Roofing insurance claim call script: what to ask on the first call, and how Sharrk asks it on every call
By Sharrk Team · October 14, 2026
Sharrk's AI voice agent runs your roofing insurance claim call script on every call, day or night, even when 30 homeowners call in the same hour: it captures the address, the damage, any leak and the claim status, then books the inspection, without promising anything about insurance. Mako, Sharrk's AI assistant, builds the agent from your script in plain English, shows you every step and waits for your OK.
The first call with a homeowner who has storm damage should collect five things: where the property is, what happened and when, whether anything is leaking inside, whether a claim is already open (and with which carrier), and a time for an inspection. It should not promise what insurance will pay, offer to cover the deductible, or suggest your company will handle the claim for them. Get those right on every call and your estimator walks in prepared, and your company stays on the right side of state law.
Below is how Sharrk runs it, then the full script with the reasons behind each question.
How Sharrk runs this script on every call
With Sharrk, you describe your intake in plain English and Mako builds the AI voice agent for you: the questions below, the things it should never promise, when to transfer to your team, and where to book. Then Sharrk:
- Answers many calls at the same time, so there are no busy signals or full voicemail boxes the morning after a storm.
- Sorts leaks first. It asks where the water is coming in, marks the call urgent and transfers it to your team, or books the first emergency slot.
- Notes the claim status and carrier, and passes coverage questions to your team.
- Routes the job correctly. Small repairs go to your repair crew; full replacements go to sales.
- Books the inspection on the call, in Sharrk's built-in calendar, ServiceTitan, Calendly or Cal.com.
- Saves the call's transcript and summary on the lead, so your estimator sees the answers before the inspection.
- Texts every web form, Angi and Thumbtack lead in under 30 seconds, asking the same questions and offering inspection times.
Here's an illustrative example of how that call can sound:
Caller: We had hail last night and there are shingles all over the yard. Sharrk: Sorry to hear that. Is any water coming into the house right now? Caller: No. Sharrk: Good. Have you opened a claim with your insurance yet, or are you still deciding? Caller: Not yet. Will insurance cover it? Sharrk: Your insurance company decides that after their adjuster looks at it. What we can do is inspect the roof and document the damage. I have Thursday at 10 or Friday at 1. Which is better?
Mako builds it, you approve it
Tell Mako, "answer my storm calls, ask about leaks and insurance claims, never promise anything about coverage, and book inspections on my estimators' calendar," and Mako reads your website, builds the voice agent and shows you every step before anything changes. You can call the agent yourself and hear the script before a single homeowner does. Want a new question after the next storm? Ask Mako.
Sharrk has helped clients bring in six figures in revenue, including a single $30,000+ deal. See how it works for roofers on our AI receptionist for roofing page.
Why does the first call matter so much on insurance jobs?
Hail and wind claims are a big share of a roofer's year. Severe convective storms (hail, tornadoes, straight-line wind) caused about $51 billion in US insured losses in 2025, the third year in a row above $50 billion, and hail makes up roughly 80% of those claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute's April 2026 report (Digital Insurance summary, April 27, 2026).
That volume arrives in bursts. After a storm, the same homeowner is calling three or four roofers, and the one who answers, asks good questions and books a time usually gets the inspection. A sloppy first call costs you twice: you lose the job, or you send an estimator out without knowing whether it's a leak, a claim or a tire-kicker. Sharrk makes sure every caller gets the good version.
What should a roofing insurance claim call script include?
Use the script in this order, whether Sharrk or your office manager is asking. Each step is short, and the caller can skip any question.
1. Greeting and reason for the call
"Thanks for calling [Company]. Are you calling about storm damage, a leak, or something else?"
This one question sorts most calls. Storm damage and leaks go down this script. Everything else (a quote for a new roof, a warranty question, a vendor) gets routed.
2. Is water coming in right now?
"Before anything else, is water coming into the house right now?"
An active leak is the only true emergency. If the answer is yes, ask where (ceiling, wall, attic), then transfer to whoever handles tarping or book the first emergency slot. Don't make a leaking homeowner sit through the rest of the questions.
3. The property and the damage
"What's the address of the property?" "When did the damage happen, and what did you notice? Shingles in the yard, dents on gutters or vents, missing pieces?" "Do you know roughly how old the roof is, and is it shingle, metal, tile or flat?"
Date of loss matters because policies have deadlines for reporting a claim. Roof age and type tell your estimator what to bring and set expectations early.
4. Claim status
"Have you already opened a claim with your insurance company, or are you still deciding?" "Who is your insurance carrier?" "Has an adjuster been scheduled yet?"
