A scope of loss is the adjuster’s itemized list of the damage your insurer accepted and the estimated cost of each repair. You should read it in a set order: gather your policy first, check the header details, read the summary page, then go line by line through each area of the house and write down every question to send back in writing. This printable checklist follows that order. It is general information, not legal or coverage advice. Integrity Roofing and Painting is a roofing contractor; we do not handle, adjust or negotiate insurance claims, and in Colorado and Texas the law does not allow a contractor to act as a public adjuster.
On this page: Gather first · Header · Summary page · Roof lines · Rest of the house · Questions · Texas notes
Gather these before you start
- Your declarations page, which shows your coverage limits and deductibles.
- The full policy with endorsements. In Colorado, C.R.S. 10-4-110.8(10) requires the insurer to send a copy within 3 business days of your request.
- Your claim number and the adjuster’s contact details.
- Your own photos from the storm and any receipts for emergency repairs.
- Your roofer’s inspection photos, roof measurements and written scope, if you have a contractor.
- A highlighter and a notepad for questions.
The first page: header details
- Name and property address are correct.
- Policy number and claim number match your paperwork.
- The date of loss matches the storm. If more than one storm hit, ask which one the estimate covers.
- The type of loss is right (hail, wind or both), since some policies apply a separate wind and hail deductible.
- The price list named on the estimate is for your area and a recent month. Most insurers price estimates with a regional price list in a program called Xactimate.
The summary page
- Replacement cost value (RCV): the cost to repair or replace with new materials of like kind and quality.
- Depreciation, split into recoverable and non-recoverable. Brackets often mark non-recoverable amounts.
- Actual cash value (ACV): RCV minus depreciation. On an ACV roof endorsement, this may be all the roof receives.
- The deductible that was applied, and whether it matches your declarations page.
- Any prior payments subtracted, such as an advance for emergency repairs.
- The net claim, which is usually your first payment.
- Separate summaries for dwelling, other structures, contents or code items. If there is more than one, add them together.
Our guide to reading a roof insurance claim summary has a worked example of this math.
Roof line items
Read the roof section next to your roofer’s measurements. Most gaps are missing items, not unit prices.
- Roof area in squares (100 square feet each) matches the measured roof, plus a waste allowance.
- Tear-off is listed for every layer on the roof. In El Paso County, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department requires all existing layers to be removed before new asphalt shingles go on.
- Underlayment, and ice barrier at the eaves where your local code requires it.
- Drip edge, starter strip, and hip and ridge cap appear as their own lines.
- Every vent, pipe jack, exhaust cap and skylight on the roof is counted.
- Step flashing, chimney flashing and any counterflashing are listed where the roof meets walls.
- Steep pitch or high roof charges appear if your roof needs them.
- The permit is listed, sometimes marked “if incurred”.
- Removal and reset items, such as solar panels, satellite dishes or gutter guards, are included where they apply.
Elevations, other structures and interior
An elevation is one side of the house. Walk around the outside with the estimate and check each side in turn.
- Gutters and downspouts on each elevation, by length.
- Window screens, wraps and any cracked glass.
- Siding and paint on the damaged sides.
- Air conditioner fins, if the policy covers them under the dwelling.
- Other structures: fences, sheds, detached garages, pergolas.
- Interior rooms, if water came in: ceilings, insulation, paint.
Code items and law and ordinance coverage
When a roof is replaced, current code can require items your old roof did not have, such as drip edge or ice barrier. Law and ordinance coverage pays for those code upgrades. Colorado insurers must offer it at no less than 20% of the dwelling limit, and since January 1, 2025, Colorado declarations pages must show in bold type whether you bought or rejected it.
- Check your declarations page for law and ordinance coverage.
- Look for code items on the estimate, sometimes on a separate summary.
- Ask your roofer which items your building department requires on a reroof. See Colorado Springs roofing codes or Denver roofing codes.
Questions to send in writing
Phone answers are easy to lose. Email your questions to the adjuster and keep the replies with the estimate.
- Ask for an itemized explanation of any line or total you do not understand. The Colorado Division of Insurance recommends asking for one.
- For anything denied or reduced, ask for the specific policy language. Colorado lists failing to promptly give a reasonable explanation, based on the policy, for a denial or compromise offer as an unfair claim practice (C.R.S. 10-3-1104(1)(h)(XIV)).
- Ask how, and by when, to claim recoverable depreciation after the work is done.
- If hidden damage turns up during repairs, report it before work continues so the insurer can consider a supplement.
- Ask whether a revised estimate will be issued, and get it in writing before work starts.
Texas notes
The same reading order works in Texas, with a few state rules worth knowing.
- Texas Insurance Code 542.055 gives insurers 15 days after notice of a claim to acknowledge it and start investigating.
- Under 542.056, the insurer must accept or reject the claim in writing within 15 business days after it has the items it needs, and a rejection must give the reasons. It can take 45 more days if it tells you why.
- Once it accepts, 542.057 calls for payment within 5 business days.
- Insurance Code 707.004 lets the insurer hold back depreciation until you show reasonable proof you paid the deductible.
- Insurance Code 4102.163 bars a contractor from acting as a public adjuster on a property it works on, even with a power of attorney.
Austin homeowners can also read our Texas roof claim filing deadline guide.
Where a roofer fits
In Colorado, C.R.S. 6-22-105(3) lets a roofer with a signed contract discuss the scope of repairs with your insurer for you, but not act as a public adjuster. We help on the roof side: dated photos, measurements and a written scope that names the code and manufacturer items, so you can compare it with the insurer’s estimate. Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800 for a free Colorado Springs inspection, (303) 209-0152 for a free Denver inspection, or (512) 610-5897 for a free Austin inspection.
More homeowner checklists: After a hailstorm in Colorado · Hiring a roofer in Colorado and Texas · Roof maintenance, spring and fall
Sources: C.R.S. 10-4-110.8 (policy copies; law and ordinance offer and declarations page); C.R.S. 10-3-1104(1)(h) (unfair claim settlement practices); C.R.S. 6-22-105 (roofers and public adjusting); Colorado Division of Insurance, consumer advisory with tips after a hailstorm (2024); PPRBD Reroofing Guidelines; Texas Insurance Code chapter 542, chapter 707 and section 4102.163.
Email me this checklist (optional)
Thanks. We received your request and our office will email you a copy of this checklist. For anything sooner, call (719) 488-2800, (303) 209-0152 or (512) 610-5897.
