What Should You Photograph Before an Insurance Adjuster Visits?

Good documentation is the single biggest factor in how smoothly a roof insurance claim goes, and most of it comes down to what you photograph and when.

Photograph before any repair work begins

This is the most important rule. Once damage is repaired or even tarped over extensively, it becomes harder to establish the original extent and cause. Take photos first, then address any urgent water-intrusion risk.

Get both wide and close shots

Wide shots establish context — which section of the roof, how the damage relates to the whole structure. Close-up shots capture detail — a torn shingle edge, a bent flashing piece, visible daylight through a gap. Adjusters and insurers want both; wide shots alone can’t show detail, and close-ups alone can’t show scope.

Capture undamaged areas too

Photographing sections of the roof that weren’t affected helps establish a contrast — it shows the adjuster what the roof looked like in good condition versus the damaged area, which supports a “sudden change” narrative rather than leaving room to argue the whole roof was already failing.

Use timestamped photos

Most smartphones automatically embed a timestamp in photo metadata. If yours doesn’t, include something in the frame that establishes the date — a newspaper, a dated document, or simply photograph and report the claim the same day so the file’s upload date serves as a reasonable proxy.

Document interior damage too

If the storm caused a leak, photograph the interior water damage as well — ceiling stains, damaged insulation visible in the attic, any personal property affected. Interior damage photos support the roof-exterior documentation and show the real-world impact of the event.

What we do at the on-site visit

When you call us after storm damage, we photograph the damage as part of our assessment — from the roof itself where a general home inspector or a homeowner’s ground-level photos can’t reach — and provide that documentation in a format ready to hand to your adjuster.

The bottom line

Photograph everything, from multiple angles, before repairs start, and don’t wait more than a day or two if you can help it. Thorough same-day documentation is worth more to your claim than almost anything else you can do.