Write down what they say and move on. These answers tell your team whether to schedule before or after the adjuster, and whether the homeowner needs a clear explanation of how the process works.
5. Decision makers and access
"Is the home in your name, or will someone else need to be there?" "Is there anything we should know to get on the property, like a gate code or a dog in the yard?"
6. Book the inspection
"I can have an inspector out Thursday at 10 am or Friday at 1 pm. Which works better?"
Offer two specific times. Confirm the address and the best number for a text reminder, then end the call.
What should you never say on an insurance roofing call?
Several states regulate how roofers talk about insurance, and these rules apply to whoever answers your phone: an employee, an answering service or an AI. With Sharrk, you set these limits when Mako builds your agent, and it passes coverage questions to your team.
| Don't say | Why |
|---|---|
| "We'll cover your deductible" or "We'll make it so you don't pay anything" | Texas and Colorado both prohibit contractors from paying, waiving or rebating a deductible (Texas Department of Insurance, updated March 24, 2025; C.R.S. 6-22-105) |
| "We'll handle your claim" or "We'll negotiate with your insurance company for you" | In Texas a contractor can't act as a public adjuster on a job it's also doing, and can't advertise that it will. Colorado has a similar rule |
| "Insurance will definitely pay for a new roof" | Nobody on the phone knows that yet. Coverage depends on the policy and the adjuster |
| "You have to sign with us before the adjuster comes" | Pressure tactics are how storm-chaser complaints start, and they cost you reviews |
What your team can say: "We'll inspect the roof and document what we find. Your insurance company decides what's covered, and we're happy to explain how the process usually works." Rules differ by state, so check yours, and talk to a lawyer about your contracts. This isn't legal advice.
How do you route the calls that aren't insurance jobs?
Not every caller after a storm has a claim. Plan for these, and tell Sharrk where each one goes:
- Cash repairs. Small leaks, a few missing shingles. Book with your repair crew, not your replacement salesperson.
- Full replacement, no claim. An older roof the homeowner wants to replace anyway. Book a sales appointment.
- Commercial or multi-family. Collect the property type and the decision maker, then pass it to whoever handles commercial.
- Existing customers. Warranty or "you just did my roof and it's leaking" calls should reach your office fast, with the job address attached.
- Insurance questions you can't answer. Deductibles, depreciation, what the policy covers. Take a note and have someone call back. Don't guess.
What should the estimator see before the inspection?
The script is only useful if the answers land somewhere your team will read them. Before every inspection, the estimator should have:
- [ ] Address, access notes and who will be home
- [ ] Date of loss and what the homeowner saw
- [ ] Leak or no leak, and where
- [ ] Claim opened or not, carrier, adjuster date if known
- [ ] Roof age and type
- [ ] How the lead came in (call, web form, Angi, door knock)
If that information lives in a sticky note or a voicemail, it gets lost in the week after a storm, which is exactly when you need it most. With Sharrk, it's on the lead in your CRM, with the call's transcript and summary. If you use ServiceTitan, see how booking works with ServiceTitan.
Put this script to work before the next storm
Start free and Mako will build your first AI agent from your website in minutes, no card needed. Add this script, call the agent yourself, and go live when you're ready; plans are on the pricing page. Prefer a walkthrough? Book a demo and we'll set up your storm intake with you.
Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for roofing · AI voice agents · Speed-to-lead follow-up · Contractor automation · Roofing leads after a hail storm
Frequently asked questions
What questions should a roofer ask on an insurance claim call?
Ask whether water is coming in right now, the property address, when the damage happened and what the homeowner saw, the roof's age and type, whether a claim is open and with which carrier, whether an adjuster is scheduled, who needs to be home, and then book an inspection time. Sharrk's AI voice agent can ask them on every call.
Can a roofing company pay or waive a homeowner's insurance deductible?
Not in states such as Texas and Colorado, where contractors are prohibited from paying, waiving or rebating a deductible. Check your own state's rules and talk to a lawyer about your contracts. This isn't legal advice.
Can a roofer handle the insurance claim for the homeowner?
In Texas a contractor can't act as a public adjuster on a job it's also doing or advertise that it will, and Colorado has a similar rule. A roofer can inspect, document the damage and explain how the process usually works.
Should the inspection happen before or after the adjuster visit?
Many roofers inspect first so they can document the damage, and some also meet the adjuster on site. Asking whether an adjuster is already scheduled on the first call lets your team plan the right order.
Can Sharrk take insurance roofing calls?
Yes. Mako builds Sharrk's AI voice agent from your intake questions and your limits on what it may say about coverage. It answers many calls at once, transfers active leaks to your team or books the first emergency slot, notes the claim status and carrier, passes coverage questions to your team and books inspections on your calendar.