Aerial view of a Florida home with its roof torn open by hurricane winds

ROOF CLAIMS

Roof Insurance Claim Help

Roof leaks, hurricane and wind damage, hail, and wear-and-tear denials, for property owners in Florida and New Jersey.

Wherever you are in Florida, we come to you. A licensed Homeland public adjuster comes to your property within hours — no need to visit an office. Serving Florida property owners since 2006, in English and Spanish. New Jersey: statewide.

Short answer: roof insurance claim help starts with proving what damaged the roof and when. Most policies cover sudden damage from wind, hail or a falling tree and exclude wear and tear, so the claim turns on evidence, not the roof’s age. A licensed public adjuster inspects the roof, documents storm damage separately from aging and deals with the insurer.

Last reviewed: October 2026

How Can We Help You Recover, or Prepare?

I have new damageStart My Claim →My claim was denied or underpaidReview My Claim →Getting ready, or just checkingGet the Free AA App →Adjuster Advantage: free hurricane tracker, Policy Scan and prep tools, from Homeland Public Adjusters

Roof Leaks: When Interior Water Damage Is Covered

A roof leak claim usually turns on one question: what let the water in. Interior water damage is covered when wind first creates an opening in the roof or wall. Carriers call it “seepage” or a maintenance leak when no opening is documented, so the inspection has to find and photograph the opening. A slow leak from age or deterioration is usually treated as wear and tear.

If water is coming in now: tarping a hole in the roof is a reasonable step to prevent additional damage, and such steps are expected and usually reimbursable. Photograph the “before” condition and keep the receipts first. Then upload your photos to Start My Claim or call us 24/7.

Hurricane, Wind and Hail Roof Damage

In Florida, hurricane and windstorm roof claims raise the same questions again and again: how the hurricane deductible applies, whether the roof is paid on a roof payment schedule or at actual cash value, whether the insurer can approve a partial repair instead of a replacement, and whether the repair has to match the rest of the roof. Hail is covered under windstorm or hail. What decides your payment: cosmetic-damage endorsements, matching and roof deductibles, and how to document each one. See our hurricane and wind damage page and our guide to hail damage claims.

In New Jersey, roof claims more often follow ice dams, snow load and nor’easters. See winter storm and roof damage. A fallen tree on the roof is its own kind of claim; see lightning, trees and other sudden damage.

Wear and Tear and Cosmetic Damage Denials

“Wear and tear” is one of the most common reasons roof claims are denied, because most property policies exclude damage caused by age and deterioration. But a roof can be old and still have real storm damage. A cosmetic damage denial is different: some policies exclude damage that affects only the roof’s appearance, such as dents in metal roofing, rather than its ability to keep water out.

Storm damage often looks like	Aging usually looks like
Creased, torn or missing shingles, often on the side facing the wind	Even granule loss and curling across the whole roof
Freshly broken or displaced tiles with clean fracture edges	Weathered, discolored cracks with dirt or growth in them
Hail bruises or impact marks in a random pattern	Blistering or cracking that follows the shingle’s age
Leaks that start right after a dated weather event	Slow staining and rot that built up over time

What Homeland does after a wear and tear denial:

We get the basis in writing. We request the inspection report, photos and the policy language the insurer relied on.

We inspect the roof independently. A licensed Homeland public adjuster documents the roof area by area, with photos and the evidence of cause, and presents it to the insurer.

We ask for a reinspection with us present, and send the new evidence in writing.

We use the dispute tools for you. Depending on the state and the dispute, that can mean appraisal or Florida’s free DFS mediation program, and we work alongside an attorney when one is needed. See every option, compared.

The full guide: roof claim denied for wear and tear or cosmetic damage. You can also upload the denial letter to Review My Claim for a first read in about a minute.

How Homeland Handles a Roof Claim

Inspect the roof, the attic and the interior together, not just the first visible damage, and photograph each damaged area up close.

Document storm damage separately from aging, using weather data for your address and date of loss, photos from before the storm, and close-up photos of each damaged area.

Prepare a line-item estimate of the roof, structural and interior repairs, with overhead and profit and code upgrades itemized.

Negotiate with the insurer, attend the reinspection, and pursue a supplemental claim, mediation or appraisal if the carrier will not move.

Before the next storm, Scan My Policy shows your roof deductible in dollars and whether your roof is paid at actual cash value or on a payment schedule.

Deadlines to Know

Florida. Florida law requires notice of an initial or reopened property claim within 1 year after the date of loss, and notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months after the date of loss. Your insurance company generally must acknowledge your claim within 7 calendar days, and pay or deny the claim within 60 days after receiving notice of it. Your policy may include its own requirements, so call Homeland first: we give your insurer notice and meet every deadline for you.

Sources: Sections 627.70132 and 627.70131, Florida Statutes.

New Jersey. New Jersey regulations require insurers to begin an investigation within 10 working days of notice of a claim, and set a 30-calendar-day period, running from receipt of a properly executed proof of loss, for first-party claims. If more time is needed, the insurer must explain why in writing, with updates every 45 days, unless a clear justification or other law provides otherwise.

