Dealing with storm damage insurance after a hail storm, hurricane, tornado or other severe weather event can be extremely troubling. Not only is your home or business damaged, with roofing repair likely needed, but you will also need to deal with the insurance company’s bureaucracy and vast amounts of paperwork.

A storm damage insurance company will require detailed information about any storm damage before paying for any roofing repair or replacement, so it will be necessary to dig out insurance papers and go over what is covered. Most homeowners’ policies include hail storm and wind storm damage insurance.

Additionally, most mortgage companies require you to have storm damage insurance coverage on your home. You’ll probably have to pay a deductible–a set amount you’ll have to pay for roofing repair due to storm damage, such as wind storm damage or a hail storm.

What to Do After Storm Damage

Storm damage after a hail storm, hurricane or tornado can be devastating. Scanning a neighborhood after extreme weather, you’ll most likely be able to detect storm damage requiring roofing repair. Signs of  wind storm damage, or other kinds of storm damage may include:

• Broken windows
• Debris
• Fallen trees
• Houses now uninhabitable
• Houses with missing roofs
• Houses with missing shingles
• Scattered leaves and branches.

After a storm, follow these steps in order to get the roofing repair you need to remedy the storm damage to your home:

• Call your storm damage insurance agent immediately.
• Don’t do permanent repairs without consulting your storm damage insurance company.
• Keep receipts for additional living expenses due to storm damage.
• List everything that has been affected by storm damage.
• Obtain an advance from your storm damage insurance company for shelter, food or clothing if your home is uninhabitable.
• Protect property from further weather damage by patching or covering with tarps.
• Take photos of all storm damage before doing any roofing repair, temporary or otherwise.

Storm Damage Adjuster

Your storm damage insurance company will send an insurance adjuster to evaluate your home’s storm damage. Depending on how widespread the storm damage was in your area, this may take days, weeks, or even months.

Hire a contractor who is knowledgeable at dealing with storm damage insurance, and have him present when the storm damage adjuster arrives. Contractors should conduct themselves professionally when they meet with adjusters, and not argue about roofing repair costs with these storm damage insurance company representatives.

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to settle a storm damage claim and get roofing repair expenses. Sometimes wind storm damage that wasn’t initially apparent will become so days, weeks, or even months down the line. Often, you won’t need roofing repair right away, although storm damage to roofs that isn’t repaired will eventually require urgent care.