Roofing and insurance in Virginia, DC and Maryland: who does what
When a roof loss touches an insurance policy, three different jobs get mixed together: describing the roof, deciding what is covered, and negotiating the amount. This page separates them, using pages from regulators and consumer organizations.
King's Roofing is a roofing company. We do not file claims, speak to your insurer for you or promise that a claim will be approved.
- Free: a 15-minute phone consultation, the only free offer
- Written: a roof scope that lists what we see and what the work would involve
Terms on the paperwork
Which document is whose?
The same word can point to a paper from the roofer or a paper from the insurer.
- Roof scopeFrom a roofing company
- Our name for a written description of the roof as we find it and the repair or replacement work we would carry out. It is a roofing document. It does not decide coverage.
- Scope of lossFrom the insurer
- The District's insurance regulator says the insurer's adjuster prepares "an itemized 'scope of loss'" listing the materials and labor needed. It adds that the homeowner "should ensure that the contractor uses the scope of loss as the work plan."
- AdjusterInsurer's representative
- Triple-I: "a company representative who inspects property damage to determine how much the insurance company should pay for the loss."
- Public adjusterHired by the policyholder
- Triple-I: "an independent insurance professional that a policyholder may hire to help settle an insurance claim." It adds that one "cannot get you more money than you are entitled to under your insurance policy."
- Direction to payA form
- Triple-I calls it "a legal document" and says to read it "to be sure you are not also assigning your entire claim over to the contractor." Ask your insurer before signing anything of this kind.
Three jurisdictions
What do the Virginia, DC and Maryland pages add?
Each regulator writes for its own residents. Open the one for your address.
Virginia: wait for the written go-ahead
The Virginia State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance says: "Unless the insurance company has advised you in writing to go ahead and make final repairs, you should wait." If a contractor finds hidden damage or a different cost than the insurer's figure, it says to "contact the company representative to try to resolve the difference." The Bureau offers "free professional information and complaint services to all Virginia residents." Its site blocked automated access, so these lines come from an archived copy dated December 15, 2024. Our Virginia claim-steps guide follows the order of a claim.
DC: the homeowner chooses and signs
The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking says "The homeowner can choose any contractor to make the repairs", even when the insurer suggests one. It also says "Old damage is not covered." Its storm page tells owners to photograph or video the damage "before clean-up and repairs" and not to make permanent repairs "until your insurance company has inspected the property."
Maryland: bids, the adjuster's report and deductibles
The Maryland Insurance Administration advises: "Get multiple bids from contractors and compare them with the adjuster's report before settling the claim." It states: "State law makes it illegal for contractors or roofers to offer to waive a deductible or to promise a rebate for your deductible." On what a policy pays for a roof, it says the answer "depends upon many factors", and that if only a portion of the roof is damaged the policy "may cover the repair of the damaged portion only." These lines come from archived copies dated February 10, 2026, because the site blocked automated access.
Hail adds its own evidence questions, covered in our hail damage and insurance guide. For what to look at right after a storm, see the storm damage repair guide, and for local storm records see the pages for Arlington and Manassas.
Who does what when a roof is damaged?
"Yes" means the sources describe that role for that party. "No" means King's Roofing does not do it. "Ask" means the sources are silent, so ask your insurer or state insurance department.
| Job | Roofing company | Insurer's adjuster | Public adjuster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe the roof and the repair work | Yes | Yes (scope of loss) | Ask |
| Decide how much the insurer should pay | No | Yes | No |
| Help settle the claim on your behalf | No | No | Yes, for a fee |
| Sign the repair contract | With the owner | No | No |
| Carry out the roof work | Yes | No | No |
The District's regulator puts the split plainly: the insurer is "not responsible for making the repairs, only providing the funds needed to make the repairs." The contract for the work "is strictly between the homeowner and the contractor." A public adjuster charges "a fee of up to 15 percent of the insurance settlement", and Triple-I suggests checking the person with your state insurance department.
King's Roofing offers a written scope and a phone call
- A written roof scopeA description of what we see, with photographs, and the work a repair or replacement would involve. Whether any of it is covered is your insurer's call.
- A free 15-minute phone consultationThe only free offer. We talk through the roof and what the scope would list. It is not a claim review.
- Flat and low-slope roofsBuilding managers can read how membranes fail on the flat roof page before a call. Ask your insurer or broker how your policy treats the building.
- What we leave outWe do not file claims, speak to insurers, attend adjuster visits as your representative, promise approval or waive deductibles.
Both DISB and MIA advise collecting more than one bid. Our guide to comparing roofing quotes shows how to line a written scope up beside an adjuster's report.
Official pages behind this page, read October 16, 2026
These pages are general consumer education, as is this one. Your policy decides what is covered. Where a source is silent, the answer here is to ask your insurer.
- DC DISB: things you should know when selecting a contractor (opened live)
- DC DISB: file a claim after storm damage (opened live)
- Maryland Insurance Administration: after the storm advisory (archived copy, February 10, 2026)
- Maryland Insurance Administration: post-disaster claim FAQs (archived copy, February 10, 2026)
- Virginia SCC Bureau of Insurance: guide for homeowners after a disaster loss (archived copy, December 15, 2024)
- Triple-I: what is a public adjuster, how to file a homeowners claim and the claims payment process
- NAIC: homeowners insurance consumer page
We serve all three jurisdictions; see the service areas.
Questions about roofers and insurance
Will a roofing company file my roof claim for me?
King's Roofing does not file claims or speak to insurers. Your insurer takes the claim, and Triple-I describes a public adjuster as a separate professional you may hire to help settle one.
Do I have to hire the roofer my insurer suggests?
In the District, DISB says "The homeowner can choose any contractor to make the repairs." For Virginia and Maryland, ask your insurer or the state insurance department.
Can a roofer cover my deductible?
Maryland's insurance administration says state law makes it illegal for contractors or roofers to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate. King's Roofing does not offer either.
What is the difference between a roof scope and a scope of loss?
A roof scope comes from a roofing company and describes the roof and the work. A scope of loss comes from the insurer's adjuster and, per DISB, lists materials and labor. Neither replaces the other.
Will my policy pay for the whole roof?
That depends on the policy. Maryland's pages say a policy "may cover the repair of the damaged portion only" and may not cover roofs already in need of maintenance; DISB says old damage is not covered. Ask your insurer.
Talk through the next step
Talk through the roof, not the claim
A free 15-minute phone consultation covers what you see on the roof and what a written scope would list. Coverage questions go to your insurer.
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
Mon to Fri 7 AM to 8:30 PM, Sat 7 AM to 8 PM, closed Sunday