After wind or hail, you’ve probably heard some version of this:
- “We only owe to replace the damaged shingles.”
- “We found a close match.”
- “Cosmetic‑only—no coverage.”
You don’t have to live with a checkerboard roof or mismatched siding. In property insurance, the goal is to restore pre-loss condition, including a uniform look when policy language, code, or other requirements call for it. Policy terms control.
Below is the same playbook we use every day to build the case for uniform replacement when the facts and the policy support it. Outcomes vary; expect responsibility for deductibles and any non-covered costs.
What “Matching Matters” Really Means
Uniform appearance is part of being made whole. Restoring your home to pre‑loss condition includes consistent materials, color, and profile across lines of sight.
Roofs:
- Matching by slope/plane, manufacturer, profile, color.
- Brittle shingles and discontinued lines often make partial patching impossible.
Siding:
- Sun fade, dye‑lot differences, discontinued profiles, interlock systems matter.
- Often you need full elevation replacement to achieve uniform appearance.
Why carriers resist:
- Cost containment.
- Narrow readings of “like kind and quality” or “comparable material.”
- “Cosmetic damage” exclusions—even when the market value and warranties say otherwise.
The Levers That Move Insurers
Policy language that helps:
- Replacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value: What triggers full replacement vs. depreciation.
- “Like kind and quality” / “comparable material”: Use evidence to show true equivalence isn’t possible without uniform replacement.
- Ordinance or Law coverage: Pays for code‑required removal/replacement of undamaged portions.
- Appraisal clause: Neutral appraisers resolve scope/price and matching disputes.
Bad faith and prompt payment rules:
- Louisiana: La. R.S. 22:1892 (30‑day payment after satisfactory proof) and 22:1973 (duty of fair dealing).
- Texas: Insurance Code Ch. 541 (unfair settlement), Ch. 542/542A (Prompt Payment of Claims Act—statutory interest, fees).
- Mississippi: Common‑law bad faith; punitive exposure for unreasonable denials or delay.
Regulators you can use:
You may consider contacting:
- Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) complaint portal
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) complaint portal
- Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) complaint portal
Local code touchpoints (get written confirmation):
- Metairie/Jefferson Parish permit desk by the Causeway/I‑10 corridor
- City of Houston Permitting Center
- Gulfport Community Development
- Ask when partial replacement triggers full slope/elevation; confirm reroofing standards, underlayment, ventilation, nailing, wind uplift.
First 72 Hours After You’re Told “We’ll Just Patch It”
Preserve and organize:
- Take line‑of‑sight photos from the street of each elevation/roof slope. Add close‑ups of color/profile differences.
- Pull pre‑loss photos (your phone, prior MLS listings, Google Street View).
- Start a claim diary: dates, who said what, inspection outcomes, promises.
Mitigate safely:
- Tarp or shrink‑wrap to stop active leaks. Keep receipts.
- Do not authorize permanent patchwork that undercuts your matching claim.
Request reinspection in writing:
Ask for a field adjuster who will evaluate matching and code compliance on-site.
Build Your “Matching” Evidence File (This Wins Disputes)
Roofing evidence:
- Brittle test documentation from a licensed roofer (don’t do it yourself).
- ITEL lab reports: Send shingle samples to confirm discontinued status and color mismatch.
- Manufacturer letters/specs: Show that mixing voids warranty or line is discontinued.
Siding evidence:
- ITEL siding report for profile/color availability; document dye-lot variance and discontinuation.
- Objective color variance: Nix color sensor or painter’s spectro readings; show sun-fade differential by elevation.
Code and community evidence:
- Email from local building official confirming continuous-plane requirements and reroofing standards.
- HOA/architectural guidelines requiring uniform appearance; attach CC&Rs.
Valuation leverage:
Realtor letter on market impact of mismatched materials; appraiser statement if available.
Documentation package:
Photos (close, mid, curb distance), slope/elevation diagrams, square counts, Xactimate line items, ITEL, manufacturer letters, code/HOA emails, contractor reports.
Roof Strategies That Force Uniform Shingle Replacement
- Slope-by-slope logic: If a slope can’t be repaired without brittleness/tearing or visible mismatch, demand full slope replacement; often extends to adjacent slopes for uniform appearance.
- Discontinued/obsolete shingles: ITEL/manufacturer proof means “like kind and quality” is impossible—full replacement is the practical cure.
- Warranty angle: Mixing new/old or different lines can void manufacturer warranties—attach warranty language.
- Safety and method: Insist on IRC-compliant reroofing: tear-off vs. recover, underlayment, nails per shingle, starter/hip/ridge consistency.
- Appraisal-ready scope: Include ridge/hip, starter, underlayment, drip edge, flashing, pipe jacks, ventilation, and code items—don’t omit matching-critical components.
Siding Strategies That Force Full Elevation or Whole-Home Matching
- Elevation-by-elevation: If color fade or dye-lot mismatch is visible from common vantage points, demand full elevation replacement.
- Profile issues: Discontinued or interlocking systems prevent seamless repair.
- Caulk/paint myths: Document why caulk/paint won’t cure vinyl or prefinished fiber-cement mismatch; use manufacturer bulletins.
- Wind-lift and fastening: Show damaged housewrap, sheathing exposure, or fastener pull-through that extends repairs beyond a “spot” area.
- Include trim and accessories: Corners, J-channel, starter strips, soffit/fascia—matching requires consistent accessories and finishes.
