Storm Damage Insurance Claim Checklist (Use This Before You Call Your Insurer)

Before you call your insurance company after a storm, stop and spend 30 minutes doing this first. Adjusters work from documentation — photos, measurements, written timelines — and the more organized yours is when you make first contact, the smoother your claim will go. This checklist walks you through exactly what to gather, what to photograph, what to avoid touching, and what to write down before you dial. Skipping these steps doesn’t disqualify your claim, but it often slows it down or leaves money on the table.

Step 1: Secure the Property and Document Before You Clean Up

The single most common mistake homeowners make is cleaning up storm debris before photographing it. Insurance adjusters need to see the damage as it was left by the storm — not after you’ve swept, tarped, or hauled.

Do this first:

1. Walk the exterior perimeter of your home from a safe distance. Note anything visually wrong: missing shingles, dented gutters, cracked siding, displaced flashing, broken windows, downed fencing.
2. Check the yard for debris that came from your roof — granules pooled near downspouts, shingle tabs in the grass, pieces of soffit or fascia.
3. Go inside and check ceilings, attic access points, and any skylights for water intrusion. A brown ring on drywall, a soft spot in ceiling paint, or a musty smell in the attic are all worth photographing.
4. If there is active water coming in, place buckets and lay down towels — but do not remove damaged materials yet.

Photograph everything before you touch it. Use your phone’s timestamp feature or check that location data is embedded in the image metadata. Shoot wide establishing shots first, then close-ups of specific damage. More is always better.

Step 2: Build Your Documentation Package

Your insurer will assign an adjuster, and that adjuster will compare your account against weather data, contractor estimates, and their own inspection. The more organized your documentation, the less room there is for dispute.

What to gather:

• Date and time of the storm. The National Weather Service maintains storm event records by county. Note the date and any local news coverage — this corroborates that a qualifying weather event occurred.
• A written damage inventory. Go room by room, surface by surface. Write down what you see, where it is, and when you first noticed it. “Ceiling in master bedroom, southeast corner — water stain approximately 18 inches across, first noticed morning of [date].” Specificity matters.
• Your current policy. Pull it now, before you call. Know your deductible, your Coverage A (dwelling) limits, and whether you have Replacement Cost Value (RCV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage. These two policy types pay out very differently on a roof claim.
• Receipts or records for any emergency protective measures. If you paid someone to tarp your roof or board a broken window, save that receipt. Most policies cover reasonable emergency mitigation costs.
• Prior inspection records or warranties. If your roof was replaced recently or inspected, that documentation helps establish pre-storm condition.

Step 3: What NOT to Do Before the Adjuster Visits

Some actions — even well-intentioned ones — can complicate your claim.

• Don’t make permanent repairs before the adjuster sees the damage. Temporary measures (tarping, boarding windows) are fine and expected. Replacing shingles, repainting, or patching drywall before the adjuster documents the original damage can reduce what you’re paid.
• Don’t throw away damaged materials. Torn shingles, broken gutters, and water-damaged insulation are evidence. Keep them in a pile somewhere accessible until the adjuster has visited.
• Don’t sign anything from a contractor who showed up unsolicited. After major storms in the St. Louis metro area, door-to-door contractors sometimes ask homeowners to sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form. This transfers your insurance rights to the contractor. Read anything carefully before signing.
• Don’t assume the damage is only what you can see. Hail that dents gutters and siding almost always damages roofing materials too, even when shingles look intact from the ground. Wind-driven rain can enter through gaps that look minor on the surface but saturate wall cavities over days.

Step 4: Get an Independent Contractor Estimate Before — or Alongside — the Adjuster

You are not required to use the insurance company’s preferred contractor, and you are not required to accept the adjuster’s scope of damage as final. Having an independent estimate in hand when you speak with your insurer gives you a factual basis for negotiation if the numbers don’t align.

A qualified storm-damage contractor will:

• Inspect the roof with a ladder, not from the driveway
• Check for hail impact patterns on soft metals (vents, flashing, gutters) as a proxy for shingle damage
• Identify wind damage to ridge caps, hip edges, and field shingles
• Note any pre-existing wear separately from storm-related damage
• Provide a written estimate broken down by trade (roofing, siding, gutters, windows) that matches the line-item format insurers use

In Chesterfield and the surrounding St. Louis County communities, homes built in the 1970s through 1990s often have original roofing systems approaching or past their actuarial life. Adjusters sometimes attribute storm damage to “wear and age” on these homes. An experienced contractor can document the difference between granule loss from weathering and the sharp-edged impact marks that hail leaves.

Step 5: Making the Call — What to Say and What to Expect

Once you have your photos, written inventory, policy pulled, and ideally an independent estimate, you’re ready to file.

1. Call the claims line on your declarations page, not a general customer service number. Note the date, time, and name of the representative.
2. Give them the basics: date of loss, type of storm (wind, hail, both), areas of the home affected. Do not speculate about cause or dollar amounts at this stage.
3. Ask for your claim number before you hang up. Every subsequent call should reference this number.
4. Ask about your policy’s time limits. Most homeowner policies require you to report a claim within a reasonable time after the loss. Missouri does not set a universal statutory deadline, but your policy language may.
5. Request a copy of the adjuster’s report after their visit. You have the right to review it, and you can dispute line items you believe are incorrect.

If the adjuster’s scope and your contractor’s estimate differ significantly, you can invoke the appraisal process outlined in most policies — a formal dispute mechanism that doesn’t require hiring an attorney.

Storm claims in the St. Louis area can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on claim volume after a major event. The homeowners who move through the process fastest are almost always the ones who documented thoroughly before making the first call. If you’re not sure whether your home sustained damage — or if you want a written assessment before you decide whether to file — ProCraft Exteriors offers storm damage inspections for Chesterfield-area properties. Call (314) 965-2353 to schedule a time.