Insights
Claims, explained in plain English.
Volodymyr writes the State Restoration Knowledge Centre — practical roofing, storm and insurance guides for Chicago-area homeowners. Start with these.
Water damage vs flood: the line that decides coverage
A burst pipe, a sewer backup and a flood are three different claims in Illinois. Which policy pays for each, what is excluded, and what to document.
September 10, 2026 · 8 min read Policy coverageMatching: when undamaged siding and shingles get replaced too
Matching decides whether your insurer pays to replace undamaged siding or shingles next to the damaged area. What drives the answer on an Illinois claim.
September 9, 2026 · 8 min read Policy coverageCode upgrade coverage: when the city makes the repair cost more
Code upgrade coverage, or ordinance or law, pays the extra cost of repairing to today's code. What triggers it on an Illinois roof and how it gets paid.
September 8, 2026 · 8 min read Denied claimsDenied in week one: what to do before you appeal
Your insurance claim was denied in the first week. How to read the denial letter, what to request before you appeal, and when a denial is actually right.
September 7, 2026 · 8 min read Winter damageIce dams in a Chicago winter: what your policy covers
Ice dam damage in a Chicago winter: what a homeowners policy usually pays for inside, what it excludes, and how to document the loss before the ice melts.
September 6, 2026 · 8 min read Roof damageWind or hail: why the cause of loss changes what you get paid
Wind vs hail damage on a Chicago roof: how the cause of loss changes the scope, the deductible and the date of loss, and how to tell the two apart.
September 5, 2026 · 8 min read EstimatesWhat O&P is, and why it goes missing from a roof estimate
Overhead and profit is a real line on a roof insurance estimate, and often it is not there. What O&P covers, when it applies and how to ask for it.
September 4, 2026 · 8 min read EstimatesReading an Xactimate estimate line by line
Your insurer's estimate is an Xactimate report. What each column, code and summary line means, and the roof items most often missing from the scope.
September 3, 2026 · 8 min read DeadlinesThe four clocks running on your Illinois claim
Four clocks run on an Illinois insurance claim at once: notice, proof of loss, the depreciation window and the deadline to sue. Where to read each one.
September 2, 2026 · 8 min read Storm damageWhat I look for on a hail-damaged asphalt roof
Hail damage on an asphalt roof is judged by a fractured mat, not by looks. What a HAAG certified inspector checks on an Illinois roof, and what gets missed.
September 1, 2026 · 8 min read Policy and paymentYour first check is smaller than the repair — that is ACV
Your first insurance check is the actual cash value: replacement cost minus depreciation, minus your deductible. Here is how ACV works on an Illinois claim.
August 31, 2026 · 8 min read Claim processA Chicago claim, step by step: what I actually do, and when
What a public adjuster actually does on a Chicago property claim — the first call, the inspection, the estimate, the negotiation and the final check.
August 30, 2026 · 8 min readFrom the State Restoration Knowledge Centre
How to File a Storm-Damage Roof Claim in Illinois
The full sequence — deadlines, documentation, and the mistakes that quietly shrink settlements.
Read in the Knowledge Centre MoneyWhat Is Recoverable Depreciation on a Roof Claim?
The second check most homeowners never collect — and how to make sure you do.
Read in the Knowledge Centre DamageHail Damage on an Asphalt Roof: What to Look For
Bruises, mat fractures and granule loss — reading hail damage the way a HAAG inspector does.
Read in the Knowledge Centre ChecklistStorm Damage Checklist for Chicago Homeowners
What to photograph, what to save, and who to call in the first 48 hours after a storm.
Read in the Knowledge Centre EstimatesWhat Is O&P on an Insurance Estimate?
Overhead & profit explained — when the 20% applies and why adjusters leave it off.
Read in the Knowledge Centre EstimatesWhat Is RCE in Insurance?
Replacement-cost estimates decoded, line by line, so the numbers stop being a mystery.
Read in the Knowledge Centre MoneyHow to Recover Depreciation on an Insurance Claim
The paperwork and proof insurers require before they release the held-back amount.
Read in the Knowledge Centre CoverageCode Upgrade Coverage on a Roof Claim, Explained
Ordinance & law coverage can pay for required upgrades — if you know to invoke it.
Read in the Knowledge Centre AdviceStorm Chasers vs. Local Roofer: How to Choose
Red flags that follow every big storm through Illinois — and how not to get burned.
Read in the Knowledge CentreBefore you accept the insurer's number, get a second opinion.
The consultation and the property inspection are free. If I can't add value to your claim, I'll tell you straight — no pressure, no obligation.