When the Storm Hits – What to Do in Real Time

Storms don’t give notice. When they hit, instinct takes over — protect your family, your pets, your property. But as soon as it’s safe, your next move should be to document everything, or at least as much as you can. Those first few hours can determine whether your claim is approved or denied months later.

In my practice, I’ve reviewed dozens, maybe hundreds, of storm claims. The strongest ones all share one thing: contemporaneous evidence. Today, nearly everyone has a high-definition camera in their pocket. Use it. Take photos and short videos from multiple angles — the sky, the yard, the roof (from the ground if possible), and any visible damage. Record ambient sounds too. The noise of hail hitting metal gutters or the whoosh of wind-driven debris can corroborate storm intensity later when insurers question weather severity.

A client from Kirkwood once described hearing what sounded like furniture dragging across the roof during a windstorm. The next day, entire clay tiles were displaced. Her 10-second phone recording of that sound became Exhibit A in proving the storm’s force when the insurer tried to claim “no nearby weather data.” Evidence like that is priceless.

Safety comes first. Never climb on a roof during or immediately after a storm. Stay indoors until it’s safe. Once conditions settle, photograph any debris, broken branches, or ice accumulation. Capture timestamped images of hailstones next to a ruler or coin for scale. If power lines are down or trees have fallen, include wide-angle shots showing proximity to your home. This evidence helps establish causation — the direct link between the storm event and your property’s damage.

If you’re a contractor responding to calls, start every assessment with your own documentation. Your credibility as an expert witness depends on what you record in those first hours. Include weather observations, radar screenshots, and descriptions of impact patterns. For example, hail that leaves circular dents on soft metals (gutters, downspouts, vent caps) indicates direct impact, not “aging.” That distinction becomes critical in coverage disputes.

Within 24 hours, notify your insurance carrier that you suspect storm damage. Keep your report factual: date, time, type of event, and observed damage. Avoid speculative language (“total loss,” “catastrophic”) until you have professional estimates. Then, call a reputable roofing contractor or restoration expert — ideally one familiar with storm damage documentation and insurance protocols. Many now use drones for safer, more detailed inspections.

Having worked with multiple roofing companies for more than 25 years, they are looking for 8 to 10 impact hits per 10 ft by 10 ft area.  This is for a typical asphalt shingle roof.  Impact damage is usually deeper with more round or oval shape. It is harder to distinguish from spalling damage which is more surficial damage.  This is more critical to distinguish when addressing damage to clay tile or slate tile roofing system.

One homeowner I represented took photos immediately after a hailstorm but didn’t call a roofer for three weeks. By then, another rainstorm had worsened interior damage, and the insurer argued the leak was “maintenance-related.” A prompt inspection could have closed that loophole. Time matters.

If possible, talk with your neighbors. Did they experience similar damage? Did their insurer approve a claim? This neighborhood pattern often undermines denials based on “isolated damage.” I’ve used data from five adjacent claims to overturn an insurer’s meteorological report claiming “no hail detected.” Even meteorology experts will usually admit that radar has accuracy limitations and must be confirmed by ground inspections.

There are no better ground inspectors than your neighbors.  You and your neighbors are in a position to help each other.  Even if you have different insurance companies how your neighbors’ insurance companies identified and addressed whether or not hail occurred, can help you confirm that golf ball size hail hit up and down your street and the next street over and was not three miles away like radar might have indicated. Reality beats radar every time.

Lastly, stay organized. Create a dedicated digital folder for every storm event — photos, videos, receipts, emails, adjuster notes. Name your files by date and description. When your adjuster finally arrives, you’ll hand them a clear, credible record. It’s the difference between an uphill battle and a smooth process.

Storms are unpredictable. Your response shouldn’t be. Document, verify, and preserve. That’s how homeowners — and contractors who support them — turn chaos into a strong claim.