Hail and wind roof damage disputed
Texas and Colorado hailstorms drive many roof claims. Disagreements usually come down to whether damage is functional, how many slopes are affected and whether repair is feasible.
USAAClaim guide · independent
Florida, Texas and Colorado public adjusters · USAA claims
USAA denied or underpaid your claim?
USAA denied your claim or paid less than it takes to repair your home? Military families move often and may deal with claims from a distance. We review the decision, inspect the property and handle the back-and-forth, in Texas, Colorado or Florida.
- Free claim review. No fee to talk.
- Florida firm license G288962 (lead adjuster license W915694)
- Texas public adjuster license 3475757
- Colorado public adjuster license 940240
- We work for you, not the insurance company
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Disclaimer: AF Claims is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by USAA (United Services Automobile Association and affiliates). Carrier names are used only to identify the insurer. Every claim is different; results are not guaranteed.
About USAA
USAA is a San Antonio, Texas-based insurer that serves military members, veterans and their eligible families. United Services Automobile Association is a reciprocal interinsurance exchange, and USAA also writes homeowners coverage through affiliates such as USAA Casualty Insurance Company and USAA General Indemnity Company.
The USAA group is the 3rd-largest homeowners insurer in Texas and in Colorado, according to the data below. In Florida, United Services Automobile Association had 153,734 residential policies in force as of June 30, 2026, ranking 14th among Florida residential property insurers by policy count in the Office of Insurance Regulation’s Q2 2026 report.
Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Company is also a USAA company: the Colorado Division of Insurance lists it under the same group number as United Services Automobile Association. Garrison is 17th on TDI’s 2024 company-level Texas homeowners list (1.61%) and 14th in Colorado’s 2025 homeowners data (1.83%). If Garrison issued your policy, this page applies.
Why USAA claims get denied or underpaid
Common reasons homeowners report for denied or underpaid claims, with any carrier (general patterns, not USAA’s internal policy):
Claims handled remotely
When you’re deployed or relocated, it’s harder to be there for inspections. A representative on site can make sure the adjuster sees everything.
Foundation and slab leaks
Many policies cover access and tear-out to reach a covered plumbing leak but exclude the foundation settling itself. How the claim is framed matters.
Code upgrades
Local building codes may require upgrades during repair. Ordinance or law coverage, if you have it, has to be claimed and documented.
Recoverable depreciation left on the table
If you have replacement cost coverage, withheld depreciation may be payable after repairs. Deadlines to complete repairs vary by policy and state.
Hurricane wind vs. water (FL)
In Florida, interior water after a hurricane is often disputed unless the file shows how the water got in, and homeowners policies generally exclude flood. Document openings and the water’s path.
Tip: Deployed? Florida pauses the notice clock
Under s. 627.70132(2), Florida Statutes, the notice deadlines are tolled while a named insured servicemember is deployed to a combat zone or combat support posting that materially affects the ability to file. Other states differ.
What to do after a USAA denial or low offer
In Florida
- 1
Get the decision and the reasons in writing
Within 60 days after notice of an initial, reopened or supplemental claim, a Florida residential insurer must pay or deny it, or a portion of it, and give a reasonable written explanation of the basis in the policy. If it pays less than its own detailed estimate, it must explain the difference in writing (s. 627.70131(7)(a), Fla. Stat.).
- 2
Ask for the adjuster’s detailed estimate
The insurer must send you any detailed estimate within 7 days after its adjuster generates it (s. 627.70131(3)(e)). Compare it room by room with the damage.
- 3
Read the exact policy language cited
Look up the exclusion or condition named in the letter, plus your declarations page and endorsements: hurricane deductible, roof settlement terms, water damage limits.
- 4
Watch the Florida notice deadlines
Notice of a new or reopened claim is due within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months (s. 627.70132, as amended through 2024). For weather events, the date of loss is the landfall or NOAA-verified date. Lawsuit deadlines are separate.
- 5
Use the policy’s appraisal clause or DFS mediation
If the dispute is about the amount of loss and your policy has an appraisal clause, appraisal may apply. Florida’s DFS mediation program (s. 627.7015) is available for many residential disputes.
More on Florida claims: Florida public adjusters · Florida denied claim guide
In Texas
- 1
Get the decision and the reasons in writing
A Texas insurer must accept or reject a claim in writing within 15 business days after it receives everything it asked for, or within 45 days if it notifies you why it needs more time. A rejection must state the reasons (Tex. Ins. Code § 542.056).
- 2
Know the other prompt-payment deadlines
Acknowledgment and information requests within 15 days of notice (§ 542.055); payment within 5 business days after the insurer says it will pay (§ 542.057). After a commissioner-declared weather catastrophe, deadlines get 15 more days (§ 542.059).
- 3
Read the exact policy language cited
Find the exclusion or condition the letter relies on, plus your deductibles (often a percentage for wind and hail) and any cosmetic-damage or roof endorsements.
- 4
Use the policy’s appraisal clause
Appraisal is for disputes about the amount of the loss, not coverage. Each side hires an appraiser, and an umpire decides differences; TDI describes the umpire’s decision as binding.
- 5
Mind the complaint and pre-suit steps
You can complain to TDI in writing. According to TDI, if the damage was caused by a disaster, you must notify the insurer in writing at least 61 days before suing. Coastal wind claims under TWIA have a 1-year filing deadline.
