Calling your insurer after a Triad storm: what to ask
Questions to ask your insurance company when you report roof damage in Greensboro and the Triad, as a printable list, with the North Carolina deadlines that apply.
Last reviewed against official sources. General information, not insurance or legal advice.
When you report the damage, ask for a claim number and the adjuster's contact, which deductible applies, whether the roof is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value, which emergency repairs are covered, when the inspection will be, whether a sworn proof of loss is needed and by when, and how payments and your mortgage company will be handled.
North Carolina's standard policy provisions require a sworn proof of loss within 60 days after the loss unless your insurer extends it in writing. Ask about it on the first call.
Before you pick up the phone
Short answer: have your policy number, the storm date, a short list of the damage and your photos ready.
- Your declarations page, so you know your deductibles.
- The date and time of the storm and what you saw: hail size, wind, falling limbs.
- A room-by-room and outside list of damage.
- Receipts for tarps or tree work already done.
- Something to take notes on.
Coverage
Short answer: confirm the deductible in dollars and how the roof will be valued before work starts.
Ask whether a wind/hail deductible applies or your regular deductible. Ask whether the roof is on replacement cost, actual cash value or a roof schedule, and whether there is a cosmetic exclusion. If a tree fell, ask about the tree removal limit; many policies cap it.
Right away
Ask what emergency repairs they want you to make, such as tarping or boarding, and whether they reimburse them. You can generally choose your own roofer; ask how to submit their estimate. Ask whether to keep damaged pieces, like broken slate or a dented vent, for the adjuster.
Timing
Short answer: ask for an inspection date, a decision timeline and every deadline you need to meet.
After a large Triad hailstorm, insurers may take weeks to inspect every claim. Ask what to do if things get worse before then. Ask whether a sworn proof of loss is required and its due date (North Carolina's standard provisions point to 60 days unless extended). Put the three-year suit limit on your calendar from the storm date. North Carolina's unfair claim settlement practices law (G.S. 58-63-15(11)) lists practices insurers may not engage in, including failing to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claims, refusing to pay without a reasonable investigation, and failing to promptly explain the basis for a denial or a compromise offer. The NC Department of Insurance enforces it.
Payment
Ask whether you will get one payment or an actual cash value payment followed by recoverable depreciation, who will be named on the check, and how your mortgage company handles claim funds. If you have to leave the house, ask how to submit additional living expense receipts.
Keep a written record
After each call, jot down the date, time, name and what was agreed, and send a short confirming email. One folder for everything makes any later dispute easier.
The NC Department of Insurance Consumer Services line (855-408-1212) can explain policy terms and help if you cannot get answers from your insurer.
If the insurer is slow
Keep asking in writing, and keep copies. North Carolina's law on unfair claim settlement practices, G.S. 58-63-15(11), bars insurers from failing to act reasonably promptly on claim communications as a general practice. If calls and emails aren't returned, ask for a supervisor, then consider a complaint to the NC Department of Insurance.
Questions about the mortgage company
- Will my mortgage company be named on the check?
- How does my lender release money for repairs, and what does it need from me?
- Can the insurer send the check for the roof directly to me and the lender together?
Call your lender's loss draft department early. Many lenders hold larger checks and release them in stages as work is done.
North Carolina quick reference for roof claims
The state rules that most often matter on a roof claim in Greensboro and the Piedmont Triad. Summaries only; rules can change, and your policy and the full text control.
| Insurance regulator | North Carolina Department of Insurance, 855-408-1212 |
|---|---|
| File a complaint | NC Department of Insurance assistance and complaint form, 855-408-1212 |
| Wind/hail and hurricane deductibles | Many North Carolina policies, especially near the coast, carry a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind/hail deductible, often written as a percentage of the dwelling coverage (Coverage A) rather than a flat dollar amount. The declarations page shows which deductibles apply. The NC Department of Insurance can explain terms and take complaints. (NC Department of Insurance) |
| Time limit to sue | North Carolina's standard fire insurance policy provisions, which North Carolina courts have applied to homeowners policies and to wind and other non-fire losses, say no suit on the policy can be brought unless it is started within three years after the "inception of the loss" (G.S. 58-44-16(f)(18)). North Carolina courts have read that as the date of the storm, not the date you discovered the damage or the date the claim was denied. The same standard provisions require a signed, sworn proof of loss within 60 days after the loss unless the insurer extends that in writing, so read your policy's duties-after-loss section closely. (G.S. 58-44-16(f)(18)) |
| Unfair claims practices | North Carolina's unfair claim settlement practices law (G.S. 58-63-15(11)) lists practices insurers may not engage in, including failing to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claims, refusing to pay without a reasonable investigation, and failing to promptly explain the basis for a denial or a compromise offer. The NC Department of Insurance enforces it. (G.S. 58-63-15(11)) |
| Public adjusters | North Carolina public adjusters must be licensed by the NC Department of Insurance (G.S. 58, Article 33A). After a catastrophic incident declared by the President or the Governor, a public adjuster may not charge more than 10% of the settlement, and may not take any fee, retainer or deposit before the claim settles (G.S. 58-33A-60). According to the department's consumer guide, you can rescind a public adjuster contract in writing within three business days of signing, and if the insurer offers the full policy limits within 72 hours of the loss report, the adjuster cannot take a percentage commission. (G.S. Chapter 58, Article 33A) |
| Matching | North Carolina does not have a specific matching statute or regulation for property claims that we could find. Whether your insurer pays to replace undamaged shingles or siding so the repair matches depends on your policy wording, so ask the adjuster to explain in writing how matching is handled. |
| Roofers and your claim | Only you, or a licensed public adjuster you hire, should negotiate the claim itself; ask any contractor who offers to do it whether they hold a public adjuster license. |
| Contractor licensing | North Carolina has no separate state license for roofers on smaller jobs. A general contractor license from the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors is required when the total cost of a project is $40,000 or more (G.S. 87-1), and roofing work at that size falls under the board's building, residential, or specialty roofing classifications. Below that amount, ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, and check the local building permit office. (license lookup) |
Questions for your insurer (printable)
- Claim number: ____ Adjuster name, phone and email: ____
- Which deductible applies to this storm, in dollars?
- Is my roof covered at replacement cost, actual cash value or on a schedule?
- Is there a cosmetic exclusion on my policy?
- Which temporary repairs should I make, and will you pay for them?
- Can I choose my own roofer? How should their estimate be sent?
- When is the inspection, and may my roofer be there?
- Do you need a sworn proof of loss? By what date?
- Is there coverage for tree removal, and what is the limit?
- Does additional living expense apply if we have to move out?
- How and when is recoverable depreciation paid?
- Will my mortgage company be named on the check?
- How should I send photos and receipts?
- Who do I contact if the adjuster is unreachable?
Frequently asked questions
Can I pick my own roofer?
Generally yes. Ask your insurer how it wants the estimate submitted.
Should I file if the damage is close to my deductible?
Get a roofer's estimate first, and ask your agent how a claim below the deductible is recorded.
Is tree removal covered?
Often, when the tree damaged a covered structure, up to a limit. Ask your insurer for the limit.
What if the adjuster will not call back?
Email with your claim number, ask for a supervisor, and contact the NC Department of Insurance if delays continue.
Policies vary. Check your own policy and ask your insurer or agent about anything that affects your claim. Laws and rules can change; this page reflects official sources as of October 29, 2026. RoofingGreensboro.com is not a contractor, insurer, adjuster or law firm.
Find local help
Roofing contractors serving Greensboro and the Piedmont Triad · Ask for storm help · Counties and towns