A supplement is a request to add money to a hail claim the insurer has already approved. It covers work that turns out to be necessary once the job starts: rotten or broken decking found under the shingles, a second layer of shingles nobody saw from the ground, or items your city requires before it will pass the roof inspection. The carrier's first estimate is based on what was visible on inspection day; the supplement brings it up to what the roof actually needed.
Supplements are normal. A carrier that receives one is not being accused of anything, and you are not reopening a fight. But they are only paid when they are documented, and most of that documentation has to be captured while the roof is open.
Supplement or underpayment?
The two get confused. An underpaid hail claim is one where the carrier's estimate was short on things that were visible and knowable at inspection: missed slopes, dented vents, a wrong measurement. A supplement covers costs that only became known later, or that depend on the actual job, such as permit requirements and hidden decking. In practice, a roofer's supplement often includes both, which is fine, as long as each line is supported.
When supplements happen
Most roof supplements come from a short list of triggers.
| Trigger | What it looks like | What the carrier will want |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged or deteriorated decking | Soft, delaminated or broken plywood or OSB found after tear-off | Photos of each bad sheet in place, a sheet count, and a note on cause |
| Spaced decking | Older plank decking with gaps too wide for the new shingles | Photos with a tape measure across the gaps; manufacturer or code requirement for solid decking |
| Additional shingle layers | A second (or third) layer under the top one | Photos at the roof edge showing every layer; layer count per slope |
| Code-required items | Drip edge, ice and water shield, underlayment type, ventilation the old roof lacked | The code section or permit condition from your city or county; the inspector's notes if any |
| Quantity corrections | More squares, ridge or valley than the carrier measured | A measurement report and the roofer's material order |
| Components found during the job | Hidden flashing, crickets, chimney or skylight work | Photos before removal and a line-item price |
| Interior damage that appears later | Ceiling stains after the next rain from storm-damaged roofing | Dated photos, moisture readings, and a link back to the storm date |
Decking needs extra care
Carriers scrutinize decking more than any other supplement item because rotten decking can come from years of slow leaks rather than the storm. Expect questions about cause. Photograph the underside from the attic if you can, show where the damage sits relative to hail-damaged areas, and record the sheet count before anything is replaced. If the city requires the deteriorated sheets to be replaced before it will approve the new roof, that requirement may fall under your policy's ordinance or law coverage instead of the hail damage itself. Check whether your policy has that coverage and how much.
Code items depend on where you live
Texas cities and counties adopt and amend building codes on their own, so a code item that is required in one city may not be in the next. "Code requires it" is not proof. The proof is the code section your local jurisdiction adopted, a written permit condition, or an inspection correction notice. Your roofer pulls the permit and usually has this in hand.
The documentation that gets supplements paid
- The carrier's approved estimate, so each supplement line can point to what it adds or changes.
- Dated photos before tear-off, during tear-off and before the new roof covers anything.
- Wide shots that show where on the roof each close-up was taken.
- A sheet count for decking and a layer count for shingles, slope by slope.
- Permit documents and any code citation or inspection correction.
- A measurement report if quantities are in dispute.
- A line-item estimate (ideally in Xactimate, so it lines up with the carrier's) and the roofer's invoice.
- A short cover letter listing each added item, the reason, and the photos that support it.
Don't cover it up first: once new decking and underlayment go down, the damaged material is gone. Before you close the roof, either let the carrier know and give it a chance to look, or make sure the photo record is complete enough that a re-inspection isn't needed. Ask your adjuster in advance which they prefer.
A typical supplement timeline
- Before work starts. Read the approved estimate with your roofer. Agree on which items are likely to need a supplement (layers, decking, code items) and how they'll be photographed. Tell the adjuster when the roof will be torn off.
- Tear-off day. Photograph every slope as it opens. Count and mark bad decking sheets. Shoot layers at the edge. Don't install anything over damage that hasn't been recorded.
