How to File a Roof Insurance Claim in Oklahoma - What to Have Ready Before You Call

To file a roof insurance claim in Oklahoma, you call your insurance carrier yourself and report the damage - but the claim goes far better if you have the storm date, photos, policy details and an independent roof inspection ready before you make that call. CRE Roofing does free inspections across the Oklahoma City metro, and this is the checklist we walk homeowners through.

Step 1: Get the roof inspected first

Before you call the carrier, find out whether you actually have functional damage. A claim that gets denied can still go on your record, so it pays to know first.

Functional hail damage is a fracture in the shingle mat under the granules. It can be invisible from the driveway. A proper inspection means someone gets on the roof, chalks and photographs impacts on each slope and checks the soft metals, vents and decking that adjusters look at. If there is no claim worth filing, a good inspector will tell you that, too.

Read what a free roof inspection includes for the full list.

Step 2: Gather what the carrier will ask for

Have these ready before you pick up the phone:

• Your policy number and the name on the policy
• The storm date. Write down the date and approximate time the hail or wind hit. If you are not sure, check local news or weather reports for your area.
• Interior photos. Any water stains, wet insulation or drips, photographed before you clean anything up.
• Exterior photos from the ground. Shingles in the yard, dented gutters, damaged siding or vents.
• Inspection notes and photos from your roofer, if you have them.
• Receipts for any emergency work, such as tarping, to stop more water getting in.

Step 3: File the claim yourself

You file the claim, not your contractor. Report the date of loss, describe the damage and ask what happens next. The carrier will assign an adjuster and schedule an inspection.

Write down your claim number and the adjuster's name. Keep everything in one folder or one email thread.

Step 4: Have your roofer at the adjuster visit

The adjuster inspects the roof on their own schedule. It helps a lot if your roofer is there with their documentation, so both inspections are looking at the same roof on the same day. At CRE, we meet the adjuster on site with our test squares already chalked and photographed.

Step 5: Read the scope of loss

After the inspection, the carrier issues a scope of loss and usually an initial payment. That first payment is often actual cash value, with depreciation held back until the work is done.

Check the scope for anything missing - vents, flashing, gutters, siding, or removing and reinstalling solar panels. If the same storm damaged it, it may belong on the same claim. Our post on what a hail restoration should cover besides shingles lists what to look for.

Step 6: Build, supplement and close it out

Once the work is agreed, the roof gets built. Your contractor can submit supplements for items the first scope missed. Withheld depreciation is typically released once the work is complete and documented.

You pay your deductible. Since November 1, 2023, Oklahoma law has prohibited roofing contractors from offering to pay, waive or rebate it. If anyone offers, treat that as a warning sign. More on that in can a roofer pay your deductible in Oklahoma.

If the claim is denied

Get the denial in writing and read the reason. Most Oklahoma roof denials say the damage was cosmetic, blame age or wear, or say the date of loss did not line up with a storm. All three are arguments about evidence. See what documentation changes a denied hail claim.

Common questions

Who files the roof claim - me or the roofer?

You do. Your roofer documents the damage, meets the adjuster and builds the roof.

Does filing a claim raise my rates?

That depends on your policy, claims history and carrier. Ask your agent.

Can a roofer negotiate my claim for me?

No. A roofing contractor cannot act as your public adjuster. They can document, meet the adjuster, supplement and build.

What if I am not sure there is damage?

Get a free inspection first. It is the step that tells you whether to file at all.

Start with a free inspection

Before you call your carrier, let CRE Roofing photograph your roof and tell you honestly whether you have a claim. Start on our contact page or read how Oklahoma roof insurance claims work.