coming and how to reach them. Some carriers will give you a staff adjuster; others contract out to an independent. Either way, get a name.
Phase 3: Before the Adjuster Arrives (Day 2-5)
☐ Get an independent roofer inspection FIRST
This is the single most important step. A licensed local roofer inspects your roof, documents all damage, and provides a written damage report. When the adjuster shows up, you already have a professional baseline — and ideally the roofer is there to walk the roof with the adjuster.
Why this matters: adjusters are under quota pressure to minimize payouts. Many of them are not trained roofers. Having a pro on the roof with them flips the conversation from "find the minimum covered damage" to "document everything that's there."
☐ Have your roofer present during the adjuster inspection
Call your insurance and request that the adjuster schedule during a time when your roofer can also be on site. Adjusters expect this and most will accommodate. If they refuse, that's a red flag — insist in writing.
☐ Do NOT sign an "Assignment of Benefits" with any contractor
AOBs transfer your rights as the policyholder to the contractor. This is how scams happen. A legitimate local roofer does not need an AOB — they bill you, you pay them from insurance proceeds. If a contractor pressures you to sign an AOB, they are not working for you. See our storm chaser guide for more.
Phase 4: The Adjuster Meeting (Day 5-14)
☐ Be present or have your roofer present
Don't leave an adjuster alone on your property. You want eyes on what they document, what they photograph, and what they miss.
☐ Walk the damage together
Point out every impact mark, every bruise, every lifted shingle. Don't assume they'll find it on their own. Many don't.
☐ Take notes during the meeting
Write down what the adjuster identifies as damaged, what they say about depreciation, and what they say about the estimate timeline.
☐ Don't agree to a number on the spot
Adjusters will sometimes give you a verbal estimate. Smile, nod, and say "I'll review the written estimate when it arrives." You're not authorized to agree to anything yet — your roofer needs to review the scope.
Phase 5: Review the Estimate (Day 10-30)
☐ Read every line item
Insurance estimates come as detailed line items. Compare them to your roofer's independent estimate. Look for:
- Missing line items: flashing, underlayment, ice and water shield, ridge vents, drip edge, disposal fees
- Square footage mismatches: the adjuster's measurement should match within 5% of your roofer's
- Material grade downgrades: 30-year architectural shouldn't be replaced with 3-tab
- Depreciation holdbacks: know exactly what's being held back for ACV vs RCV claims
☐ Supplement if anything is missing
Your roofer prepares a supplement — a formal request for additional line items — and submits it through your insurance claim. Supplements are common; don't let an adjuster tell you "the estimate is final."
Phase 6: Work and Final Payment
☐ Select a qualified local roofer
Our full guide on choosing a roofer after a storm walks through the vetting process.
☐ Collect first check (ACV)
Insurance typically pays the ACV amount upfront, with the depreciation holdback paid after work is complete and receipts submitted.
☐ Complete the work, submit receipts
Once the roof is done, submit the final invoice to insurance. They release the depreciation holdback.
☐ Pay your deductible
This is the one cost you cannot avoid. Anyone promising to "eat your deductible" is committing insurance fraud in Indiana, and it can void your entire claim.
Common Reasons Claims Get Denied or Lowballed
- Filing too late. Most Indiana policies require notification within 12 months of the storm, but some have shorter windows.
- Failure to mitigate. If you didn't tarp or stabilize and more damage occurred, insurance can deny the additional damage.
- Pre-existing damage. Adjusters use this liberally. This is why photographing the day of matters.
- "Wear and tear" classification. Old roofs get denied as worn out rather than storm-damaged.
- Unlicensed contractor work. If you've had previous unlicensed work done, insurance may use it to reduce coverage.
If your claim is denied or grossly underpaid, you have the right to a reinspection, a formal appeal, and (in extreme cases) a public adjuster or attorney. See our denied claim guide for the next steps.
If you need a free pre-adjuster inspection in Fort Wayne, New Haven, Huntington, or anywhere in Allen County, call (260) 255-4551. No cost, no pressure, no assignment of benefits.