Honestly, you’re not wrong—having a ton of photos and detailed notes can only help, but it’s not a guaranteed slam dunk. The payout really does depend on the adjuster, your policy’s wording, and sometimes just plain timing. I’ve seen claims with less documentation get paid in full, and others with “CSI-level” evidence get nickel-and-dimed. Having everything lined up just gives you a better shot, but yeah... luck seems to play a role too.
Yeah, that lines up with what I’ve seen too. I went through a hail claim on my last place, and even with a stack of photos, receipts, and a timeline, the adjuster still flagged a bunch of stuff as “wear and tear.” I remember thinking, what’s the point of all this prep if it comes down to their interpretation anyway?
One thing I’d add—sometimes it helps to get your own contractor’s estimate before the adjuster shows up. When I did that, at least I had a baseline to push back with, though it didn’t magically fix everything. Policy wording is another rabbit hole… mine had some sneaky depreciation clauses buried in there. I guess being organized puts you in a better spot, but there’s always that element of unpredictability.
It’s frustrating when you do everything “right” and still end up short. Makes you wonder how much is really in your control versus just rolling the dice.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve had a similar runaround with insurance on a water damage claim. Even after all the paperwork and photos, they still found ways to knock down the payout. One thing I’d add—don’t be afraid to ask for a reinspection if you think something got missed or undervalued. It’s a hassle, but sometimes it bumps things up a bit. Also, reading through those policy clauses is a pain, but I’ve caught a couple things that helped me argue my case. It’s never straightforward, but being persistent seems to help, at least a little.
Honestly, I get the frustration, but I’d push back a bit on the whole “reinspection” route. In my experience, especially after a hailstorm took out my garage roof last year, reinspections didn’t move the needle much—just more waiting and paperwork. Instead, I found that getting a detailed estimate from a reputable contractor (not just the cheapest) actually helped more when negotiating with insurance.
-
“reading through those policy clauses is a pain, but I’ve caught a couple things that helped me argue my case.”
Couldn’t agree more here. Also, sometimes it’s worth asking if your policy has any “matching” clauses for materials—helped me get upgraded shingles, oddly enough. Just my two cents; sometimes persistence only goes so far without backup from pros.
That’s a good point about the matching clauses—never would’ve thought to check for that if you hadn’t mentioned it. I totally get what you mean about reinspections just dragging things out. When my buddy had his camper roof replaced, his insurance lowballed him until he brought in a contractor’s estimate. Out of curiosity, did your insurance company push back on the upgraded shingles, or did they just roll with it once you pointed out the clause? I’ve heard some companies can get real picky about “like kind and quality” wording...
