Why Roof Estimating Remains a Major Bottleneck in Property Claims

July 20, 2026 / 3 min read

Roofing claims are routine, but that doesn’t make them simple

For many claims professionals, the roof estimate is where time disappears. Even when the damage is familiar, the estimate still demands a series of detailed steps, and those steps add up across thousands of claims.

Roof costs are rising, even in quiet storm years

Roofing is among the largest and most expensive categories in property claims, and the latest data shows the pressure is climbing.

According to the 2026 Verisk U.S. Roof Report, average residential roof replacement costs reached $17,631 in 2025, with repair costs averaging $4,699. That represents increases of roughly 33% and 25%, respectively, over the prior four-year average. Severity rose even though overall claims volume fell nearly 20%.

Volume matters, too. Roofing accounts for around 30% of all line items in claims estimates. When one category drives that much activity, even small inefficiencies in estimating create meaningful operational impact.

Two findings show why this isn’t a one-season problem:

Aging roof stock is widespread. As of 2025, 38% of U.S. residential homes show moderate to poor roof condition, often with visible defects that affect performance in severe weather.
Hail risk is broadening. Sixteen states saw severe hail affect more than 20% percent of roofs in 2025, up from 12 states in 2024.

Roof estimating is detailed work, not just data entry

The challenge is not only that roof estimates take time. While the work is repetitive, the details are important, and consistency across claims is critical.

Estimators and adjusters often need to translate measurement data into a complete, reviewable estimate while accounting for roof geometry, materials, waste, openings, estimate context, and carrier or company guidelines. Each step may be manageable on its own. Together, they can slow the broader claims workflow.

Consistency adds another layer. Different users can interpret the same roof data differently, and estimate quality varies with experience, workload, and familiarity with roofing best practices. Under normal conditions, that variability leads to extra review cycles. During high-volume periods, it becomes a real constraint.

Wind and hail make the bottleneck harder to ignore

Wind and hail remain the dominant threats to roofs, and the cadence of frequent, smaller-scale events can age a roof faster than any single storm. As Tory Farney, vice president, Verisk Weather Solutions, put it, hail risk isn’t about one monster storm but the rhythm of repeated events that weaken a roof over time.

That steady pressure means claims teams aren’t solving an occasional estimating challenge. They’re managing a recurring operational pain point that intensifies during catastrophe events, when adjusters and estimators must process more claims in less time. And because many of the wind and hail events driving roof severity fall below catastrophe thresholds, estimate efficiency matters during surge events and in everyday claims operations alike.

What a better roofing workflow should deliver?

A better roofing workflow should help teams use roof measurement data more efficiently, reduce repetitive manual entry, support more consistent line-item and quantity generation, and fit into the tools estimators and adjusters already know.

The goal isn’t to remove expertise from the process. It’s to give users a stronger starting point so they spend less time building an estimate from scratch and more time reviewing, validating, and applying professional judgment.

How XactGen™ Roofing supports the work

Verisk’s XactGen Roofing is designed to help estimators complete work fast. Built inside Xactimate^®, XactGen Roofing can reduce manual effort and support more consistent roof estimating workflows, while keeping the estimator or adjuster in control of review and finalization.

Roof estimating will always require expertise, context, and professional review. But the manual effort behind building the starting estimate can improve. As replacement costs climb and hail risk broadens, claims teams have a clear opportunity to rethink an especially persistent bottleneck in property estimating.

See how XactGen Roofing helps claims professionals create a stronger roofing estimate inside Xactimate.

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