Roof Claim Glossary — IL Roof Claim Guide

ACV (Actual Cash Value): The depreciated value of your damaged property: replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. On most claims, your first insurance check is the ACV amount minus your deductible. See ACV vs. RCV explained.
Act of God: Insurance shorthand for a natural event nobody caused — hail, wind, lightning. Weather claims are classified this way, which is why a single storm claim usually doesn't single you out for a personal rate increase (though there's no Illinois law guaranteeing rates won't rise after big storms).
Appraisal: A standard policy provision for resolving disagreements about the amount of a loss — not about whether it's covered. Each side hires an appraiser, the two appraisers select an umpire, and agreement of any two of the three binds both sides. See how appraisal works.
Bad Faith: An insurer's unreasonable refusal to honor its obligations — unjustified denial, lowballing, or stalling. In Illinois, 215 ILCS 5/155 lets a court award extra damages and attorney fees when an insurer's delay or denial is vexatious and unreasonable; this is attorney territory.
Brittleness Test: A field test where shingles are gently lifted to see whether they flex or crack. If shingles are too brittle to repair without breaking surrounding ones, that supports full replacement instead of a patch. See repair vs. replacement.
Contingency Agreement: A contract saying the contractor will do the work for the insurance-approved scope and price if the claim is approved. Read the cancellation terms before signing — in Illinois you may cancel within 5 business days after the insurer denies the claim in whole or in part. See Illinois homeowner rights.
Cosmetic Damage Exclusion: An endorsement saying the insurer won't pay for damage that affects appearance but not function — most often hail dents on metal roofing, gutters, siding, or trim. It only counts if it's actually on your policy (insurers sometimes add it at renewal in exchange for a small discount), and damage that compromises function is still covered. Whether a dent is "merely cosmetic" is often a genuine dispute worth a second inspection. See does insurance cover cosmetic damage.
Date of Loss: The date the damage occurred — usually the storm date. Your whole claim keys off this date, so document it with NOAA records or local news reports, especially if you're filing months later.
Decking (Sheathing): The wood panels (usually plywood or OSB) nailed to the rafters that everything else attaches to. Rotted or damaged decking is often discovered only during tear-off and gets added to the claim by supplement.
Deductible: Your out-of-pocket share of the loss, set by your policy — subtracted from the insurance payment, then paid by you to the contractor. In Illinois it is illegal for a contractor to offer to pay, waive, rebate, or absorb it (815 ILCS 513). See deductible-waiving offers.
Drip Edge: Metal flashing installed along roof edges to direct water off the fascia and into the gutters. Required by current building codes and one of the line items most often missing from first insurance estimates.
Endorsement: An add-on that changes your policy's standard terms — adding coverage (like a matching endorsement) or restricting it. Endorsements are listed on your declarations page and often decide disputes, so read them.
Exclusion: Policy language that removes something from coverage — wear and tear, improper installation, and cosmetic damage are common ones on roof and siding claims. Denials usually cite an exclusion; see Denied Claims for how to respond.
Ice & Water Shield: A self-adhering waterproof membrane installed under the shingles along eaves and valleys to protect against ice dams. It's required by code in most of northern Illinois, making it a legitimate claim line item — often paid under Ordinance or Law coverage when it's a new requirement.
ITEL Report: An independent lab analysis that identifies your exact shingle or siding and states whether a match is still manufactured. It's the standard proof of discontinuation in matching disputes, and insurers respect it. See discontinued materials.
Lien Waiver: A signed document in which the contractor (or supplier) gives up the right to place a lien on your home for the amount paid. Mortgage companies often require lien waivers before releasing insurance funds, and you should collect a final waiver at final payment.
Line of Sight: A matching argument: surfaces that are visible together (one continuous wall, or adjoining slopes seen from the street) should match, while a mismatch hidden from common view is harder to get paid. Illinois has no matching statute, so this argument's strength depends on your policy. See matching in Illinois.
