What to Do After Your Roof Claim Is Approved (Step by Step)

Your approval letter usually includes: the ACV check amount, the deductible, the recoverable depreciation being held, the deadline to complete repairs, and any special conditions (e.g., 'pending permit,' 'excluding gutters,' 'subject to code compliance').

Write those five numbers and any conditions on a single page. Everything else follows from them.

Verify the contractor's state license, general liability insurance, and workers' compensation. Ask for the certificate of insurance addressed to you as the property owner. Confirm they are pulling the permit under their license — do not pull a permit under your homeowner name for a contractor.

Read the contract carefully. Watch for 'assignment of benefits' clauses, contingency clauses that lock you in whether or not repairs happen, and blank pricing subject to the insurance scope. You want a specific scope and specific price.

Compare the insurance scope to your contractor's proposed scope side-by-side. Missing items go into a supplement now, not after the roof is torn off. Common early supplements: drip edge, starter strip, ice & water shield, ridge cap, permit fee, and code-required decking upgrades.

Sign the contract at the corrected scope amount. If the carrier will not approve certain items until tear-off, note that in the contract as 'subject to supplement upon inspection.'

The first check often names both you and your mortgage lender (if you have a mortgage). Contact your lender's loss draft or insurance-claim department; they will explain their specific endorsement and processing steps. Many lenders release funds in draws tied to work milestones (for example, a portion at start, mid-project, and completion), but the exact process, timing, and inspection requirements vary by lender.

Do not pay the contractor the full amount upfront. Standard is deposit at material delivery, progress payment during install, final payment at completion after your inspection.

Be on site if possible when the roof comes off. This is when hidden damage is discovered: rotted decking, missing flashing under the shingles, prior improper repairs. Photograph everything before it is covered up.

Ask your contractor to write a same-day supplement for anything unexpected. Send it to the carrier that afternoon. Waiting a week means the evidence is buried under a finished roof.

Once installation is complete, the local building department inspects and signs off the permit. Your contractor then issues a Certificate of Completion and a final itemized invoice. Both go to the insurance carrier with completion photos.

This is what unlocks the recoverable depreciation check. Do not skip the permit sign-off — some carriers will not release depreciation without it.

Submit the final invoice with a written request to release the recoverable depreciation. If the final invoice exceeds the original scope (a common situation), attach a final supplement request showing the delta. Processing times vary by carrier, policy, and documentation submitted.

Once the depreciation check clears, keep every document — invoice, permit, photos, warranty — with your policy paperwork. You may need it for a future claim or a home sale.