A fierce Nor’easter just tore through your New Jersey town, leaving a trail of downed branches and rattled nerves. The next morning, you walk outside and see it—a few shingles are flipped up, and one is lying in your yard. Your heart sinks. Your first instinct, like that of most homeowners, is to immediately grab the phone and call your insurance company. It seems like the logical first step. Your roof is damaged, and you pay your premiums precisely for moments like this.
But what if we told you that this instinctive first step could be a costly mistake?
Here at Nailed It Roofing, we’ve spent years serving homeowners across New Jersey, navigating the aftermath of every kind of storm our state can throw at us—from hurricane-force winds along the shore to severe hail in the northern counties. We’ve seen firsthand how the roof insurance claim process can unfold, and we want to share a crucial piece of advice that can save you time, money, and immense frustration: Your first call should not be to your insurer. It should be to a trusted, local roofing professional.
This may sound counter-intuitive, but understanding why this is the correct sequence of events is the key to ensuring you get a fair, comprehensive, and successful outcome for your roof damage claim.
Understanding the Roles: Your Roofer vs. The Insurance Adjuster
To grasp why the order of your calls matters so much, you must first understand the fundamental difference between your roofer and the insurance company’s adjuster.
The Insurance Adjuster: The adjuster is a professional trained to assess damage, but it’s critical to remember who they work for: the insurance company. Their primary objective is to evaluate your claim based on the specific terms of your policy and to protect their company’s financial interests. They are looking for direct, provable evidence of damage caused by a specific, covered event (a “peril”). While most adjusters are professional and ethical, they are not roofing experts. They may not recognize subtle but significant signs of damage, and they are not incentivized to find the maximum possible scope of repair.
Your Professional Roofer: A qualified, local roofer, on the other hand, works for you, like Nailed it Roofing. We are your advocates. Our job is to conduct a thorough and meticulous inspection of your entire roofing system. We aren’t just looking for the obvious damage; we are trained to identify every potential point of failure, from wind-lifted shingles that have lost their seals to micro-fractures from hail that will lead to leaks months down the road. Our goal is to ensure your roof is restored to its pre-storm condition or better, protecting your home and family for years to come.
The Critical Reasons to Call Nailed It Roofing First
Contacting a professional roofer before your insurer isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a strategic move that arms you with knowledge, evidence, and leverage. Here’s exactly what happens when you make us your first call.
1. A Comprehensive and Expert Damage Assessment
An insurance adjuster might spend 20-30 minutes on your roof. Our team at Nailed It Roofing will conduct a far more exhaustive inspection. We know the specific vulnerabilities of roofing materials common in New Jersey homes and what to look for after specific types of weather events.
Our inspection includes:
- Shingle Integrity: We manually check for lifted shingles whose seals have been broken by wind, a common issue that isn’t always visible from the ground and can lead to major leaks.
- Hail Damage: We know how to spot the subtle, often dime-sized dings and granule loss from hail that can compromise a shingle’s lifespan, even if it doesn’t create an immediate leak.
- Component Check: We meticulously inspect flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights, as well as gutters, soffits, and fascia, all of which can be damaged in a storm and are part of a complete roofing system.
- Structural Review: We assess the underlying decking and structure for any signs of impact or water intrusion.
2. Professional Documentation to Build Your Case
You wouldn’t go to court without evidence, and you shouldn’t file an insurance claim without it either. We document every single point of damage with high-resolution photos and detailed notes. We then compile this into a professional, easy-to-understand report. This documentation serves as an undeniable record of the storm’s impact. When you eventually file your claim, you are not simply saying, “My roof is damaged.” You are presenting a complete evidence package prepared by an industry expert, which immediately strengthens your position.
3. Avoiding a Premature or Unnecessary Claim
What if the damage is minor? Sometimes, a repair might only cost a few hundred dollars. If your policy has a $1,000 or $2,500 deductible, filing a claim would be pointless. However, if you call your insurer first, that call is logged. Even if you withdraw the claim or it’s denied because the cost is below your deductible, it can still appear on your claim history, potentially leading to higher premiums in the future.
By calling us first, you get a clear, upfront estimate. We can tell you, “This is a simple repair that will cost less than your deductible,” saving you from making an unnecessary mark on your insurance record.
4. Identifying Code Requirements and Ensuring a Complete Repair
Local building codes change. An insurance adjuster, who may cover a large territory, is often not an expert on the specific municipal codes in your New Jersey town. If a significant portion of your roof is damaged, local codes might require that the entire roof plane, or even the whole roof, be brought up to the current standard. This is known as “Code Upgrade Coverage” and is a critical part of a comprehensive repair.
We are experts in New Jersey building codes. We will include any necessary code-required upgrades in our initial estimate. This ensures that the scope of work submitted to the insurance company is complete and accurate from the start, preventing a situation where you are approved for a “patch job” that leaves you with a non-compliant and mismatched roof.
5. Your Advocate When Meeting the Adjuster
This is one of the most valuable services we provide. Once you’ve filed your claim using our documentation, we will schedule a time to meet the insurance adjuster at your property. With our report in hand, we can walk the roof with them, side-by-side. We can point out every piece of damage we identified, explain the long-term implications, and answer any technical questions they may have.
This prevents your claim from being a simple “us vs. them” negotiation. It becomes a collaborative discussion between professionals, with us acting as your expert representative. This dramatically increases the likelihood that the adjuster will approve the full, correct scope of work needed to properly restore your roof.
The Nailed It Roofing Insurance Claim Process
- You Suspect Damage: A storm hits or you notice a problem.
- Your First Call is to Us: You contact Nailed It Roofing for a free, no-obligation inspection.
- We Inspect & Document: Our expert team performs a thorough inspection, taking photos and detailed notes.
- We Provide a Full Report: We present you with our findings and a detailed estimate, advising whether a claim is warranted.
- You File The Claim: Armed with our expert documentation, you contact your insurance company to open a claim.
- We Meet The Adjuster: We schedule a meeting and advocate on your behalf to ensure all damage is acknowledged.
- Your Claim is Approved: With solid evidence and expert representation, you get a fair settlement.
- We Get to Work: Nailed It Roofing restores your roof to the highest standard, using quality materials and expert craftsmanship.
Your home is your most significant investment. When its primary line of defense is compromised, don’t leave the outcome to chance. Taking a moment to call a professional roofer before you call your insurer empowers you with knowledge, protects you from unnecessary risk, and ultimately ensures the longevity and safety of your home.
If you suspect your New Jersey or Pennsylvania home has sustained roof damage, contact Nailed It Roofing today. Let us be your first call, your trusted expert, and your dedicated advocate through every step of the process.
