[M.D. Holloway]

Here in Tejas the roofing biz v. insurance is a game. The way it is done is to get a few solid estimates. Get the lowest one. Show him what the insurance is going to pay and say you are not looking to pay anything more then what the insurance will pay and sit back. No one in Tejas pays more then the insurance check. The roofer might balk and they might back away but we have countless companies and frankly roofs are replaced here about every few years so it doesn't matter if you get a 25yr, 30yr, or a 50yr. Let the roofer work it out with the insurance co. The roofers know the game.

But don't sign a darn thing unless the monies make sense and it is written down. Verbals are as good as the paper they are written on. That said, he should have gotten an estimate on what the insurance company was willing to pay out. You always do that prior to talking to anyone. When you get the insurance companies report on the damage and what they will cover take that as your specification.

Sounds like he talked to a roofer prior to understanding what the insurance co would pay him.