Storm Damage and Claims
Ottawa Roofing Pros inspects storm-damaged roofs, documents the damage your insurer needs to see, meets your adjuster on site and completes the repairs to code. We help Ottawa homeowners after windstorms, hail, fallen trees and ice-dam leaks, whoever their insurer is.
We are roofers, not adjusters or a claims service. What we bring is more than 17 years of reading roof damage, which means clear photos, measurements and a written scope that separates storm damage from ordinary wear.
Our crews answer 24/7, so a damaged roof can be tarped the same night and the claim can start with good evidence.
We support your roof insurance claim from the first tarp to the final invoice: emergency protection, inspection, photo documentation, an itemized repair scope, an on-site meeting with your adjuster, and the repairs themselves. You stay in control of the claim, and we make sure the roofing facts in it are complete and accurate.
This service is for Ottawa homeowners with storm damage to shingle, metal or flat roofs, including small landlords with a duplex or rental house. It sits within our residential roofing services, so the same crew that documents the damage also repairs it.
Home insurance usually covers sudden, accidental roof damage, such as shingles torn off by wind, hail impacts or a tree falling on the house. It usually does not cover wear and tear, age-related failure, poor maintenance or faulty installation.
| Usually covered | Usually not covered or limited |
|---|---|
| Wind lifting or tearing off shingles | Shingles worn out from age and UV |
| Hail bruising or fracturing shingles | Granule loss from normal weathering |
| Trees and limbs falling on the roof | Leaks from long-term flashing deterioration |
| Sudden interior water damage after a storm | Gradual leaks, rot and mould over months |
| Fire and lightning damage | Damage from poor installation or no maintenance |
Wording varies between policies, so your declarations page and wording decide what applies. Interior water damage from an ice dam is often covered, while the ice dam itself and repeat events may not be.
Will insurance cover a 20-year-old roof in Ontario? Often yes, but not always at full value. Many policies pay actual cash value on an older roof, meaning replacement cost minus depreciation for age, and some insurers limit or exclude coverage once a roof passes a certain age.
Before you call your insurer, gather what an adjuster will ask for:
Ottawa has seen how fast storms can strip a roof. The September 2018 tornado tore roofs off homes in Arlington Woods and Craig Henry in Nepean, and the May 2022 derecho brought gusts near 190 km/h across the region.
Most straightforward roof claims move from storm to finished repair in a few weeks, with the adjuster visit setting the pace. Good documentation at the start is what keeps the process from stalling.
Here is how a claim typically runs when we are your roofer.
We tarp or temporarily seal the damage, often the same day through our 24/7 emergency roof repair service. Most policies expect you to prevent further damage, and the cost of doing so is usually part of the claim, so keep the invoice.
We inspect every slope, the flashing, vents, eavestroughs and the attic below. Photos are dated and organized so an adjuster can match each one to a location on the roof.
You receive a report describing the damage, its likely cause, the roof's age and condition, and an itemized repair or replacement scope. It also notes code items, such as eave protection, that the repair must include.
You call your insurer, open the claim and share our report and photos. Report storm damage promptly, because delays make it harder to prove the cause.
We meet the adjuster on site when you want us there and walk the roof together. Questions about hail bruising, creased shingles or decking damage get answered with the evidence in front of everyone.
Once the insurer approves the scope, we schedule the work and complete it to code. You receive an itemized invoice and completion photos for the insurer's file.
After a big Ottawa storm, door-to-door crews appear within days, and some leave homeowners with bad repairs, inflated claims or no one to call back. The safest contractor is one with a local office, a written contract and evidence for every damage claim.
Ontario's consumer guide to hiring a roofer lists red flags worth knowing:
The same guide confirms you have 10 calendar days to cancel a roofing contract of $50 or more signed in your home, without cancellation fees. Be wary too of anyone offering to "cover your deductible" by padding the claim, which puts your claim and your policy at risk.
Hail and wind calls come from right across the city, from newer townhomes in Barrhaven to tree-lined streets in Orléans and Gloucester. Wherever you live, ask any roofer for their WSIB coverage, insurance and a local address before they touch your claim.
These answers reflect how roof claims usually work in Ontario, but your policy wording always decides. When in doubt, ask your insurer or broker to confirm in writing.
Home insurance covers roof replacement when sudden, insured damage, such as a windstorm, hail or fallen tree, makes repair impractical. It does not pay to replace a roof that has simply reached the end of its life.
On older roofs, the payout may be reduced for depreciation. If only one slope is damaged, many insurers approve that slope rather than the whole roof, and our roof replacement team can quote the difference if you want to upgrade everything at once.
It can. Insurers look at claims history when pricing renewals, and a claim may cost you a claims-free discount for several years.
For small damage close to your deductible, it can make sense to pay directly. We give you the repair price first, so you can compare it with your deductible before you decide.
If water is coming in, call a roofer first to make the roof safe, then report the claim. Otherwise, a roofing inspection before you call helps you describe the damage accurately.
A professional roof inspection also tells you whether the damage is storm-related or age-related, which shapes whether a claim makes sense at all.
Ask the insurer for an itemized breakdown and compare it line by line with our scope. Differences usually come from missed items, such as underlayment, flashing, ridge vents or code-required eave protection.
We can provide supporting photos and measurements. The negotiation itself stays between you and your insurer, or a public adjuster if you hire one.
Yes, when the rest of the roof is sound and matching shingles are available. A targeted roof repair is often the fastest way to close a claim.
If your shingle line has been discontinued, we will show you the closest match and explain the options before any work starts.
Wind damage shows up as missing tabs, lifted shingles with broken seal strips, and a horizontal crease across shingles that were bent back by gusts. Creased shingles often look fine from the ground but will not reseal and tend to blow off in the next storm.
Hail leaves soft, dark bruises where granules have been knocked away, sometimes fracturing the mat underneath, along with dents in vents, flashing and eavestroughs. A fallen tree can crack decking and rafters that are invisible until someone checks from the attic.
Sometimes. Many Ontario policies include by-law or code-upgrade coverage, which pays toward items the current Building Code now requires, such as eave protection membrane, even if your old roof did not have them.
Limits vary widely, so check your policy. Our report lists every code-required item separately so your adjuster can see exactly what applies.
As soon as you reasonably can, ideally within a few days of the storm. Most policies require prompt notice and reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
Waiting weeks makes it harder to prove the damage came from a specific storm rather than gradual wear, especially if more weather has hit the roof since.
Our crews dispatch from Centretown to every Ottawa community and anywhere within about 30 minutes of the city.
Free roofing estimate
Call (343) 504-9753 any time after a storm. We will make the roof safe, photograph the damage and send you a written report you can share with your insurer.