Storm Claims

Most homeowner insurance policies cover damage caused by storms, including wind, hail, lightning, and fallen trees. Coverage typically includes structural damage to your roof, siding, windows, and interior damage caused by storm-related breaches. Your public adjuster will review your policy to identify all applicable coverages and ensure you receive the maximum settlement.

Insurance companies frequently deny roof claims by classifying legitimate storm damage as pre-existing wear and tear or deferred maintenance. This is one of the most common tactics used to underpay or deny claims. ACI's licensed public adjusters and engineers can document that the damage was indeed caused by a storm event, not neglect, and fight the denial on your behalf.

Insurance policies generally require that repairs restore your property to its pre-loss condition. If your siding or roofing materials are discontinued and cannot be matched, your policy may cover the cost of replacing all affected areas to ensure a uniform appearance. ACI will advocate for full matching and restoration coverage on your behalf.

Mold that develops as a direct result of storm damage is typically covered as part of that loss, but most policies cap mold remediation — commonly $5,000 to $10,000. Standard homeowner forms written since 2003 generally carry a mold exclusion with a narrow carve-back for mold resulting from a covered water loss, and the cap applies to that carve-back. The limit, not the coverage, is often what decides a mold claim. Insurance companies may also try to argue that the mold was pre-existing or caused by neglect. Prompt documentation and filing are essential. ACI's team will ensure mold damage is properly documented and included in your claim.

Filing a claim with ACI is simple. Call us at 1-800-809-4302 for a free consultation and inspection. Our licensed public adjusters will assess the damage, review your policy, document everything with detailed photography and reports, and handle all communication with your insurance carrier from start to finish.

No. 'Cosmetic' versus 'functional' is an opinion about whether hail or wind compromised the roof's ability to shed water, and opinions can be rebutted. The classification often determines whether a roof is repaired, partially replaced, or fully replaced, so carriers have every incentive to call marring cosmetic. An independent inspection — test squares, slope-by-slope photographs, and where warranted a second engineering opinion — is the standard way to contest it.

It depends on your policy language and whether the remaining shingles can genuinely be matched in kind and quality. Discontinued shingle lines are common on Pennsylvania roofs, and a visibly mismatched slope raises the matching question — some policies and some case-by-case negotiations support replacing beyond the damaged slope for a reasonably uniform appearance, others do not. This is a policy-specific fight, and it is one of the most frequent gaps between a carrier estimate and a complete one.

Interior water damage from ice damming is commonly covered under homeowner policies, though the dam removal itself and any resulting mold have policy-specific treatment. Ice dam losses are a Pennsylvania winter staple and are frequently misclassified as maintenance because gutters are involved. Documentation of the weather event, the dam, and the interior moisture path is what keeps the claim in covered territory.

Be careful. Post-storm door-knockers often ask homeowners to sign assignments or contingent repair agreements that hand over control of the insurance claim. In Pennsylvania, only a licensed attorney or a licensed public adjuster may negotiate an insurance claim on your behalf — a roofing contractor may not, no matter what the paperwork says. Verify any adjuster's license with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department before signing anything.