Storm Restoration Claim Specialists
thorough damage documentation, Xactimate estimating, on-site adjuster coordination, and supplemental damage submissions — from first inspection through final payment
Insurance claims are where most storm and property damage projects go sideways. Undocumented damage, underestimated scopes, missed supplements, and unpaid code upgrades cost property owners thousands in out-of-pocket exposure. National Restoration brings deep claims expertise to every project: professional inspectors document damage thoroughly so your insurance file is complete, Xactimate-proficient estimators build scopes the way adjusters expect, and our project coordinators meet adjusters on-site to walk the damage together and provide our documentation package.
We do not take a percentage of your settlement. We are licensed contractors who understand the claims process deeply and coordinate with your carrier on documentation as the contractor of record. The result: cleaner files, faster approvals, more complete scopes, and a restored property that meets current code.
Our Claim Process
Seven stages that move a property damage claim from emergency dispatch to final payment — with a licensed contractor managing the file at every step.
Storm events do not follow business hours. Our inspection teams are dispatched around the clock following severe weather in our service regions. An experienced inspector arrives on-site, assesses the roof, envelope, and structure for all damage types, and determines whether the loss meets or exceeds the policy deductible before a claim is ever filed. No damage, no claim, no obligation.
Complete documentation is the foundation of every successful claim. We deploy drone aerial imagery on every roof slope, capture close-up hail impact and granule-loss photos with measured test squares, use calibrated moisture meters and thermal imaging (via our imaging partner) to map water intrusion, and pull NOAA hail size and National Weather Service wind speed data to corroborate field findings. Every damage claim is backed by a photo and evidence package that survives carrier scrutiny and supports supplement requests when additional damage is uncovered during tear-off.
Our estimators build the full damage scope in Xactimate — the estimating platform carriers use for claim settlement. Line items, unit prices, overhead and profit, and depreciation are all structured the way adjusters expect, which makes scope comparisons efficient and minimizes friction. We include all legitimately damaged components: not just the primary roof surface but also flashings, pipe boots, ridge caps, drip edge, ventilation, gutters, and any interior damage caused by the breach.
When the carrier dispatches an adjuster, we are there. Our claims coordinator and the inspecting estimator walk the property together with the adjuster, present our documentation package, and discuss scope line by line. This on-site collaboration resolves most scope disagreements before they become disputed supplements. Adjusters work more efficiently with a knowledgeable contractor on-site who can answer technical questions, point to specific damage, and provide the evidence that supports each line item.
Initial adjuster estimates almost always miss items — not because adjusters are negligent, but because some damage is only visible during tear-off. Rotted decking under shingles, deteriorated ice-and-water underlayment, and compromised structural sheathing are common examples. We photograph and document all concealed damage as it is uncovered and file supplement requests with supporting evidence. Our Xactimate team tracks every supplement from submission through approval, following up with the carrier until each legitimate item is paid.
Most homeowner and commercial property policies include Ordinance or Law coverage, which pays for code-mandated upgrades required when the damaged portion of a structure is repaired or replaced. Common code upgrades we document for the file include: ice-and-water shield in eave and valley areas per local amendments to IRC Section R905.1.1, code-compliant drip edge per IRC R905.2.8, closed-cell foam at penetrations, HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone) fastening schedules in wind-zone jurisdictions, and starter strip requirements. Many carriers require a separate supplement and engineering support for code-upgrade line items — we provide both.
Once the claim is approved, construction proceeds under the same team that documented the damage — there is no hand-off to an unfamiliar crew. For Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policies, withheld depreciation is recovered and released by the carrier once work is completed and verified. Our close-out package includes as-built photos, all warranty registrations, and a final reconciliation of the settlement against the actual scope — ready for your mortgage company release if the check was made co-payable.
What We Coordinate for You
Insurance claims involve more moving parts than most property owners anticipate. Our claims coordinators manage every stakeholder so you are not spending your evenings on hold with the carrier.
We explain Actual Cash Value versus Replacement Cost Value policies in plain language, track withheld depreciation through the carrier's system, and ensure the recoverable portion is released once work is complete. Many owners leave depreciation on the table because they do not know to request it — we make sure every dollar owed is collected.
We are transparent about deductible obligations from the first inspection. Standard deductibles, percentage-based wind and hail deductibles, and split deductibles are each handled differently in the settlement math. We help owners understand their net out-of-pocket exposure before work begins so there are no surprises at contract signing.
When a claim check is co-payable to both the property owner and the mortgage servicer, the lender must endorse the check before funds are released. We prepare the documentation packages that lenders require — inspection certificates, contractor license and insurance, signed contracts — and walk owners through the endorsement process to avoid payment delays.
We source replacement materials that match the claim scope: same shingle line, color, and profile as approved; same siding manufacturer and profile; same window line where possible. Where discontinued materials require like-kind-and-quality substitution, we document the equivalency for the carrier and update the approved scope accordingly.
Large storm claims involve multiple trades: roofing, siding, gutters, windows, painting, and sometimes structural and interior reconstruction. We schedule and supervise all sub-trades under a single contract so the property owner has one accountable point of contact — not six separate contractors working without coordination.
When a claim comes back denied or the settlement is clearly short, we review the denial basis, gather rebuttal evidence, and request reinspection with the carrier's field supervisor. Many denials are reversed with additional documentation (detailed inspection reports, weather data, and third-party engineering letters) submitted through the right channel at the right time.
Types of Covered Damage We Handle
Residential and commercial, single-event and catastrophic, simple and structurally complex.
Hail causes both visible surface damage and latent structural damage to shingles, metal flashings, gutters, AC condenser fins, siding, and skylights. Impact size matters: Class 4 impact-rated shingles (FM 4473 or UL 2218 standard) are the preferred replacement when carriers approve functional loss. We document hail size using field measurements and NOAA verification.
