Insurance Claims & Adjuster Disputes
The Line Items Adjusters Leave Off Roof Estimates
Starter course, ridge cap, drip edge, valley metal and ventilation are required on every re-roof and routinely missing from carrier estimates.
Written by Nathaniel Davis, owner of Roof Gutter Now — a licensed exterior restoration contractor in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Updated August 2026
The five most commonly omitted
- Starter course. Required at eaves and rakes for wind resistance. Frequently absent, or written as cut three-tab rather than the manufacturer’s starter product.
- Hip and ridge cap. Sometimes written as field shingle, which is neither code-compliant nor warrantable on most systems.
- Drip edge. Required at eaves and rakes under the IRC. Often written as reuse.
- Valley metal. Written as reuse, which is not realistic once the roof is torn off.
- Ventilation. Ridge vent and intake components must be replaced with the roof, not carried over.
How to submit the additions
Take each item separately with the manufacturer specification or code section that requires it, and the measured quantity. Requesting five itemised additions with citations gets a different response than requesting a lump-sum increase.
Reuse language deserves particular attention. Ask directly how a component is to be salvaged intact during tear-off. Most reuse lines exist because nobody asked.
Common questions
Do I have to accept their estimate?
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No. It is their opening scope. Supplements exist because first estimates are rarely complete.
What if they refuse an item?
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Ask for the refusal basis in writing against the code or manufacturer requirement you cited. That usually resolves it.
Does this delay the job?
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Supplements are typically handled during or after the work, not before. The job does not have to wait.
More on Insurance Claims & Adjuster Disputes
- Why Adjusters Call Creased Shingles “Mechanical Damage”
- The Repairability Test: Proving a Patch Will Destroy the Roof
- Overhead & Profit: Triggering the Three-Trade Requirement
- Xactimate RFG DRIP vs RFG DRIP+: Why the Code Changes Your Payout
- Ordinance & Law Coverage: Getting Drip Edge and Ice Barrier Paid
- Reading a Summary of Loss: RCV, ACV and the Net Claim Trap
See Insurance Claims services or find your local crew.
Need this looked at?
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