Insurance companies do not all lowball, and an offer that is lower than you hoped is not automatically a lowball. But there are patterns we see over and over on denied and shorted storm claims, and you can learn to spot them.
One caveat first. We only see the denied claims, so we are jaded. Homeowners whose claims were paid fairly never call us. With that bias on the table, here is what we look for.
The patterns
Metals only. The carrier pays for vents, pipe jacks, and gutters, and nothing for shingles. The metals prove hail fell, so the argument is about the shingles. We cover that in our post on "magnetic hail".
Partial slopes. One or two slopes get approved and the rest are called undamaged. We explain why that gets disputed in our post on matching and repairability.
Repair instead of replace. The estimate prices a handful of shingles when the roof is old, brittle, or made of a discontinued product that cannot be patched.
Omitted code items. Ice and water barrier, drip edge, and similar required items are missing.
Aggressive depreciation. The estimate takes a large chunk off for age, which shrinks the first check. If the policy pays replacement cost, that money is recoverable, but only after the work is done.
Price gaps. The carrier's unit prices are well under what local contractors charge. A steep, cut-up 37-square roof can land at $40,000 to $50,000 in our experience, and an estimate at half that deserves a closer look.
Slow or no response. Emails go unanswered, or the answer is a form letter. Minnesota sets response expectations for carriers, and a claim that sits with no reply for weeks is worth a written follow-up that cites the dates.
One example
A homeowner in Minnesota had a first offer of $51,125 on a storm claim. After the estimate was compared line by line, the missing scope documented, and the position argued back and forth, the final approved amount was $87,083.
That was one claim. It does not predict yours, and no one can honestly promise a result. It shows what a first offer can look like when the long list of items is still on the table. For a wider view: of 69 claims where the carrier had already made a real first offer, 100% closed higher.
Should we name a company?
No. We do not accuse any named insurance company of anything, and we would be wrong to generalize. Carriers ebb and flow, adjusters vary, and the same company can handle one claim carefully and another one badly in the same week.
What we can say is that the incentives are what they are. The insurance company writes the estimate, and the estimate sets what it pays. Nobody on that side is required to look for items it missed. The duty to prove the loss sits with the policyholder, which we explain in our post on what adjusters will not tell you.
How to compare the estimate line by line
Get the full itemized estimate, not the summary. Then lay it next to a contractor's written quote for the same roof.
Check these things in order:
- Squares. Does the carrier's roof measurement match the contractor's? A few squares off is a few thousand dollars.
- Slopes. Is every slope included, or only some?
- Required items. Are ice and water barrier, drip edge, starter, and ridge there?
- Charges. Is there a steep or high charge if the roof needs one?
- Trades. If the claim covers roof, gutters, and siding, is there overhead and profit?
- Depreciation. What was taken off, and is it recoverable?
Our post on what makes a claim underpaid goes through nine of these in detail, including how to spot each one.
How to ask for the adjuster's photos
Send a short email. Ask for the photos from the inspection, every slope, and the full estimate with all pages. Keep it polite and specific. If you hear nothing in ten business days, follow up and ask who the supervisor is.
Photos matter because they show exactly what the adjuster looked at, and what was never photographed at all. If a slope was approved and the photos show only half of it, or none of the hits you can see on yours, you now have something concrete to point to.
What a fair estimate looks like
It lists every slope. It includes code items. It uses local prices. It explains what it leaves out and cites the policy provision. And it lands somewhere near what a local roofer would charge, with a gap you can account for.
If your estimate looks like that, accept it. A fair first offer is a fair first offer, and we would tell you so on a consultation call. You can read more about how our review works.
The honest answer
A lowball is usually not one trick. It is a stack of small choices that all lean the same way: metals only, a partial slope, a missing code item, a low unit price. Each one looks reasonable alone.
Check the estimate line by line, ask for the adjuster's photos, and get a written local price for the same work. If the gap is large and unexplained, push back in writing. If it is small and explained, take the money and fix your roof.