How to file a roof
insurance claim in
Oklahoma. Step by step.

Before you call anyone, document. Take photos and video of everything you can see from the ground: dents in gutters, granule buildup in downspouts, siding damage, cracked window screens, fence cap dings, AC condenser fins. Do not climb on your roof. What you can see at eye level is plenty.

Note the date and time. Note the approximate hail size if you observed it. Check the NWS storm reports for your ZIP code at weather.gov to find the official hail size and track for your storm event. Download and save that page. Insurance adjusters reference it. You should have it too.

If you have active water intrusion inside your home, photograph that as well. Ceiling stains, bucket placement, wet insulation in the attic. Document the interior condition before anything dries. Those photos establish that the storm caused real damage, not just surface impact.

File your claim directly with your insurance carrier. Not through a contractor. Not through a third party. You call your carrier's claims line, you report the loss, you get a claim number. That claim number goes in your file.

When you call, tell them the date of loss and the weather event. Give them the NWS reference if you have it. Ask for a claims examiner name and direct contact number. Ask about the adjuster visit timeline. Ask whether your policy is ACV (actual cash value) or RCV (replacement cost value). That distinction determines how your payout works.

Do not sign anything at this stage. Do not accept a settlement check. Do not let a contractor file the claim on your behalf. That is the first step toward an assignment of benefits situation, and it removes your control over the process before it has even started.

This is where AE Roofing comes in. Schedule your free storm inspection before the adjuster arrives. The inspection produces a 14-page Xactimate-ready PDF: drone footage of every roof plane, ground photos, attic moisture readings, damage classification by section, and a line-item repair scope.

Getting this document before the adjuster visit gives you a complete, independent account of the damage. When your adjuster shows up with their own scope, you have something to compare it against. Items the adjuster misses become supplementable line items. Without prior documentation, you have no basis to challenge what the adjuster writes.

The inspection is free. It happens within 24 to 48 hours of your call. It costs you nothing and positions you far better in the claim than going into the adjuster meeting with no documentation of your own.

Once you have the inspection PDF, file your claim. Hand the PDF to your carrier's online portal or fax it directly to your claims examiner. Note the date you submitted it. If you submitted by mail, use certified mail.

Your claim submission should include: the completed loss notice, the inspection PDF, your ground-level photos and video, and the NWS storm reference. Do not speculate on repair costs. Let the inspection PDF carry the scope. The adjuster will conduct their own assessment and compare it to what you have submitted.

In Oklahoma, most carriers give you 365 days from the date of loss to file a hail or storm claim. Some have tightened that window to 180 days. Check your declarations page for your specific policy language. Do not assume the 365-day window applies to your carrier.

The adjuster visit is the most important meeting in the claim process. This is where the scope gets written. What they include here determines what gets paid. Having a knowledgeable contractor present changes the outcome.

Your AE Roofing project manager will be there. We walk every plane of the roof with the adjuster, identify each damage point, and compare their assessment to our inspection PDF in real time. When they miss a section of granule loss, we document it. When their scope excludes drip edge replacement or valley flashing, we write the supplement immediately with supporting code and manufacturer language.

Adjusters are thorough professionals. They are also working through dozens of claims per week during peak hail season. Having a contractor who is focused solely on your roof, with documentation in hand, is the single biggest factor in getting a complete scope on the first review.

After the adjuster visit, you will receive an initial scope of loss. This is the insurance company's written estimate of what they will pay. Read it carefully. Compare it to the AE Roofing inspection PDF.

Common omissions in initial scopes include: ice and water shield in valleys and around penetrations, code-required decking upgrades when old decking is removed, matching shingles across adjacent planes when full plane replacement is required by the manufacturer, and general contractor overhead when the scope involves multiple trades.

For each missing item, we write a supplement. A supplement is a formal request to add or increase a line item, supported by documentation. Oklahoma carriers are required to respond to supplements within a defined timeframe. Most legitimate supplements are approved. The ones that get pushed back are the ones without evidence. Ours have evidence.

Once your claim is approved and the scope is finalized, choose a contractor and sign a written contract. The contract should specify: the scope of work line by line, the materials by manufacturer and product line, the payment schedule tied to milestones, the warranty terms, and a start date.

You are not required to use any contractor your insurer recommends. Oklahoma law gives you the right to choose your own. If an insurer suggests a preferred contractor, ask that contractor the same questions you would ask anyone: are they licensed in Oklahoma, do they carry workers' comp, do they use their own crews or subcontractors, and what warranty do they offer.

Do not sign anything with an assignment of benefits clause. Read the contract before you sign it. If a clause transfers your insurance rights to the contractor, ask them to remove it. If they refuse, find a different contractor.

Installation begins once the contract is signed and materials are ordered. A standard residential re-roof takes one to two days. Your contractor should provide daily progress photos and communicate any scope changes that arise during installation, such as decking damage discovered once old shingles are removed.

After installation is complete, your contractor submits the final invoice to your insurer. If you have an RCV policy, the final invoice triggers the release of the depreciation holdback, which is the second check. The insurer compares the invoice to the approved scope and releases the remaining funds, minus your deductible.

Your deductible is paid to the contractor, not the insurer. The contractor receives the ACV check plus the depreciation release. You pay your deductible only. That is the complete financial picture. If a contractor offers to waive your deductible, that is insurance fraud under Oklahoma law. Walk away.