Rockford Siding and Windows LLC

Rockford Siding and Windows LLC Improving and protecting homes across the Rockford area with craftsmanship, attention to detail, and results that make homeowners proud of their home again.

08/21/2026

Can you record the adjuster's inspection?

Photos and video: yes. It's your home. Photograph everything they examine — chalk marks, test squares, all of it. Documenting the condition of your own property is exactly what you should be doing.

Audio: get consent first. Illinois is a two-party (all-party) consent state. Recording a private conversation without everyone's consent can violate the Illinois eavesdropping law — a criminal statute, not a technicality. That includes audio picked up incidentally on a video of your conversation.

The clean way to handle it: just ask. "I'd like to record our conversation so I have an accurate record — is that all right?" Most adjusters will agree.

If they decline, don't record audio. Take written notes instead, then email the adjuster afterward summarizing what was said: "Per our conversation today, you indicated..."

That email becomes your record. And any correction they send back becomes part of the file too.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/20/2026

The most expensive sentence a homeowner says at a roof inspection:

"Honestly, the roof's pretty old — this might just be wear and tear."

You just wrote their denial letter for them. And you're not qualified to make that call.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/20/2026

What NOT to say to the adjuster.

To be clear: never hide or misstate anything. Misrepresentation is the one genuine way to wreck a claim and your policy along with it.

This is about not GUESSING — because casual guesses get written into the file as statements of fact.

Don't speculate about cause.
"Honestly, the roof's pretty old, this might just be wear and tear." You've just handed them their denial language, and you're not qualified to make that call. "That's what I'd like your inspection to determine" is a complete answer.

Don't guess dates.
Say when you first NOTICED it and which storm you believe caused it. Let documented weather records anchor the date of loss.

Don't minimize.
"It's probably nothing." "Just a few shingles." Homeowners downplay out of politeness. Describe damage neutrally and completely; let the inspection decide how serious it is.

Don't over-share.
Long chatty narratives invite off-topic admissions. Answer what's asked, accurately and briefly.

"I don't know" is a perfectly good answer.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/19/2026

Ask for the scope of loss in writing. Every time.

You can't dispute what you haven't read — and you can't spot missing line items in a number someone said over the phone.

You're entitled to a copy. Ask directly.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

We have added a careers page and currenty hiring
08/19/2026

We have added a careers page and currenty hiring

Roofers, installers, and sales reps wanted. Year-round work, paid weekly, 30+ year company. Apply online.

08/19/2026

What to say to the adjuster.

Treat it as a cooperative walkthrough, not an interrogation. A homeowner who's organized and factual makes the file easy to document well.

Worth saying:
• The storm date and what you observed. "The hail came through June 14 — here are photos from that evening."
• EVERY area of damage you know about. Roof, gutters, siding, screens, fence, shed, interior stains. Walk them to each one. Adjusters can only scope what they see, and a written list you hand them makes omissions less likely.
• Your documentation — dated photos, your contractor's report, receipts for emergency tarping.

Good questions to ask:
→ "Will you send me the full scope of loss?"
→ "Is my policy RCV or ACV?"
→ "What's my deductible on this claim?"
→ "What's the process if more damage is found during the repair?"

You're entitled to a copy of the estimate. Ask for it directly.

And get their name, direct phone, and email before they leave. Most follow-up friction on claims is just lost contact information.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/18/2026

"Sign here and I'll handle the whole insurance claim — you won't have to talk to them at all."

In Illinois, only a licensed public adjuster or an attorney can legally negotiate your claim.

A contractor promising to "handle it all" is claiming authority the law doesn't give them.

How building codes, permits, matching disputes, and homeowner rights work for roof and siding insurance claims in Illinois.

08/18/2026

Should your contractor be there when the adjuster inspects?

Yes. It's smart, common, and completely normal. It's the difference between an adjuster finding what's easy to find and an adjuster being SHOWN everything.

What a contractor can legitimately do at the inspection:
• Walk the roof alongside the adjuster and point out damage the test square happened to miss
• Share their own photo documentation and findings
• Provide their estimate and discuss the scope and pricing of the repair work
• Answer technical questions about repairability, brittleness, and matching

What a contractor CANNOT do in Illinois: negotiate, adjust, or settle the claim on your behalf. Under Illinois law, only a licensed public adjuster or an attorney may negotiate a claim for the insured.

The line is real. "Here's what a proper repair requires and what it costs" is contractor territory. "We demand you pay $42,000" is not.

Practical tip: when the insurer calls to schedule, coordinate the time so both can attend. Adjusters expect it.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/17/2026

Dents on your gutters, downspouts, AC fins, and mailbox aren't a side issue.

They're physical proof that hail large enough to dent metal actually fell at your address.

Point every one of them out at the inspection.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

08/17/2026

What the adjuster is actually looking for on your roof.

Their job is to answer three questions: is there damage, did a covered peril cause it, and what will it cost to fix?

On the roof:
• Hail hits — bruises where granules were knocked off and the mat underneath is soft or fractured. Adjusters typically chalk a "test square" (a 10x10-foot area) on each slope and count hits per square.
• Wind damage — missing, torn, or creased shingles and broken seals between courses.
• Collateral indicators — dents on soft metals like vents, flashing, and ridge caps, which confirm hail actually struck.

And what they'll try to rule OUT: wear and tear, blistering, and "mechanical damage." Those labels matter, because they're the vocabulary of denials.

A thorough adjuster also circles the property: gutters, siding, window wraps, screens, AC fins, fences, sheds, detached garage — plus any interior damage you report.

Everything they accept goes into the scope of loss. Getting damage INTO that scope is the whole game.

What the insurance adjuster looks for on your roof, what to say (and not say), whether your contractor should attend, and your options if you disagree with the inspection.

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5441 Forest Hills Court
Loves Park, IL
61111

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