- Within days of tear-off. Send the supplement package to the adjuster: estimate, photos, permit documents and cover letter. Note the date you sent it.
- Carrier review. The adjuster may approve from photos, ask questions, or schedule a re-inspection. Answer requests in writing and keep a dated log.
- Job completion. Send the final invoice and completion photos. On a replacement-cost policy, this is usually what releases the depreciation the carrier held back. Many policies set a time limit for completing repairs to recover that depreciation, so check yours.
- Final reconciliation. Compare total payments against the final approved estimate, minus your deductible, and make sure every approved supplement has been paid.
Chapter 542 of the Texas Insurance Code sets deadlines for insurers to respond and pay once they have the information they asked for. Keep dated records of every submission so you can hold the carrier to them. The Texas claim deadline calculator works out those dates from your own claim dates.
Your roofer's role and ours
Roofers handle a lot of supplement paperwork, and a good one documents the job well. But Texas draws a firm line between documenting the work and representing you on the claim.
Your contractor can
- Photograph and measure what they find during the job
- Give you a bid, a revised scope and an invoice for the added work
- Explain what they found to the carrier's adjuster at a re-inspection
- Point out code items tied to the permit
Your contractor cannot
- Act as your public adjuster on property they are repairing or may repair
- Advertise that they will adjust or negotiate your claim
- Do so even with a public adjuster license or a power of attorney
Texas law: A contractor may not act as a public adjuster, or advertise to adjust claims, for property they are or may be repairing, even with a license or power of attorney (Tex. Ins. Code §4102.163). A public adjuster, in turn, may not take part in repairing the property on a claim they adjust or take money from repair firms on it (§4102.158).
The rules work in both directions. We don't do roofing, take referral fees from roofers, or steer you to one. On a supplement, we review the policy for ordinance or law and other coverages, write the line-item estimate, make the argument on disputed items such as decking cause, and negotiate with the carrier. Your roofer builds the roof and documents what they find.
Why supplements get denied
- No photos from tear-off. The single most common reason, and the hardest to fix after the fact.
- "Code" without a citation. Ask your roofer for the specific requirement from the permit or local code.
- Decking with no tie to the storm and no ordinance or law coverage. If the policy has no code coverage and the rot predates the storm, the carrier may be right.
- Lump-sum pricing. A single line reading "supplement: $4,800" will not be paid. Each item needs a quantity and a price.
If a supplement is denied and you believe it is owed, the steps are the same as any other dispute: a written request for reconsideration, a re-inspection, and if the disagreement is over the amount, appraisal. For the bigger picture of how a hail claim moves from inspection to final payment, start with our hail damage insurance claim guide, or see how we handle roof and hail damage claims.
Frequently asked questions
What is a supplement on a roof insurance claim?
It is a request to add costs to an approved claim for work that was not in the original estimate, usually hidden decking damage, extra shingle layers, code-required items or quantity corrections found once the job starts.
Is it legal for my roofer to submit a supplement?
A roofer can document what they find and give you or the carrier a revised scope and invoice for their work. Under Tex. Ins. Code §4102.163, they cannot act as your public adjuster or negotiate the claim for you on a property they are repairing.
Will insurance pay for rotten roof decking?
It depends on the cause and your policy. Decking damaged by the storm is part of the hail loss. Deteriorated decking that the city requires you to replace may fall under ordinance or law coverage if your policy has it.
How long does a roof supplement take?
It depends on whether the carrier approves from photos or sends someone back out. A complete package sent within days of tear-off, with dated photos and a line-item estimate, is reviewed far faster than a lump-sum request.
Do I have to finish the roof before getting depreciation back?
On most replacement-cost policies, the withheld depreciation is paid after the work is complete and you send the final invoice. Many policies set a deadline to complete repairs, so check yours.
Joseph inspects, documents and negotiates residential and commercial property claims across Texas, working only for policyholders.
