Should Your Contractor Meet the Insurance Adjuster? Our Approach After 25 Years

Short answer: yes. If you have a storm damage claim, we think your contractor should be at the house when the insurance adjuster inspects it. We’ve done it for 25 years, and we’ll keep doing it.

But the reason we show up is probably not what you’d expect.

Why We Don’t Treat Adjusters Like the Enemy

This industry runs on an “us versus them” mindset. Contractor versus adjuster. Homeowner versus insurance company. Somebody’s always supposed to be fighting somebody.

I’ve never understood it. When I meet an adjuster at a homeowner’s property, I’m not showing up looking for a fight. We’re both standing at the same house, looking at the same roof, in the same weather. The adjuster has a job to do. So do I. My job is simply to show them what I see — respectfully, plainly, and to the point.

That’s it. No theatrics. No speeches. Two people looking at a house and trying to accurately document what’s there.

What My Job Actually Is During an Adjuster Inspection

People sometimes assume the contractor’s role is to argue for the biggest possible claim. That’s not how we operate, and it’s not what a good adjuster meeting looks like.

Here’s what I actually do:

• Walk the property ahead of time and document what I find — hail hits on shingles, dented soft metals, cracked or split siding, damaged vents, gutters, screens, and anything else that looks storm-related.
• Be on the roof when the adjuster is. If I see something, I point it out. The adjuster can look at it, photograph it, chalk it, and form their own opinion.
• Answer questions. Adjusters ask about roof age, ventilation, prior repairs, how the siding is fastened, what a component is called. I know the house better than anyone who just pulled in the driveway, so I answer.
• Let the adjuster do their job. I don’t tell them what to write. I don’t demand coverage. I don’t promise the homeowner an outcome, because the coverage decision isn’t mine to make.

We don’t ask for favors. We just make sure nothing gets missed because nobody was there to notice it.

Why Another Set of Friendly Eyes Matters

Here’s the part that comes from experience, not theory.

I’ve walked onto plenty of properties after an adjuster already inspected them with no contractor present. Sometimes I find visible storm damage or damaged components that never made it into the original inspection.

That doesn’t automatically mean the adjuster did anything wrong. Exterior systems have a lot of parts. Inspections happen on different days, in different light, at different angles. One person sees the roof; another person sees the roof, the siding, the metal, and the vent that’s been dented flat. People simply see different things.

That’s exactly why having another knowledgeable person on site is useful. Not to overrule anyone. To make sure the house gets a thorough look.

What We Don’t Do

Because we’re direct about what we do, we should be equally direct about what we won’t do:

• We don’t exaggerate damage. If it isn’t storm damage, I’ll say so — to the adjuster and to the homeowner.
• We don’t argue for the sake of arguing.
• We don’t manufacture “damage” to get a claim approved. Ever.
• We don’t promise homeowners what their policy will cover. That’s between the homeowner and their insurance company.
• We don’t badmouth adjusters to homeowners after the meeting.

The industry has enough contractors who treat a claim like a hostage negotiation. Homeowners can tell the difference, and so can adjusters.

Most Adjusters Are Good People

Here’s something you won’t hear from most contractors: over 25 years, most of the adjusters I’ve met have been good at their jobs and decent to deal with. They’re insurance professionals working through a lot of claims after a storm, often in bad weather and under tight schedules.

Sure, I’ve met a few having a bad day. I’ve met a couple who seemed to decide before they got out of the truck that every contractor is a problem. That’s people. You get that in every line of work.

But I don’t get to pick who shows up. What I can control is how I show up. And when I show up prepared and respectful, the inspection almost always goes smoother — for the adjuster, for me, and most importantly for the homeowner standing on the lawn hoping this whole thing doesn’t turn into a battle.

The Rule That’s Worked Since 2001

One rule has served us well since I started Northern Exteriors: treat people the way you’d want to be treated. Homeowners, crews, suppliers, inspectors — and insurance adjusters.

Call it being a good neighbor. Call it being a decent human being. Whatever you call it, it applies on a roof in July with an adjuster you’ve never met, just as much as anywhere else.

You can disagree about what you’re seeing without turning the inspection into a confrontation. You can point to a shingle and say “here’s what I’ve got” and then let the other person look. That’s not weakness. That’s how professionals work.

Our adjuster-meeting philosophy, in one line:
Be prepared. Be respectful. Show the evidence. Answer questions. Don’t exaggerate. Don’t argue for the sake of arguing.

What Homeowners Should Do Before the Adjuster Appointment

If you have an adjuster inspection coming up, here’s how to make it count:

1. Get a contractor inspection first. Know what’s on your roof and siding before anyone from the insurance company does.
2. Ask your contractor to attend. A reputable contractor will want to be there. If yours shrugs it off, that tells you something.
3. Have your documentation ready. Photos, the storm date, any prior repair records.
4. Let the inspection happen. Your contractor can explain the construction conditions and damage they documented, while the adjuster evaluates what they see. Questions about coverage, policy terms or the insurer’s decision should be addressed with your insurance company.
5. Ask questions afterward. Your contractor should be able to explain what the adjuster looked at and what happens next.

For the bigger picture on how Minnesota storm claims work, see our hail damage page and storm damage page. If your claim has stalled, we covered why storm claims take months.

The Bottom Line

We’re not there to beat the adjuster. We’re there to help make sure the house gets a thorough, accurate look — and to treat everyone involved like a person.

Twenty-five years says that works.

Storm damage? Call or text 651-230-5103 to schedule a free inspection before your adjuster appointment. Family-owned since 2001 · 4.9★ on Google · A+ BBB rating · MN License #BC297099

Contractor and Insurance Adjuster Meeting FAQ