The Insurance Adjuster Came to My House — Now What?

What Happens During the Insurance Adjuster's Visit

When the insurance company sends their adjuster to your property, they are conducting an inspection to determine the scope and cost of the damage. The adjuster will walk through your property, take photos, take measurements, and make notes about the damage they observe.

A typical residential inspection lasts 30–60 minutes, though complex claims may take longer. The adjuster may climb on your roof, inspect your attic, look in crawl spaces, and check exterior surfaces. They will likely use Xactimate or similar software to build a repair estimate based on their findings.

Be present during the inspection if possible. Walk the adjuster through the damage and point out every area you have noticed. Be polite but thorough. If the adjuster seems to be rushing or skipping areas, speak up. You have every right to ask them to inspect specific areas of concern.

What Insurance Adjusters Commonly Miss

Insurance adjusters are processing dozens of claims at a time. They are often under pressure to keep inspections brief and estimates conservative. As a result, they frequently miss damage that should be included in your claim.

Common items missed during inspections include: interior water damage from roof leaks, damage in attics and crawl spaces that requires effort to access, secondary damage like mold starting behind walls, damage to less visible areas like the back of the house or detached structures, HVAC system damage from debris or power surges, and personal property damage.

Adjusters also frequently undercount the scope of exterior damage. On a hail claim, they may inspect one or two slopes of the roof and extrapolate rather than inspecting every slope. On a wind damage claim, they may miss loose flashing, damaged vents, or compromised seals around penetrations. Every missed item is money left off your settlement.

Reviewing the Adjuster's Estimate

After the inspection, the insurance company will send you a written estimate, usually within 1–2 weeks. Review this document carefully. It should include line-by-line items for every repair task, materials, and labor costs.

Compare the estimate to your own documentation. Did the adjuster include every area of damage you pointed out? Are the repair methods appropriate — for example, did they estimate for a full roof replacement when only a repair was done, or vice versa? Are the material prices and labor rates reasonable for your area?

Get at least one independent estimate from a licensed contractor. A contractor who physically inspects the damage and provides a detailed bid is your best benchmark. If the contractor's estimate is significantly higher than the insurance company's, you have a basis to dispute the insurer's numbers. Gaps of 30–50% between insurance estimates and contractor estimates are not uncommon.

Red Flags to Watch For

Several red flags in the adjuster's report should put you on alert. If the estimate does not include overhead and profit for the contractor, that is a red flag — overhead and profit typically add 20–40% to the total, and they are legitimate costs that your policy should cover when multiple trades are involved.

Watch for "matching" issues. If the insurance company approves replacement of damaged siding on one wall but your remaining walls no longer match the new material, you may be entitled to replacement of all the siding. The same applies to roofing, flooring, and other materials that need to match for aesthetic and functional reasons.

Also be wary if the adjuster's estimate uses language like "cosmetic damage" or "pre-existing condition" to exclude items. These labels are often applied too broadly. Cosmetic damage can affect property value, and conditions labeled pre-existing may actually have been caused by the covered event. Challenge these designations if you disagree.

Your Right to Disagree and Next Steps

You have an absolute right to disagree with the insurance company's estimate and negotiate for more. Accepting the adjuster's findings is not required. The insurance company cannot close your claim simply because they made an offer and you did not respond.

If you disagree with the estimate, start by calling your adjuster and explaining specifically what you believe is missing or undervalued. Provide your contractor's estimate as supporting evidence. Many claims are resolved with a simple phone call and a supplement.

If the adjuster or their supervisor will not budge, you have additional options. You can invoke the appraisal clause in your policy, which brings in independent appraisers to resolve the dispute. You can file a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance. You can hire a public adjuster to take over the negotiation. Or you can consult with an attorney if you believe the insurer is acting in bad faith.

The most important thing is to not accept an offer you believe is unfair. The insurance company may tell you their offer is final, but in my 16 years of experience, the first offer is almost never the last offer.