How to Document Storm Damage for Your Insurance Claim
After a bad storm rolls through, a lot of homeowners make the same mistake: they clean up the yard, throw away broken pieces, and then try to file an insurance claim a week later without much to show for it. We've seen this play out dozens of times, and it almost always makes the claim harder than it needs to be. The adjusters need evidence, and the more you can give them, the smoother it goes.
Right after the storm, grab your phone
As soon as it's safe to go outside, start taking photos. You don't need to get on the roof: actually, please don't. Just walk around your property and photograph anything that looks damaged or out of place. Dented gutters, broken screens, debris on the ground, damaged siding, hail marks on your car or AC unit. Get wide shots showing the whole house and close-ups of specific damage. Your phone timestamps the photos automatically, which is exactly what the insurance company wants, proof that this damage happened on this date.
How a storm claim actually pays out
- 1DamageStorm hits and you file the claim
- 2AdjusterThe insurer scopes the loss
- 3ACV checkFirst payment, minus depreciation and your deductible
- 4Work doneRoof replaced, final invoice sent
- 5Depreciation releasedSecond check, on a replacement cost policy only
Your deductible is subtracted once, from the total. Kansas law bars any contractor from absorbing it for you.
Write down the details while they're fresh
Jot down the date and approximate time of the storm, what direction the wind was coming from (if you noticed), whether it was hail or wind or both, and roughly how long it lasted. Keep any weather alerts you got on your phone. This sounds like overkill, but when the adjuster asks you about the storm three weeks later, you'll be glad you wrote it down.
- Photograph all visible damage from the ground: gutters, siding, yard debris, vehicles
- Take both wide shots and close-ups of each damaged area
- Note the date, time, and weather conditions
- Save any weather alerts or storm notifications from your phone
- Don't throw away any damaged materials: the adjuster may want to see them
- Call your insurance company to start the claim within a few days
Get a professional inspection before the adjuster comes
This is the step that makes the biggest difference. When you call us for a post-storm inspection, we get on the roof and document everything. Not just what's visible from the ground. We photograph every damaged shingle, every dented vent, every piece of compromised flashing. We put together a full report with photos and measurements that matches the format insurance companies expect. When the adjuster shows up, we meet them at your property and walk the roof with them. That way nothing gets missed, and the adjuster has a clear picture of the full scope of damage.
One more thing, don't make permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects. If you've got an active leak, a tarp is fine. But don't replace shingles or fix flashing before the insurance company has a chance to see the damage firsthand. If you've had a storm and aren't sure where to start, call us at (913) 954-4501. We'll handle the documentation and walk you through the whole process.
Want a straight answer about your own roof?
Free inspection, written report, no sales pitch. We cover Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties.