Matching: The question of whether the insurer must replace undamaged material so repairs match in color and texture. In Illinois there is no matching law — the outcome turns on your policy's matching endorsement or cosmetic exclusion, or the lack of either.
Mortgagee / Loss Draft: The mortgagee is your mortgage lender, named on your policy because it has a financial interest in the house — which is why larger claim checks include the lender as co-payee. The lender's "loss draft department" endorses or escrows the funds and releases them, often in stages. See dealing with the mortgage company.
Non-Recoverable Depreciation: Depreciation you never get back. On an ACV-only policy (or for certain items even on RCV policies), the age-based deduction is permanent, and the depreciated payment is the full payment.
O&P (Overhead & Profit): An amount (commonly 10% overhead + 10% profit) added to an estimate to compensate a general contractor for coordinating a job. Typically owed when three or more trades are involved (roofing, siding, gutters, etc.), and frequently missing from first estimates. See commonly missed items.
Ordinance or Law Coverage: The part of your policy that pays the extra cost of meeting current building codes — items your old roof didn't have but the code now requires, like ice barrier or drip edge. Check your declarations page for it and its limit. See code upgrades in Illinois.
Peril: The event that causes damage — wind, hail, fire, falling objects. Your policy covers named perils or all perils except those excluded; the adjuster's job is deciding which peril (if any) caused your damage.
Proof of Loss: A sworn, signed statement of the amount you're claiming and the details of the loss, which some insurers require on a deadline. If your carrier requests one, take the deadline seriously — ask your adjuster exactly what they need and when.
Public Adjuster: A claims professional licensed by the Illinois Department of Insurance who represents you (not the insurer) and negotiates the claim on your behalf for a percentage of the settlement. In Illinois, public adjusters and attorneys are the only people who may legally negotiate your claim for you — verify licenses at idoi.illinois.gov. See when to hire one.
RCV (Replacement Cost Value): The cost to replace your damaged property with new material of like kind and quality, at today's prices. On an RCV policy you can ultimately collect this full amount (minus your deductible) by completing the work and recovering the depreciation.
Recoverable Depreciation: The depreciation an RCV policy holds back until the work is completed and invoiced — then pays out, usually as your second check. Finish the job and submit the invoice, or this money stays with the insurer. See why you got two checks.
Roof Payment Schedule: An endorsement (also sold as a "roof surfaces payment schedule" or roof ACV endorsement) that pays roofs on a sliding scale based on age and material instead of full replacement cost — a 15-year-old shingle roof might be paid at only 40–60% of replacement cost, with the depreciation non-recoverable. Insurers increasingly add these at renewal on older roofs, sometimes for a small discount. Check your declarations page for it before you assume your depreciation is coming back. See how RCV policies pay.
Scope of Loss: The insurer's line-by-line list of the damage and the work they agree to pay for — the "scope" everyone argues about. Compare it against your contractor's estimate; missing items get added by supplement.
Squares: The roofing unit of measure: one square = 100 square feet of roof surface. A "30-square roof" has 3,000 square feet of surface area; estimates price materials and labor per square.
Steep & High Charges: Extra labor charges for roofs that are steep (typically 7/12 pitch and up) or more than two stories high, because the work is slower and requires more safety equipment. Legitimate line items that first estimates often omit.
Suit Limitation: A policy clause shortening the time you have to sue the insurer over a claim — commonly one or two years from the date of loss, less than standard contract deadlines. If a claim is dragging, find this clause and calendar the date. See claim deadlines.
Supplement: A documented request to add missing or newly discovered items to the approved insurance estimate — photos, measurements, and code citations attached. Supplements are a routine part of nearly every claim, not a fight. See Estimates & Supplements.
Umpire: The neutral third decision-maker in the appraisal process, selected by the two appraisers. Agreement of any two — the umpire and either appraiser — sets the amount and binds both sides.
Xactimate: The estimating software most insurers (and many contractors) use to price claims, with regional unit pricing for every line item. When your paperwork is full of codes and line items, you're looking at an Xactimate printout. See how to read it.