Roof insurance claims in Ontario — what's actually covered.

What standard Ontario homeowner insurance covers

Most standard Ontario policies cover sudden, accidental damage from named perils. They do not cover gradual wear, age, lack of maintenance, or damage that started before the policy began.

• Wind damage — covered (typically with deductible)
• Hail damage — covered
• Tree or branch impact — covered
• Ice dam damage — usually covered if ice formed during a covered weather event
• Lightning strike — covered
• Vandalism — covered
• Gradual wear, end-of-life shingles, lack of maintenance — NOT covered
• Pre-existing damage that worsened — disputed, often denied

The right order of operations

Almost all denied claims trace back to mistakes in the first 48 hours. Following this order keeps you on the strongest ground:

• 1. Mitigate further damage immediately (tarp, move possessions). Failure-to-mitigate is the #1 reason for partial denial.
• 2. Photograph the damage from inside and outside before any work starts
• 3. Open a claim with your insurance — get a claim number — within the policy notification window
• 4. Get a drone inspection from a reputable contractor — the dated photo file becomes part of your evidence
• 5. Submit photos + drone file + written assessment to your adjuster
• 6. Adjuster either approves remotely or schedules a site visit (drone footage often replaces the visit)
• 7. Settlement issued — review scope carefully before signing
• 8. Repair scheduled and completed — final invoice submitted to insurance

What adjusters actually need

Adjusters reviewing your claim aren't looking for the most dramatic photos — they're looking for evidence that supports a clear chain of: peril event → caused damage → on a specific date → costing this much to repair. A thorough drone inspection file covers all four:

• Date and time stamps on every photograph
• GPS coordinates embedded in the file metadata
• Wide-context photos showing the whole roof for orientation
• Tight-detail photos of each damage location
• Cause assessment in writing (e.g., 'wind-lifted shingles consistent with the July 12 derecho')
• Line-item repair estimate matching their cost-database expectations

Why we don't work on contingency

Some roofers offer to 'handle the whole claim for free' — meaning they take a percentage of your settlement as their fee. This sounds free; it isn't. Contingency contractors have an incentive to inflate scope, push for full replacement when repair is sufficient, and pressure you toward decisions that maximize their fee, not your outcome. We charge a flat inspection fee (waived if you do the repair with us), and a flat, line-item, fixed-price repair quote. Your settlement is yours.

What to do if your claim is denied

Initial denials are often reversible. Common reasons for denial and how to address them:

• 'Damage is gradual wear': a drone inspection often reveals fresh damage masked by old wear, which can be re-documented and resubmitted
• 'Damage predates the storm': weather data combined with date-stamped photos often establishes the timeline
• 'Insufficient documentation': a thorough drone file is typically more comprehensive than initial phone-photo submissions
• 'Damage doesn't meet the deductible': accurate replacement-cost estimate sometimes brings legitimate claims above threshold
• 'Coverage gap': review your policy for endorsements you may have missed

Working with public adjusters

Public adjusters (different from your insurance company's adjuster) are licensed professionals who advocate for you in complex claims. They can work from the same kind of date-stamped photo file a drone inspection produces. For most straightforward storm-damage claims, you don't need a public adjuster. For disputed claims, denied claims, or large losses, they can be worth the fee.