Before discussing the claims process, it’s useful to explain what types of damages insurance will typically cover. Please note that you won’t need a separate roof policy in most instances; instead, damages are usually covered by your regular homeowner’s policy.
That said, most insurance policies are designed to provide coverage for unexpected events: this includes things like hail storms or a fallen tree. They typically won’t provide coverage for what’s known as “wear and tear”, i.e. the regular damages that need to be repaired as a roof ages.
This is also why it’s imperative to get your roof inspected as quickly as you can. The less time that has passed after a storm, the more difficulty an insurance company will have claiming that damages were caused by regular wear and tear, as opposed to a storm.