Can You Prove Your Roof Was Sound Before the Storm? A Report Can

When a big storm hits, most people focus on the obvious question: “Will my insurance cover this?”

But your insurer is often thinking something slightly different:

“Can you prove the roof was in good condition before the damage happened?”

That’s where a professional roof condition report becomes less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a powerful piece of evidence that can make or break a claim.

In this blog, we’ll look at why proof of pre-storm condition matters so much, how drone-based roof surveys provide that proof, and how Drone Site Surveys makes the whole process easier, safer, and more robust for insurance purposes.

Why Insurers Care about Pre-Storm Conditions

Insurance is there to protect you from sudden, unforeseen events – like storm damage – not slow, ignored deterioration over many years.

If you claim roof damage after a storm, insurers will typically look at questions like:

• Was the roof reasonably maintained?
• Were there existing defects or long-term issues?
• Is this damage genuinely storm-related, or the result of neglect?

If you cannot clearly demonstrate that the roof was in sound, serviceable condition before the storm, you leave a lot of room for doubt. That doubt can slow down a claim, reduce a payout, or result in outright refusal.

A dated, professional roof condition report gives you a clear answer to that key question:

“Was the roof sound before the storm?”

“Why drone roof reports are ideal for insurance evidence?”

Traditional roof inspections can be:

1. Disruptive – scaffolding, access equipment, and downtime.
2. Limited – not all areas are safe or easy to reach.
3. Light on evidence – a few photos and a brief written note.

Drone-based surveys, carried out by trained professionals, change that completely.

At Drone Site Surveys, we:

Capture high-resolution imagery across every roof slope, detail, penetration and interface. Record time-stamped visual evidence that can be referenced months or years later.

Provide specialist roofing surveyor reports that clearly distinguish between:

• Age-related deterioration
• Design or installation defects
• New, event-related damage (e.g., storm uplift, impact, displaced fixings)

This level of detail doesn’t just help you understand your roof; it gives insurers exactly what they want: clear, objective, third-party evidence.

Why work with Drone Site Surveys?

If you need an insurance roof report, quality and credibility are key. Safety, professionalism, and defensible reporting guide our approach.

1. Licensed, accredited, and insured:-

All our drone pilots are licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), ensuring that flights are conducted safely, legally, and competently.

As a company, we also hold a range of industry-recognised accreditations, including:

• ConstructionLine Gold
• SafeContractor
• SSIP
• Cyber Essentials

For added security, we’re fully insured up to £10 million. We assure insurers and asset owners of our work.

2. A process designed to protect you:-

Our service goes beyond arrival. Our process reduces risk, meets site regulations, and creates a robust paper trail for insurance. Permissions, RAMs, and pre-flight checks

Before any survey, we:

• Secure all required airspace and landowner permissions.
• Prepare pre-flight paperwork, including Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMs).
• Assess site-specific hazards, exclusion zones, and safe take-off/landing areas.

This creates a clear, auditable record showing that the survey was carried out professionally and in accordance with the relevant standards.

3. Secure, structured image delivery:-

After surveying, we deliver imagery via our password-protected portal. Images are organised into colour-coded categories by roof sections and elevations in that portal.

This makes it far easier to:

• Navigate large image sets. Cross-reference the report with specific locations on the roof.
• Share precise evidence with insurers, loss adjusters or contractors.

Instead of scrolling through hundreds of unlabelled photos, you can quickly pinpoint “north elevation – high level gutter” or “Roof Section 3 – plant area” in seconds.

4. Reports written by specialist roofing surveyors:-

High-quality images are only half the story. To stand up as evidence, your report needs expert interpretation.

Our roof condition reports are written by specialist roofing surveyors who:

• Understand how insurers assess building fabric failures.
• Can distinguish between pre-existing defects and new event-related damage.
• Provide clear, structured commentary on condition, risk, and recommended actions.

We’re not just documenting problems; we’re helping you understand:

• What was already there before the storm.
• What has changed since?
• What should be done next to protect the building and support your claim?

How a Roof Condition Report Supports an Insurance Claim

Here’s how a pre-storm roof report can work in your favour:

1. Baseline condition record:-

You have a dated, independent record showing that at the time of the survey:

• Roof coverings were in a defined condition (e.g., fair, serviceable, with known isolated defects).
• Any issues were identified and clearly recorded.
• The roof was not in a state of general neglect.
• This helps demonstrate that you’ve taken reasonable care of the property.

2. Faster, clearer post-storm comparisons:-

If a storm later causes damage, we can resurvey and compare:

• Pre-storm images vs post-storm images.
• Like-for-like roof areas, fixings, details and interfaces.

This makes it far easier to evidence:

• Dislodged or missing sheets or tiles.
• New impact damage.
• Recently displaced flashings or cappings.
• Changes in lap alignment, fixings, or rooflight integrity.
• Insurers see not just damage; they see the difference caused by the event.

3. Reduced disputes and delays

When you have clear visual evidence and organised commentary from a qualified surveyor, it’s tough to question whether the damage is storm-related or “wear and tear“.

That doesn’t guarantee a specific outcome; the insurer still applies their own policy terms – but it significantly strengthens your position and can help move claims along more smoothly.

Ideal timing: before renewal, after works, and ahead of winter

A common mistake is only thinking about roof reports after something has gone wrong. In reality, the smartest time to commission a survey is before:

• Insurance renewal: to demonstrate that you understand and are actively managing roof risks.
• Major capital works: to document the condition pre- and post-project.
• Winter storm season: to identify vulnerabilities and document current conditions ahead of high-risk weather.

Portfolios, managing agents and large sites benefit from regular drone roof checks, creating defensible records for maintenance and insurance.

We’re Passionate about informing and protecting our Clients

At Drone Site Surveys, we’re not just there to take pictures and leave you to figure it out. Our goal is to:

• Give you clarity on the actual condition, not guesswork.
• Help you prioritise remedial works based on risk and impact.
• Provide evidence that supports you when you need it most, particularly in the aftermath of a storm.

By combining CAA-licensed pilots, industry-recognised accreditations, robust safety procedures, secure digital delivery and specialist roofing surveyor reports, we offer one of the most comprehensive drone-based roof survey services available in the UK.

Ready to future-proof your next claim?

The question isn’t just “Is my roof okay?”

It’s “If something goes wrong, can I prove it was okay beforehand?”

A professional roof condition report from Drone Site Surveys gives you that proof clearly, safely, and securely.

If you’d like to discuss a survey for a single property or a wider portfolio, we’re happy to talk through options, typical scopes, and how best to structure reports for insurance purposes.