Glossary

Supplemental claim

A request for more money on a loss you already reported, usually for damage found or costs incurred after the first estimate was written.

Also called: supplement, claim supplement, supplemental request

A supplemental claim asks the insurer to pay more on an existing loss. Common triggers: a roofer removes shingles and finds rotted decking the adjuster could not see, drywall comes down and a leak turns out to have reached the next room, the building department requires work that was not in the estimate, or material prices at the time of repair exceed the estimate.

It stays under the original claim number. Support it with photographs of the newly found damage taken before it is covered up, the contractor's invoice or change order, and a short written explanation of what changed. Many insurers want to see new damage before it is repaired, so call before the work moves on, unless you must act to stop further damage. The insurer then issues a revised estimate or explains why it will not pay.

Deadlines still apply. The policy's notice and suit limits run from the date of loss, and some states add their own windows. Florida, for example, requires notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months of the date of loss (Fla. Stat. 627.70132, 2025 statutes). The guides on hidden damage discovered later and reopening a closed claim explain the difference between a supplement and a revived claim.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Scope of loss The written list of damaged areas and repairs an adjuster decides are needed and covered, which becomes the basis for the estimate and the payment. Claim number The reference code an insurer assigns when it opens a file on your loss, used to track the adjuster's notes, estimates, payments and correspondence. Holdback The part of a claim payment the insurer keeps back until repairs are finished and documented, usually the depreciation on a replacement cost claim. Recoverable depreciation The part of a replacement cost payment an insurer withholds at first and releases after you finish the repair or replacement and send proof of the cost. Xactimate Estimating software from Verisk that adjusters and contractors use to price repairs line by line from regional unit-cost price lists.

Related guides

AI, drones and automation in home claims How insurers use photo estimating, drones, aerial imagery and fast-track payments on home claims, where automation errs, and how to keep a person in the loop. Building materials, labor shortages and claim costs Materials and labor both cost far more than in 2020. Federal price data, a 2026 contractor survey, and how repair costs reach your claim and your premium. Catastrophe adjusters and storm deployments Why out-of-state adjusters inspect storm-damaged homes, how insurers surge staff, how emergency licenses work in Texas and Florida, and how to prepare. Choosing a contractor after a home insurance claim Who chooses your repair contractor after a claim, how to vet one, what the contract should say, and the deductible-waiver and assignment traps to avoid. Claims for hidden damage discovered later Can you claim damage found months after a storm, leak or fire? What decides it: cause, timing, late-notice rules, deadlines that run from the loss, and proof. Contractor fraud after storms: how it works and how to stop it How storm-chasing contractors defraud homeowners after hail, wind and flood, the red flags to watch, and what to do before you sign anything or pay a deposit.

Related disasters

Hurricane Milton (2024) Milton hit Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 on Oct. 9, 2024: 385,146 Florida claims, $20 billion insured (Aon). Notice windows closed; suits run 5 years. Winter Storm Fern (2026) January 2026 ice, snow and record cold: about $3.5 billion insured (Aon), FEMA major disasters in five states, and suit deadlines still running.