- Test squares with chalk-circled impact points on every slope
- Granule-loss assessment and spatter marks on soft metals
- NOAA storm reports and SPC storm data corroboration
Wind causes shingle blow-off, uplift-fracture, cracked ridge caps, bent flashings, siding impact from debris, and structural damage from fallen trees. Damage can be localized to one elevation or affect the full structure. We document peak gust data from the nearest reporting station and correlate it with ASCE 7 wind design speeds for the structure's risk category.
- Drone documentation of uplifted, creased, and missing sections
- Wind speed verification from NWS and local ASOS stations
- Structural assessment when tree impact is involved
Water damage caused by storm-breach penetrations requires both dry-out and reconstruction. We map moisture migration with thermal cameras and calibrated meters, coordinate with IICRC-certified mitigation crews, and scope the reconstruction to like-kind-and-quality standards. Interior damage — ceilings, insulation, drywall, cabinetry — is included in the Xactimate scope, not relegated to a separate contractor.
- Moisture meter readings and thermal imaging documentation (via imaging partner)
- Cause-of-loss analysis tying interior damage to envelope breach
- Full interior reconstruction scope in Xactimate
Fire and smoke claims are structurally complex: fire damage to framing and sheathing, smoke penetration into HVAC and wall cavities, and water damage from suppression are often all present simultaneously. Our estimators build multi-trade Xactimate files that capture all damage categories, and our project managers coordinate the sequencing of demolition, structural repair, and reconstruction required to restore the structure to pre-loss condition.
- Multi-trade documentation: structural, mechanical, finishes
- Smoke odor remediation scope and HVAC cleaning
- Code-compliance rebuild including Ordinance and Law coverage
We Work With All Major Homeowner and Commercial Carriers
Our role is as your contractor of record. Our compensation is the restoration contract, not a percentage of any settlement.
National Restoration works with all major homeowner and commercial carriers. We do not maintain preferred vendor relationships that compromise our objectivity, and we do not inflate scopes. Our documentation is thorough and accurate — we document every line item the damage warrants, and we do not pursue items the damage does not support. That approach builds the credibility with carrier field staff that supports efficient supplement review.
Our claims support is included when we are your restoration contractor — no separate claim fee, no percentage of the settlement. Contracts are written as contingency agreements: if the claim is not approved or funded at a level that covers the work, you are not obligated. Scope language is explicit, change-order pricing is agreed before work proceeds, and there are no hidden escalation clauses. You know your maximum out-of-pocket before we break ground.
Storm Patterns Across Our Service Regions
Every region has a distinct storm profile. Understanding local weather patterns shapes how we document damage and how we frame supplement narratives for regional carriers.
Atlanta sits at the northern edge of the Gulf moisture corridor and within the Southeast's active hail belt. The dense pine canopy across suburban and exurban markets creates a secondary wind damage profile — falling limbs and full trees on structures are a major claim category that many national adjusters underestimate without local knowledge. Spring supercell activity produces hail up to softball size in corridor years. Humidity also accelerates concealed wood rot behind damaged flashing, which makes thorough moisture documentation critical to capturing the full scope.
The DC Metro region experiences a distinct range of events: late-season hurricane remnants tracking up the Mid-Atlantic coast, summertime derecho events that produce widespread straight-line wind damage across hundreds of miles simultaneously, and isolated microburst cells that concentrate structural damage in tight geographic bands. The 2012 derecho is still a reference event for multi-county simultaneous claims. Our regional teams understand the carrier backlog dynamics following widespread events and how to position timely, well-documented files for priority processing.
Ohio sits inside the upper Midwest hail belt, with active tornado seasons and lake-effect snow loading that stresses roofing systems differently than rain-climate markets. The Ohio River valley generates its own convective activity, and the Cleveland and Columbus metros regularly appear on annual hail-event loss maps. Lake-effect snow accumulation in northern Ohio can exceed design loads for older structures, creating ice dam and structural loading claims that require specialized documentation beyond standard storm-damage templates.
What to Do After Storm Damage
The first hours after a storm affect both the physical outcome and the claim outcome. Follow these steps in order.
- 1
Safety first
Stay clear of downed power lines, standing water in contact with electrical panels, and structurally compromised areas. If the structure is unsafe for occupancy, evacuate and contact your carrier's emergency line before returning.
- 2
Document before touching anything
Photograph and video all visible exterior and interior damage before any cleanup or emergency repairs. Date-stamped photos taken by the property owner are valuable supplemental evidence — they capture the pre-repair state that adjusters otherwise cannot see.
- 3
Call us before calling your carrier
A brief call or contact form submission dispatches an inspection team. We assess the damage, tell you honestly whether it warrants a claim, and help you frame the initial claim correctly. Filing without a contractor's pre-assessment often results in an underscoped initial estimate that requires supplementing from behind.
- 4
Mitigate to prevent further damage
Policies require reasonable mitigation to prevent additional damage after a covered loss. Emergency tarping of breached roofs, boarding of broken windows, and water extraction in flooded spaces are all appropriate. Document every emergency mitigation step with photos and receipts — these costs are typically reimbursable under the claim.
- 5
Do not sign anything from a storm chaser
Following significant weather events, unlicensed or out-of-state contractors canvass neighborhoods soliciting quick signatures on assignment-of-benefits agreements or direction-to-pay forms. Read every document carefully before signing and confirm the contractor holds a valid license in your state before any work begins.
Get Expert Claims Help on Your Property Damage
Start with a free inspection and documentation review. We'll tell you honestly whether a claim is warranted, what a complete filing looks like, and what to expect from the process.