Structural damage—twisted framing, compromised joists, shifted foundations—is expensive to repair. Carriers routinely pay for cosmetic fixes and exclude the structural work. Recover $18,000-$90,000 more.
⚠️ Structural damage claims are underpaid by an average of $18,000-$90,000. Carriers exclude framing, joists, and foundation repairs without engineer documentation. Get a professional assessment before settling.
Structural damage affects the load-bearing systems of your home: framing, floor joists, roof decking, load-bearing walls, and in some cases foundation. Causes include wind, impact (falling trees), water intrusion, fire, and seismic events.
Coverage depends on cause. Wind, impact, sudden water—typically covered. Gradual foundation settling, earth movement, construction defects—often excluded. Document the precipitating event. A storm that caused a tree to fall and damage roof framing creates covered structural damage.
Structural repairs are costly. Carriers minimize payouts by:
A licensed structural engineer's report documents causation, extent of damage, and required repairs. Carriers take engineer reports seriously—they establish scope in technical language. Typical cost: $500-$2,500. Typical added recovery: $18,000-$50,000.
Engineer reports should include: inspection findings, cause of damage, required repairs with scope, and code compliance requirements. Submit with contractor estimates that implement the engineer's recommendations.
Policyholders who submit engineer reports and challenge initial scope often recover $18,000-$90,000 beyond first offers. The average carrier estimate for structural work is 40-60% below contractor bids.
Carrier: surface repair only, no structural scope
Full framing, joist, decking repair per engineer report
Supplement after engineer report and line-item comparison
Don't settle a structural claim without professional assessment. The cost of an engineer is small compared to the recovery. Use line-by-line comparison to force the carrier to address every documented item.
Get the tools to document structural scope and compare estimates. Most policyholders recover $18,000-$90,000 more than initial offers.
Start Your Claim ReviewYes, when caused by a covered peril: wind, impact, fire, water, etc. Structural damage from sudden events is covered. Damage from gradual settling, poor construction, or earth movement may be excluded. Document the cause.
An engineer report strengthens your claim significantly. It documents causation, scope of damage, and required repairs in language carriers respect. Engineer reports often add $18,000-$50,000 in documented scope carriers initially exclude.
Framing repairs, load-bearing wall work, floor joist replacement, roof decking, foundation repairs from water damage, and code-required upgrades. Carriers often pay surface repairs and exclude structural scope.
Document with: structural engineer report, contractor estimates with structural line items, photos of framing/joists/foundation, and proof of covered cause (storm, water, impact). Timeline and causation are critical.
Policyholders who submit engineer reports and full contractor scope often recover $18,000-$90,000 beyond initial offers. Structural repairs are expensive; carriers routinely underbid until challenged with documentation.