The check from your insurance company isn't the first thing that shows up after a roof claim — the scope of loss is. It's the line-by-line estimate your insurer's adjuster (or their software) generates after inspecting your property, and it's the document that decides what gets paid, what doesn't, and how much you're expected to cover yourself. Most DFW homeowners open it, see a wall of codes and abbreviations, and skip straight to the total at the bottom. That's the expensive mistake. Here's how to actually read one.
What is a scope of loss?
A scope of loss — sometimes called a summary of damages or carrier estimate — is the itemized breakdown your insurance company produces after your adjuster inspects the property. It's usually built in estimating software like Xactimate, the industry standard most Texas carriers and independent adjusters use. Each line represents one piece of the repair: tear-off, underlayment, drip edge, shingles by type and bundle count, flashing, ridge vent, gutters, and labor for each. You'll typically get it a few days to two weeks after the adjuster's visit, often bundled with a settlement letter that just shows the bottom-line number.
The scope of loss is worth more than the settlement letter. It tells you exactly what the insurer counted — and, just as importantly, what they didn't.
Who writes it, and where does the number come from?
The adjuster who inspects your roof — either a staff adjuster who works directly for your insurance company, or an independent adjuster the company contracts for busy storm seasons — walks the roof, measures the area, and notes visible damage. Those measurements and notes get entered into the estimating software, which applies standardized regional pricing for materials and labor. That's why two roofs of similar size and damage can generate very different scopes: the line items entered by the adjuster, not just the total square footage, drive the number.
This matters in a hail-heavy market like Dallas-Fort Worth. DFW sits inside what meteorologists call Hail Alley, and the region has produced some of the most damaging hailstorms in U.S. history — the 1995 Mayfest storm that pounded Fort Worth with softball-sized hail, the June 2012 event whose baseball-sized stones shattered skylights at NorthPark Center in Dallas, and large-hail outbreaks as recently as June 2023. After storms like these, adjusters move through hundreds of roofs in a matter of weeks. A rushed inspection is more likely to miss a damaged vent boot or a section of gutter than a careful one — which is exactly why comparing the scope of loss against an independent inspection matters.
RCV vs. ACV: what number are you actually getting?
Two figures anchor almost every scope of loss:
Replacement Cost Value (RCV) is the full cost to replace the damaged materials with new ones at current prices — no deduction for age or wear.
Actual Cash Value (ACV) is RCV minus depreciation, which the insurer calculates based on your roof's age, material, and condition.
Most homeowner policies in DFW are written as RCV policies, but they don't pay the full RCV amount up front. Instead, the insurer typically issues a first check for the ACV amount (RCV minus depreciation minus your deductible), and holds the depreciation back as "recoverable depreciation." You get that second check after the roof is actually repaired and you send the contractor's final invoice. If your scope of loss shows a big gap between the RCV and ACV totals, that gap is money you're entitled to recover — but only if you complete the repair and follow up with your insurer. It doesn't get released automatically.
The line items worth checking first
Not every line on a Xactimate estimate needs your full attention, but a handful matter more than the rest:
- Roofing material and quantity (squares). Compare the square footage listed against your roofer's measurement. A shortfall here undercuts everything below it.
- Tear-off and disposal. Make sure it covers the full roof, not a partial section, if your roofer says a full tear-off is required.
- Underlayment and ice-and-water shield. Older scopes sometimes carry forward outdated code requirements or skip valleys and eaves entirely.
- Drip edge, starter strip, and ridge vent. These are commonly under-scoped or left off entirely, even though most current codes require them on a full re-roof.
- Flashing around chimneys, skylights, and pipe boots. Frequently the most under-scoped category on a hail claim.
- Gutters, downspouts, and screens. If your gutters show hail dents in your own photos, they should be a line item — not an afterthought.
- Code upgrade / code compliance items. Most DFW cities, including Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano, require a permit for a full roof replacement (Fort Worth exempts shingle-only work unless decking is replaced). If your existing roof predates current code, your policy may cover the cost of bringing it up to code — but only if that line item is included.
What if your roofer's estimate doesn't match the scope of loss?
This is common, and it isn't automatically a fight. Start by asking your roofer to write a line-by-line comparison — not "the insurance number is too low," but specifically which line items are missing, undercounted, or priced below what the repair actually requires in your area. Send that comparison to your adjuster and request a supplement or re-inspection. Most claims that end up higher than the original scope get there through this kind of specific, itemized pushback rather than a general dispute.
If the gap can't be resolved that way, most Texas homeowner policies include an appraisal clause: each side selects an appraiser, the two appraisers select a neutral umpire, and the panel settles the disputed amount. It's a process built into your policy, not a lawsuit, and it's usually faster than either option sounds.
What we help with — and what we don't
We help Dallas-Fort Worth homeowners understand what's on their scope of loss and connect them with local roofing specialists who can compare it against what they actually find on the roof. We are not a public adjuster and don't negotiate your claim for you — that's licensed activity best handled by your own team or, for larger disputes, a licensed public adjuster. What we do is make sure you're reading the document correctly before you sign off on anything.