Claim Your Peace of Mind: Trusted Insurance Claims Specialists in Andover, MN
How does a storm damage insurance claim work? Six steps. Have the property inspected before you file, so you know whether there is a claimable loss at all. Document the damage with dated photographs and measurements. File with your carrier, who assigns an adjuster. Meet that adjuster on site with your own documentation so the scope reflects what is actually there. Once the scope is agreed and approved, the work is completed. Finally, final inspection and sign-off. The step homeowners most often skip is the first, and it is the one that prevents a denied claim sitting on your record for damage that was never claimable. In Minnesota you choose your own contractor — your carrier may suggest one, but the choice is yours.
Chad Erickson founded Total Home Exteriors in Andover, MN in 2003 and still walks every insurance claim personally. Last updated: September 2026.
Do I have to use the contractor my insurance company recommends?
No. In Minnesota the choice of contractor is yours. Carriers often suggest a preferred vendor from their network, and you may use them if you wish, but declining does not affect your coverage.
Should I file a claim for every storm?
No. A claim that is denied or falls under your deductible has no upside and goes on your record. Have the damage inspected first — if it is cosmetic, below the deductible, or unrelated to the storm, you are better off knowing before you file.
What happens if my claim is denied?
Denials are frequently documentation problems, especially with hail. Re-inspecting and re-documenting the damage properly with dated photographs and test squares, then requesting reinspection, has been enough to reopen claims and have them paid.
What your deductible actually means here
Two things worth checking before you file. First, many Minnesota policies apply a separate wind and hail deductible that is higher than the main one, and often expressed as a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat figure — on a substantial home that can be a large number.
Second, replacement cost versus actual cash value changes the outcome significantly. A replacement cost policy pays what it costs to replace the roof today; an actual cash value policy deducts depreciation for the roof's age, which on a fifteen-year-old roof can be a very large reduction. Know which you have before the adjuster arrives.
Why a contractor should be there when the adjuster is
The adjuster is assessing damage they will pay for, and doing it at volume after a regional storm. That is not an accusation — it is simply the situation. Having someone on the roof who has already inspected it, and who can point directly at what they found, changes what ends up in the scope.
Damage that both parties physically see and agree on does not become a dispute. Damage that only one party has seen usually does.
The paperwork worth keeping
Claims go more smoothly when this exists:
- The date of the storm, and ideally a local news or weather record of it.
- Dated photographs from before any repair work, including ground-level shots of soft metal.
- Receipts for emergency mitigation such as tarping — usually reimbursable.
- Your policy declarations page, showing deductibles and whether coverage is replacement cost or actual cash value.
- Written scopes and estimates rather than verbal figures.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Will filing a claim raise my premium?
That is a question for your insurance agent, not for a roofing contractor — we will not guess at your carrier's rating decisions. What is generally true is that weather claims are treated differently from at-fault claims, and a large hail event affects a whole region rather than one policyholder. Ask your agent before you file; it costs nothing.
What is a public adjuster, and do I need one?
A public adjuster works for the policyholder rather than the insurer and takes a percentage of the settlement. They can be worth it on large or genuinely disputed claims. For a straightforward roof claim with good documentation and a contractor present at the inspection, most homeowners do not need one.
Can a contractor waive my deductible?
No, and you should treat any offer to do so as a serious warning. Absorbing or rebating a deductible is insurance fraud in many jurisdictions and exposes the homeowner as well as the contractor. A contractor willing to do it is telling you how they treat rules generally.
How long does a claim take?
Most of the elapsed time is the carrier's, not the contractor's: filing, the adjuster's visit, agreeing the scope and approval. That varies considerably by carrier and by how many homes in the region were hit at once. Once approved, the physical work on a typical house is measured in days.
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