More on Texas claims: Texas public adjusters
In Colorado
- 1
Request your policy right away
A Colorado homeowner’s insurer must make a copy of your policy, with declarations and endorsements, available within 3 business days after you ask, and a certified copy within 30 calendar days after a written request to its registered agent (C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8(10)).
- 2
Get the decision and the reasons in writing
Ask for the specific policy provision the denial or reduction relies on, the adjuster’s estimate and any reports. Colorado law prohibits unreasonable delay or denial of covered benefits (C.R.S. § 10-3-1115); whether that applies is a legal question for an attorney.
- 3
Know your contents and ALE rights
After a total loss of a furnished primary home’s contents, insurers must offer at least 30% of the contents limit without an inventory and allow at least 365 days to submit one. Replacement-cost dwelling policies must include at least 12 months of ALE (C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8(6), (11)).
- 4
Use the policy’s appraisal clause
If the disagreement is about the amount of loss, the appraisal clause may resolve it without court. Read its exact steps and deadlines.
- 5
Don’t rely on a shortened suit deadline
A Colorado homeowner’s policy can’t require you to sue within a shorter time than the statute of limitations (C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8(12)). Ask a Colorado-licensed attorney about legal deadlines.
More on Colorado claims: Colorado public adjusters
Real results
Claims we’ve handled in Florida, Texas and Colorado
Real claims our clients authorized us to share, with their exact numbers. Our case records don’t name the insurance company, so these are not presented as USAA claims.
HurricaneInitial payment $1,356.32$175,000final recoveryJessica & BryanBradenton, FloridaRead the case →HailInitial payment $967.33$125,000final recoveryLauraDallas, TexasRead the case →Plumbing leakInitial payment $4,294.32$78,000final recoveryLouisaColorado Springs, ColoradoRead the case →HurricaneInitial payment $23,022.28$137,000final recoveryGregCape Coral, FloridaRead the case →
Every insurance claim is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See all results →
USAA claim FAQ
Can a public adjuster work with me if I’m stationed out of state?
Yes. We can inspect the property, document the damage, prepare the estimate and communicate with the insurer while you stay informed by phone, email or Zoom. We work claims in states where we are licensed, including Florida, Texas and Colorado.
USAA offered to settle. Should I sign?
Read any release or settlement document carefully before signing, because some are meant to close the claim for good. Cashing a regular claim check usually doesn’t end a claim, but a signed release can. Ask before you sign.
How long do I have to reopen or supplement a Florida property claim?
Under s. 627.70132, Florida Statutes, notice of a new or reopened claim must be given within 1 year after the date of loss, and notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months after the date of loss. For hurricanes and other weather events, the date of loss is the landfall date or the date NOAA verifies the event. Lawsuit deadlines are separate; ask a Florida-licensed attorney about those.
How long does a Texas insurer have to accept or reject my claim?
Under the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act, an insurer generally must acknowledge a claim within 15 days (Tex. Ins. Code § 542.055) and accept or reject it in writing within 15 business days after receiving everything it asked for, or up to 45 days if it tells you why it needs more time (§ 542.056). Once it agrees to pay, payment is due within 5 business days (§ 542.057). After a weather catastrophe declared by the commissioner, these deadlines get 15 more days (§ 542.059).
How do I get a copy of my policy in Colorado?
Ask your insurer. Under C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8(10), a homeowner’s insurer must make a copy of your policy, including the declarations page and endorsements, available within 3 business days after you request it, and a certified copy within 30 calendar days after a written request to its registered agent.
What does the review cost?
The claim review is free, and asking questions doesn’t hire us. If it makes sense to work together, the fee and services are explained in a written agreement before you sign.
General information, not legal advice. Policies and state laws differ, and laws change.
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview: insurance groups with the highest market share, 2024 direct written premium
- Texas Department of Insurance, Top 40 list of insurers in Texas: Homeowners (company level)
- R Street Institute, “Colorado Homeowners’ Insurance: On the Right Path” (July 16, 2025), table of top 10 Colorado homeowners insurers by 2024 direct premium written, source S&P Capital IQ Pro
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Quarterly Market Intelligence Report: Statewide Commercial and Personal Summary by Company, Q2 2026 (policies in force as of June 30, 2026; data pulled Aug. 11, 2026)
- Colorado Division of Insurance, 2025 Colorado Insurance Industry Statistical Report (data as of Dec. 31, 2025), Homeowners Multiple Peril, written premium and market share by company
- Section 627.70131, Florida Statutes (Insurer’s duty to acknowledge communications regarding claims; investigation)
- Section 627.70132, Florida Statutes (Notice of property insurance claim), as amended through ch. 2024-139
- Section 627.7015, Florida Statutes (Alternative procedure for resolution of disputed property insurance claims / DFS mediation)
- Texas Insurance Code, Chapter 542, Subchapter B (Prompt Payment of Claims), §§ 542.055–542.060
- Texas Department of Insurance, Home insurance guide (claims deadlines, appraisal, complaints; updated June 1, 2026)
- C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8 (Colorado homeowner’s insurance: required practices, policy copies, contents, suit limitations), as amended by HB 25-1322
- C.R.S. § 10-3-1115 (Colorado: improper denial or delay of claims)
Sources checked September 27, 2026.
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Disclaimer: AF Claims is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by USAA (United Services Automobile Association and affiliates). Carrier names are used only to identify the insurer. Every claim is different; results are not guaranteed.
American Financial Claims is a licensed public adjusting firm, not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice. Office: Brickell Arch, 1395 Brickell Ave, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131. Every insurance claim is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.