A claim is decided on the evidence, not on the damage
Two homeowners on the same street can have the same hail damage on the same kind of roof and get completely different outcomes from their insurance company. One gets a full replacement approved; the other gets a denial, or a scope so thin it pays for half a roof. The difference is almost never the damage. It is how the damage was documented, who was there when the adjuster inspected it, and whether anyone who understood roofing was speaking for the homeowner. That is what claim assistance is.
We do this on nearly every storm job, because nearly every storm job is a claim. We inspect and photograph before the insurer's adjuster arrives, so the evidence is captured while it is fresh and before anything is disturbed. We meet the adjuster on the roof and walk them through what we found, hit by hit. We compare the insurer's scope to the actual damage and file supplements for what was missed. And when a claim comes back denied that should not have been, we go back with the evidence. One of our customers had a storm-roof claim denied outright as "not severe enough"; after our inspection and documentation the insurer reversed the decision and covered the entire replacement.
We are a contractor, not a public adjuster or a lawyer, and we do not pretend to be. What we do is make sure the person deciding your claim sees the damage that is actually there, presented by someone who knows what they are looking at.
- Pre-claim inspection so you know whether there is a claim worth filing before it goes on your record.
- Adjuster-grade documentation: test squares, marked hits, collateral damage on soft metals, interior water trails, all photographed and written up.
- Adjuster meeting attended so the inspection is a conversation between people who both understand roofing.
- Scope review and supplements for items the insurer's estimate missed: decking, ice-and-water shield, code upgrades, gutters, siding, interior.
- Denied claims re-presented with the evidence that should have been there the first time.
- Paperwork handled from the first form to the depreciation release at the end.
How a claim runs with us
Inspect first
Before you call the insurer, we inspect and tell you honestly whether the damage is claimable and worth claiming against your deductible. If it is not, you have avoided a claim on your record for nothing.
File and document
You open the claim; we provide the photographs and report. The insurer assigns an adjuster and schedules an inspection.
Meet the adjuster
We are on site, on the roof with them, with the documentation. Most claims are won or lost at this meeting, and most homeowners are not equipped to have the conversation alone.
Review the scope
The insurer's estimate arrives. We compare it line by line to the real damage and to what the repair actually requires, and file a supplement for anything missing. Under-scoped claims are the most common reason a restoration runs out of money.
Do the work and close the claim
The repair or replacement is done to the agreed scope. We provide the final invoice and completion documentation the insurer needs to release any withheld depreciation.
Why homeowners trust LASIM with the claim
Denied claims reversed
We have taken an outright denial to a full approval on the strength of the inspection and the presentation.
Someone on your side on the roof
The adjuster works for the insurer. At the inspection, we are the ones who work for you.
Supplements, not shortcuts
If the scope is short, we go back for what is missing rather than cutting corners on the work to fit it.
Honest about when not to file
If the damage is under your deductible or not storm-related, we say so. A claim you did not need is not a favor.
Insurance Claim Questions
No. You have the right to choose your own contractor. Insurer "preferred vendor" programs are a convenience for the insurer, and the contractor in them answers to the insurer's pricing. You are free to hire whoever you trust, and the claim is paid to you, not to the vendor.
A request to the insurer to add items to the approved scope that were missed or that were discovered during the work, such as rotted decking found under the shingles, code-required upgrades, or damage to gutters and siding the adjuster did not include. Supplements are a normal part of the process, and filing them properly is a large part of what we do.
Not necessarily. Denials are often based on a brief inspection or on a report that missed the damage. You can request a re-inspection and present new evidence. We have had a denied storm-roof claim reversed to a full replacement by inspecting properly, documenting the damage and presenting it. Call us before you accept a denial.
On a replacement-cost policy the insurer pays in two parts: the depreciated value up front, and the rest, the "recoverable depreciation", once the work is completed and invoiced. We provide the completion paperwork the insurer needs to release it. On an actual-cash-value policy the depreciation is not recoverable, which is worth knowing before you file.
No, and you should be wary of any contractor who offers to. Deductible waivers are insurance fraud in most states and can void the claim. Your deductible is your share of the cost under the policy. What we can do is make sure the scope covers everything the storm actually damaged, so the deductible is the only thing you pay.
No. The inspection, documentation, adjuster meeting and supplement work are part of doing the job. You pay the deductible and the insurer pays the approved scope. If there turns out to be no claim, you owe nothing for the inspection.