Insurance Claim Documentation Guide

Before the Adjuster Arrives: An Aluminum Siding Claim Inspection Checklist

A strong insurance claim begins with organized facts. Before the adjuster arrives, contractors and property owners should document the aluminum siding systematically, identify the affected exterior components, and avoid making conclusions the available evidence cannot support.

The objective is not to prove that every mark requires complete replacement. The objective is to create an accurate record of the property's condition so the insurer can evaluate the reported damage and proposed repair scope.

Begin With Wide Photographs of Every Elevation

Start by photographing all sides of the home—even elevations where damage is not immediately visible. Wide photographs establish the building's layout and show where individual close-up images were taken.

A complete photo sequence should include:

• One or more wide photographs of every elevation
• Medium-range photographs of each affected wall section
• Close-ups of dents, punctures, creases, scratches, and displaced panels
• Photographs showing damage under consistent directional light
• Images of corners and locations where two elevations are visible together
• Photographs of undamaged areas for comparison

Label the photographs by elevation and location. A folder containing 100 unidentified close-ups is less persuasive than a smaller, organized set that allows the reviewer to locate every condition on the building.

Record the Reported Loss Information

Record the reported date of loss, the approximate storm direction, and the areas the owner believes were affected. Keep reported information separate from independently observed conditions.

For example, write that the property owner reported hail on a particular date and that dents were observed on the west elevation. Do not state that every dent was caused by that storm unless the available evidence supports that conclusion.

Distinguish Storm Damage From Other Conditions

Aluminum siding can show marks from hail, windborne debris, ladders, branches, lawn equipment, installation pressure, prior repairs, and normal wear. Its finish can also change because of oxidation, ultraviolet exposure, dirt, or inappropriate cleaning products.

Document different conditions separately:

• Round or irregular dents
• Sharp creases and punctures
• Scratched or fractured finishes
• Loose or disengaged panel locks
• Distortion around fasteners
• Oxidation, fading, and ordinary weathering
• Prior repair panels or pre-existing damage

Do not aggressively clean, polish, chalk, pry, or alter questionable areas before the original condition has been documented.

Measure and Identify the Existing Siding

A claim cannot be scoped accurately from photographs alone. Record the panel exposure, butt projection, texture, course length, wall dimensions, and visible locking configuration. Note whether the siding is smooth, woodgrain, or another embossed finish.

Compare the existing material with Suburban Wholesale's current Gentek aluminum siding products, including Deluxe Aluminum Siding and Woodgrain Series 2000.

Similar appearance does not prove that a current panel will connect with the existing siding. Product identity, dimensions, profile engagement, finish, and availability must be verified.

Inspect More Than the Siding Panels

Wind and hail can affect the entire metal exterior. Inspect and photograph corners, starter areas, window and door wraps, soffit, fascia, gutters, downspouts, vents, meters, light fixtures, and other penetrations.

Review Suburban Wholesale's soffit and fascia, trim and gutter coil, and rainware when researching replacement components.

Preserve a Sample Carefully

An ITEL report or other laboratory analysis may require a physical siding sample. Obtain the property owner's authorization before removing materials. Choose a representative sample and document its original location before removal.

Removal should not create unnecessary exposure to water or damage surrounding panels. Temporarily protect the opening according to appropriate construction practices, and retain labels, photographs, and chain-of-custody information associated with the sample.

Remember that an ITEL report helps identify material characteristics and potential available matches. It does not determine insurance coverage or guarantee that a spot repair will create a uniform appearance.

Prepare a Clear Estimate for the Adjuster

The estimate should show how the proposed scope was calculated. Separate siding panels, accessories, labor, removal, disposal, delivery, detach-and- reset work, and any required protective components. Avoid unexplained lump sums.

Suburban Wholesale's professional quoting support can help contractors organize product selections, measurements, accessories, and current material information for the proposed project.

Give the Adjuster an Evidence Package

A useful claim package should contain:

1. A one-page summary of the observed conditions
2. Labeled photographs organized by elevation
3. Measurements and an elevation diagram
4. Product-identification information
5. The ITEL report, when one was obtained
6. Written availability findings
7. A physical-sample comparison when appropriate
8. A detailed, line-item repair estimate

Clear documentation does not guarantee that the insurer will approve a particular repair scope. It does make the claim easier to evaluate and reduces avoidable disagreements about what was observed, measured, and proposed.

This article provides general educational information and does not constitute legal, insurance, engineering, or coverage advice. Insurance policy language, endorsements, applicable law, claim facts, and carrier decisions control each claim.