Countering the Insurance Company’s Favorite Arguments
“Like kind and quality doesn’t mean match.”
Response: Matching is required to make you whole. Mixing voids warranties, violates HOA rules, and reduces value. Attach warranty, HOA, and realtor letters.
“Cosmetic only—no coverage.”
Response: Show functional impacts (brittle shingles tear; wind uplift risk), manufacturer/warranty issues, and market value harm. “Cosmetic” denials crumble under objective evidence.
“We found a close match.”
Response: ITEL and color readings beat guesses. Use daylight/overcast curb-distance photos to prove visible mismatch.
“Code doesn’t require matching.”
Response: Code requires compliant installation and continuous systems. When partial replacement can’t meet fastening/underlayment/wind requirements, Ordinance or Law coverage applies.
“We only owe for direct physical loss.”
Response: Necessary repairs to restore the damaged system include contiguous materials that must be removed/replaced to achieve a uniform, functioning system.
Procedural Paths to Resolution
Start with evidence, then choose the lane that fits your claim:
1) Reinspection and desk escalation - Send your binder; ask for a supervisor review focused on matching and code.
2) Appraisal (good for scope/price/matching fights) - Pros: Usually faster and cheaper than suit; neutral appraisers decide value/scope. - Cons: No bad-faith penalties awarded in appraisal itself; policy language controls. - Tip: Pick an appraiser who truly understands roofing/siding systems.
3) Pre-suit demands and regulator complaints - Louisiana: Detailed demand referencing 22:1892/22:1973; you may consider an LDI complaint to spur action. - Texas: 60-day pre-suit notice under 541/542A with itemized damages, fees, and interest; you may consider a TDI complaint. - Mississippi: Detailed bad-faith demand; you may consider an MID complaint to document alleged unreasonable conduct.
4) Litigation (storm damage litigation strategy) - Plead breach of contract plus bad faith; leverage penalties/interest; target adjuster/TPA conduct where appropriate under state law.
Deadlines and Money Levers You Can’t Miss
- Suit limitations: Policies often shorten the time to sue to 1–2 years. Calendar it now.
Proof-of-loss and supplemental deadlines: Follow your policy; submit supplements in writing with evidence.
Prompt payment timelines:
Texas TPPCA: Strict notice/accept/deny/pay timing. Missed deadlines can trigger statutory interest and attorney’s fees.
- Louisiana: 30/60-day payment windows after satisfactory proof; penalties for arbitrary/capricious underpayment.
- Mississippi: No fixed prompt-pay statute like TX/LA—use your claim diary to build the timeline for bad faith.
Don’t endorse “full and final” checks or sign blanket releases without a legal review.
Local, Boots-On-The-Ground Tips
Metairie / New Orleans area:
If your Hardie or vinyl on a Lakeview, Metairie, or Old Metairie home looks noticeably different on one elevation after Ida, get a contractor letter on dye-lot fade and an email from Jefferson Parish permitting about continuous-elevation standards for repairs.
Houston metro:
Ask the Houston Permitting Center—in writing—to confirm reroofing standards (underlayment, drip edge, ventilation). Use that to justify full-slope replacement when patching fails code/warranty.
Gulfport/Biloxi corridor:
Have a local roofer document brittle tabs on beach-facing slopes after wind/hail. Submit to Gulfport Community Development for confirmation if a permit will require continuous-plane compliance.
What To Do Next
Today
- Photograph every elevation and roof slope (close, mid, curb distance).
- Pull pre-loss photos.
- Start your claim diary.
This week
- Book two independent inspections (roofer + siding pro). Ask for brittle test notes, ITEL sampling, and manufacturer/warranty letters.
- Send a written supplement with your evidence binder. Request reinspection and ask matching/code questions in writing.
- If Texas, prepare the 60-day pre-suit notice now (you can keep negotiating while the clock runs). If LA/MS, send a detailed bad-faith demand and consider regulator complaints.
If the carrier digs in
- Invoke appraisal with an appraiser experienced in matching disputes; or
- Engage storm damage litigation counsel to press breach of contract plus bad faith remedies.
Our Promise and How We Work
We try cases. We do depositions. And we rebuild communities. Our job is to help policyholders pursue available insurance benefits so you can work toward a uniform rebuild. Outcomes vary; expect responsibility for deductibles and any non-covered costs.
Get a free claim review. No cost to meet and discuss your options. We’ll stress-test your matching evidence and map the fastest path—reinspection, appraisal, or litigation.
InsuranceClaimHQ.com • 844-844-CLAIM
Offices near you:
- Metairie HQ: 3001 17th Street, Metairie, LA 70002
- Houston: 1 Riverway, Houston, TX 77056
- Gulfport: 204 Courthouse Rd, Suite A, Gulfport, MS 39507
We serve homeowners across Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.
Plain-English note: Policy language and local code control. This article is general information, not legal advice. If you’re up against a deadline, contact us to schedule a no-obligation strategy session. We’ll meet you where you are—polo shirt, ball cap, and a plan to pursue the benefits available under your policy.
Attorney Advertising. General information only; not legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney–client relationship. Results vary; no guarantee. Representation is limited to jurisdictions where our lawyers are licensed, and we associate with local counsel when required. Contingency-fee representation may be available; court costs and case expenses may be the client’s responsibility as outlined in a written engagement agreement. Coverage outcomes depend on specific policy language and facts—review your policy and deadlines with a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