Source: N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7.

NEWHomeland Public Adjuster Forum

Roof Claim Threads in the Forum

Threads answered by a licensed public adjuster. Reply with your own experience, or post a question of your own.

Roofs, Contractors & Repairs

Is my roof covered if it's old?

Nelson Avila, PA: An old roof can still have covered storm damage. Age isn't a cause of loss; what decides the claim is evidence of what caused the damage and when, and that evidence is what Homeland documents.

Reply ›Claims & Settlements

They underpaid my claim. Can you help me?

Nelson Avila, PA: Yes. Underpaid claims are one of the most common reasons people call Homeland.

Reply ›Insurers & Policies

How do I file a claim, and can my premium go up?

Nelson Avila, PA: Start by calling a licensed public adjuster before you file, so the claim is documented, valued and presented right from day one.

Reply ›

Post a Question →Browse the Forum →

Related guides

Roof Insurance Claim FAQs

Does homeowners insurance cover a roof leak?

It depends on the cause. Interior water damage is covered when a covered peril, such as wind or a falling tree, first creates an opening in the roof. A leak from age, deterioration or poor maintenance is usually excluded, so the inspection has to find and photograph the opening.

Will insurance cover an old roof?

An old roof can still have a covered storm claim. Age alone isn’t a reason to deny; the question is whether a covered event, like wind or hail, caused the damage. Older roofs do face more scrutiny, so evidence of cause and timing matters more.

Will my insurer pay for a full roof replacement or just a repair?

We document the full extent of the damage so the scope, repair or replacement, is decided on the evidence. The answer depends on the damage, the policy and, in Florida, the building code: a 2022 change to Florida’s building code made it easier for insurers to approve a partial roof repair instead of a full replacement, and some policies pay roofs on a payment schedule or at actual cash value.

How long do I have to file a roof claim in Florida?

Florida requires notice of an initial or reopened claim within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months (Fla. Stat. §627.70132). Your policy may include its own requirements, so call Homeland early to preserve the evidence while it is fresh.

Can Homeland help after my roof claim was denied?

Yes. A roof denial is often where Homeland starts: we inspect the roof, document storm damage separately from aging, and present it to the insurer with the evidence behind it. No Recovery, No Fee.

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Claims We Handle

Hurricane & Wind Damage→Flood Damage→Fire Damage→Water Damage→Winter Storm & Roof Damage→Theft & Vandalism Damage→Vehicle Impact Damage→Business & Commercial→Other Claims→Denied & Underpaid→

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Roof Claims We Handle

From a leaking ceiling after a summer storm to a hurricane roof or a winter ice dam, these are the roof-related claims property owners bring us.

Hurricane & Wind Damage Claims Winter Storm & Roof Damage Claims Water Damage Claims Lightning, Trees & Other Claims Denied & Underpaid Claims Condo & HOA Association Claims Business & Commercial Claims

How Can We Help You Recover, or Prepare?

Need Help With a Roof Claim?

Upload photos of the roof and the ceiling, or the insurer’s estimate or denial letter. A licensed public adjuster reviews it for free and calls you back right away. No Recovery, No Fee.

Start My Claim →Review My Claim →Get the Free AA App →

Or call 24/7: (305) 783-3777 Florida · (732) 517-3777 New Jersey. Hablamos español.

Verify Homeland

Check us before you hire anyone. Every license below links to its public record on the Florida Department of Financial Services licensee search.

Serves all of Florida: Yes — every city and county. A licensed Homeland public adjuster comes to your property within hours — no need to visit an office. Call (305) 783-3777, 24/7.
Homeland Public Adjusters Corporation: Florida public adjusting firm license W818638 · New Jersey public adjuster firm license 3003982360
Yeni Martinez, President: Florida public adjuster license P103370 (licensed since 2007) · New Jersey 3003714097 · designated primary adjuster
Alberto Enriquez: Senior licensed public adjuster, Florida P112658
Yisel Dieguez: Licensed public adjuster and Xactimate estimator, Florida W873884 · New Jersey 3003714335
Nelson Avila: Florida public adjuster license G332385 · Florida Certified Contractor CRC1331322 · property insurance appraiser and umpire
Complaints and reputation: 5.0★ on Google · BBB Accredited Business, A+ rating
Since 2006: Homeland Public Adjusters, Corp. was incorporated in Florida on December 11, 2006. Our President, Yeni Martinez, has held Florida public adjuster license P103370 since 2007. When Florida began requiring adjusting firms to hold their own firm license (a 2021 law, Senate Bill 1598; DFS began licensing adjusting firms in November 2021), Homeland was issued firm license W818638 on January 11, 2022. On November 10, 2026, Homeland became a BBB Accredited Business (BBB Serving Southeast Florida & the Caribbean), with an A+ rating. Each adjuster’s appointment with Homeland appears on that adjuster’s own DFS record.
English and Spanish. Office: 8004 NW 154th Street, Suite 609, Miami Lakes, FL 33016 (visits by appointment). Florida (305) 783-3777 · New Jersey (732) 517-3777, 24/7.