Window Claim Adjuster Inspection — What They Check and What to Show
The adjuster is coming Thursday morning and you have twenty minutes of their time. What they will look at, what gets missed when nobody points, and what to have on the kitchen table.
At a window claim adjuster inspection the adjuster checks each window for storm damage that affects function: cracked or broken glass, a failed seal, a split or dented sash, a cracked frame, torn screens and whether the window still locks and seals. Have your storm-day photos, a numbered list of every damaged window and the labels ready, and walk the house with them. JMB Builders prepares that list with photos and comes along when you want us there.
- Adjuster checks glass, seal, sash, frame, screen and lock
- Have photos, a numbered window list and labels ready
- Walk all four sides with them, not just the storm side
- We come along when you want us there
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
An adjuster inspecting windows is looking for one thing: storm damage that changed how the window works. Cracked or broken glass is obvious. The rest is not. A seal that was shocked and fogged, a split corner on a vinyl sash, a chip in the frame sill, a sash that will not lock, a screen with a hole. Most adjusters work fast, and most are working from the ground on the storm side. What is not pointed out, photographed and written on a list is easy to leave off, and once the estimate is written, adding to it means a supplement.
The visit goes better when the house is ready for it. Put the storm date and your photos from that day on the table. Have a list of every window you believe is damaged, numbered, by side of the house, with a sentence on what is wrong with each. Open the blinds. Unlock the windows so the adjuster can test the operation. If you can find a label on a jamb or spacer, note the maker and the code. Pull the screens you think are hit and lean them where they can be seen. Have a ladder available for anything on the second floor, or photos taken from one.
Then walk the house with them. Start on the storm side, but go around all four, because hail bounces and wind swirls. At each window, say what you found and show the photo. Ask them to look at the sash corners and the sill, not just the glass. Ask them to open and lock it. If they call something cosmetic, ask them to note it on the estimate anyway so it is on record. We come along when you want us there, with the numbered photo set and our scope, so each window gets a glass, sash or whole-unit call made in front of both of us. You file the claim and talk to your insurer; we explain the damage.
What you supply
- The storm date, your claim number and your photos from the day of the storm
- A numbered list of every damaged window by side of the house, with what is wrong on each
- Windows unlocked, blinds open and screens you believe are damaged pulled where they can be seen
- Any window labels or paperwork, and a ladder or second-floor photos
- The adjuster's appointment time, with enough notice for us to be there if you want us
What JMB supplies
- A photo set before the visit: each damaged window numbered, wide and close, with a scale reference
- A line-item scope in the adjuster's units: glass, sash, screen or whole unit per window, with install items
- A walk of the house with the adjuster when you want us there, pointing out sash corners, sills and seals
- A check of lock and operation on each window in front of the adjuster
- Notes on what the adjuster agreed to, called cosmetic or left off, for a supplement if one is needed
- The repair once the scope is approved, priced per window against it
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- What the approved scope lists for each window: glass, sash, screen or whole unit
- Windows the adjuster left off that get added by supplement after re-inspection
- Frame material and whether parts are still made for it
- Access for second-story and walk-out windows
- Interior trim disturbed by a full-unit replacement
- Upgrades you choose beyond like kind, paid as the difference
Send your appointment date and photos of the damaged windows as soon as you have them. We reply within one business day on whether we can be there and what to have ready.
How long it takes
The adjuster's visit is usually an hour or two. Their estimate follows on their schedule, often within a couple of weeks. The repair starts after approval and the window order.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Glass
Cracks, chips, holes and fog between the panes. The adjuster notes the glass size and whether it is double or triple pane, tempered or low-E. Point out seal failure; it does not show from the lawn.
Sash and frame
Split corners, dents through the vinyl or cladding, cracked sills and racked frames. The adjuster decides whether the damage affects function. Show the lock, the weatherstrip gap and any water inside.
Screens
Holes, tears and bent frames. Screens are counted by the window, so have the damaged ones pulled and visible. They are a small line that is often forgotten.
Operation
Does it open, close, lock and seal? A window that worked before the storm and binds after is functional damage. Have the windows unlocked so the adjuster can test each one.
Window Claim Adjuster Inspection — What They Check and What to Show: questions, answered
What does the insurance adjuster look for on hail or wind damaged windows?
Damage from the storm that affects how the window works: cracked, chipped or broken glass, a fogged seal, split or dented sashes, a cracked frame or sill, torn screens, and whether the window still opens, locks and seals. They note the window type, size and glass makeup for each one. Dents that do not change function may be called cosmetic, depending on your policy. The more you point out and have photographed, the less gets missed.
Should my contractor be there when the adjuster inspects the windows?
It helps, and most adjusters do not mind. A contractor who has already photographed and numbered the windows can walk the adjuster to each one, show the sash corners and seals that do not show from the ground, and make the glass, sash or whole-unit call in front of both of you. We come along when you want us there. You still file the claim and talk to your insurer; we explain the damage.
What should I have ready for the adjuster's window inspection?
Your storm-day photos, the claim number, a numbered list of every damaged window by side of the house with a note on what is wrong, and any window labels you can find. Open the blinds and unlock the windows so operation can be tested. Pull damaged screens where they can be seen. If anything is on the second floor, have a ladder or photos from one. Keep the broken glass and sashes until they have been seen.
Will the adjuster go up a ladder to look at second-story windows?
Some do and some inspect from the ground or with a camera pole. Second-story damage is the easiest to miss. Have photos taken from a ladder before the visit, or ask us to take them, and show them at each upper window. If the adjuster does not go up and the photos show damage, ask that the window be listed from the photos or that a re-inspection be scheduled.
What if the adjuster says the window damage is cosmetic?
Ask them to note it on the estimate anyway, so it is on record, and ask what your policy says about cosmetic damage. Then test the function: does it lock, does it seal, does the sash still square up. A dent that cracked the sash corner or sprung the weatherstrip is functional. Photograph it with a scale reference and a straightedge, and ask for a re-inspection or supplement with those photos. We document it; you take it to your insurer.
How long does the adjuster's window inspection take?
Usually an hour or two for a house, longer when the roof and siding are on the same claim. The written estimate comes later on the insurer's schedule, often within a couple of weeks. Ask before they leave when to expect it and how they want to receive the contractor's scope and any supplement.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-333-4066.
Related jobs we do
Insurance Claim Window Replacement — From the Storm to New Windows
Hail or straight-line wind took out windows on one side of the house and you have never filed a claim. Here is the whole path, from the first photos to the last check.
Read moreContractor Estimate for Window Insurance Claim, Line by Line
The adjuster is coming Thursday and you want something on paper that lists every window and door the storm hit. This is what that estimate should look like and what goes in it.
Read moreAdjuster Says Hail Damage to Windows Is Cosmetic — What to Photograph
The adjuster walked around, saw dents and chips, and called it cosmetic. Before you accept that, check each window for damage that affects how it works.
Read moreWindow Claim Denied or Underpaid — Re-Inspection, Supplement, Repair
The estimate came back with two windows on it and you have six with cracked sashes. Or it came back as a denial. Here is what the next letter to your insurer should have in it.
Read moreInsurance Adjuster Missed Window Damage — Asking for a Supplement
The check came and the scope lists three windows, but six screens are torn and a sash on the back is cracked. Here is how the missing items get documented and back in front of your insurer.
Read moreActual Cash Value vs Replacement Cost — Why the First Check Is Less
The adjuster's estimate says one number, the check that came says a smaller one, and the letter mentions depreciation. Nothing is wrong. Here is what the numbers are and what has to happen for the rest to arrive.
Read morePage reviewed October 2, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
Where we work
Insurance repairs near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: