Your Insurer Wants a Roof Report? Here’s What That Means
Your insurer wants a roof report? Here's exactly what that means
Whether it's a claim or a renewal, more Channel Island insurers are asking for independent evidence of roof condition. Here's what they're really after — and how to give it to them.
It's an increasingly common message: your insurer, broker or loss adjuster asks for a "roof condition report" or "evidence of roof condition" — and you're left wondering what exactly they want, and where to get it.
Here's the plain-English explanation, and how an independent drone roof survey gives them precisely what they're looking for.
01Why insurers ask for a roof report
The roof is the most expensive part of a building to get wrong, and it's the part most exposed to weather. Insurers ask for a report in a few common situations:
- During a claim — to confirm the damage, its cause, and that the roof was in sound condition beforehand
- At renewal or new cover — particularly for older properties, to assess risk before they commit
- After a refused or queried claim — where they want independent evidence rather than a contractor's word
- For commercial or let property — where condition affects both cover and liability
In every case the underlying need is the same: independent, current, documented evidence of what the roof is actually like.
02What counts as an acceptable report
A roofer's repair quote usually isn't enough — and for good reason. It comes from someone who'll be paid to do the work, so it isn't independent. What insurers and loss adjusters generally want is:
- Clear, high-resolution imagery of the roof's actual condition
- A date, so they know it's current
- An assessment of each roof element — coverings, flashings, ridges, valleys, chimneys, gutters
- A neutral, professional source with no stake in the repair
Give your insurer exactly what they asked for
An independent, dated, insurer-ready roof report — high-resolution imagery and a clear condition assessment, with no conflict of interest.
Book an insurance roof survey03What's in a Capture roof report
Our reports are built for this job. Because we survey roofs and don't carry out repairs, our assessment is genuinely independent — there's no incentive to over- or under-state anything. Each report includes:
- Close-up 4K aerial imagery of the whole roof, captured by CAA-licensed drone
- A dated, written condition assessment of every roof element
- Clear identification of any defects, damage or areas of concern
- A document formatted to hand straight to your insurer, broker or loss adjuster
We produce these regularly for exactly this purpose — including work with insurers and loss adjusters such as Crawford & Co, alongside organisations like the States of Jersey, Hand Picked Hotels and RUBiS.
04Independent survey vs the roofer's quote
That independence is the whole point. When the evidence comes from a neutral surveyor rather than the contractor who'd profit from the repair, your insurer can rely on it — and your claim or renewal moves faster.
05Cost and timing
The survey + full written report — the version insurers want — starts from £375, with the report delivered in 2–3 days (weather permitting). See full pricing, or read more about our insurance roof surveys across Jersey and Guernsey.
Frequently asked
Will my insurer accept a drone roof report?
Yes — a dated, independent report with high-resolution imagery and a clear condition assessment is exactly the kind of evidence insurers and loss adjusters ask for. We produce these regularly for claims and renewals, including for loss adjusters.
Is a drone survey as good as someone physically inspecting the roof?
For assessing condition and documenting damage, the close-up 4K imagery a drone captures across the entire roof is often more thorough than a person can safely achieve from a ladder — and it comes with no risk of working at height.
Can you report on a specific area my insurer queried?
Yes. Tell us what they've asked about when you book and we'll make sure the relevant elements — a chimney, a valley, a section of flashing — are captured and assessed in detail.
How much is the report?
The survey plus full written report starts from £375. A visual-only survey (imagery without the written report) starts from £249. See pricing for details.
Need an insurer-ready roof report?
We produce exactly the dated, independent roof condition report insurers and loss adjusters ask for — captured by drone, delivered in 2–3 days.
Book an insurance roof survey
Capture (C.I) Limited · CAA-licensed drone roof surveys across Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark & Herm · 07797 762644
