A home insurance repair has four parties: you, your insurance company, the adjuster who inspects the damage, and the contractor who repairs it. Knowing who decides what makes the process much less stressful.
Your insurer decides what's covered. The adjuster inspects the property and writes a scope of loss, which is a list of the damaged items and what the insurer will pay to repair them. A contractor's job is to document the damage accurately, give you a detailed estimate, and then do the work in that approved scope. Contractors in Texas may not act as your public adjuster or negotiate the claim for you.
Many policies pay in two parts. The first check covers the actual cash value, which is the repair cost minus depreciation. The second check releases the recoverable depreciation after the work is finished. Ask your adjuster which applies to your policy so you can plan.
Sometimes hidden damage turns up once the work starts, such as rotted decking under shingles or wet insulation behind drywall. When that happens, the contractor documents it with photos and the insurer reviews a supplement for the additional work. Good documentation at that point keeps the job moving.
Throughout the job, keep copies of everything: photos, estimates, the adjuster's scope, invoices, and receipts. A well-organized file makes it easier to close the claim at the end.