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

Before you dial your insurance company after a storm, stop. The next 30 minutes matter more than most homeowners realize. Adjusters are trained to document what they see, and what they don’t see. If you haven’t photographed the damage, separated storm losses from pre-existing wear, or pulled together your policy details, you’re walking into that conversation at a disadvantage. This checklist walks you through exactly what to gather and do before you make that call, so your claim starts on solid ground.

Step 1, Make the Property Safe Before You Document Anything

Documentation is critical, but not if it puts you in danger. Before you grab your phone to start photographing, do a quick safety sweep:

1. Check for structural damage. If a wall is bowing, the roof deck is visibly sagging, or a tree has punched through the structure, don’t walk under it. Photograph from a safe distance or from outside the building.
2. Look for gas smells. West Texas storms can shift foundations enough to stress gas lines. If you smell sulfur or rotten eggs, leave the building, don’t flip any switches, and call Atmos Energy before you do anything else.
3. Check for standing water near electrical panels or outlets. Water and live circuits are an emergency, not a documentation opportunity. Cut power at the main breaker if you can do so safely and without wading through water to reach the panel.
4. Cover exposed openings. A tarp over a damaged roof section or broken window prevents secondary water intrusion. Insurers call additional damage that occurs after the storm event “secondary damage”, and they may dispute coverage for it if you didn’t take reasonable steps to stop it.

Once the property is safe and any immediate hazards are addressed, you’re ready to document.

Step 2, Document Everything Before You Touch It

This is the most important part of the checklist. Insurance claims live and die on documentation. Here’s how to do it right:

Photography protocol:

• Shoot wide establishing shots first, the whole roof, the full exterior wall, the entire room, so the adjuster can place the close-up damage in context.
• Then move in for tight shots of every individual point of damage: missing shingles, cracked fascia, dented gutters, broken windows, waterlines on interior walls, wet insulation, damaged flooring.
• Photograph the ceiling from multiple angles if there’s water intrusion, staining patterns can tell an adjuster (and a restoration contractor) a lot about where water traveled.
• Include something in the frame that shows scale, a tape measure, a hand, a common object, for damage that isn’t obviously sized in a photo.
• Timestamp is automatic on most smartphones, but double-check that your phone’s date and time are correct.

Video walkthrough: Do a slow, narrated video walkthrough of every affected area. Speak out loud as you record: “This is the northwest corner of the living room ceiling, you can see the waterline running toward the light fixture.” Video catches things photos miss and is harder to dispute.

Write it down: Create a written damage log, even a voice memo transcribed later works. Note every room, every surface, and every item damaged. If furniture, appliances, or personal property were affected, list make, model, and approximate age where you know it.

Step 3, Pull Together Your Policy Before You Call

Most homeowners call their insurer and then scramble to answer questions they weren’t prepared for. Get ahead of it:

• Find your declarations page. This is the summary sheet that shows your coverage limits, deductibles, and policy number. It’s usually a one- or two-page document at the front of your policy packet, or downloadable from your carrier’s app.
• Know your deductible, and whether you have a separate wind/hail deductible. In Texas, many homeowner policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible that’s calculated as a percentage of your dwelling coverage, not a flat dollar amount. A 2% wind/hail deductible on a $300,000 dwelling means you’re covering the first $6,000 out of pocket. Know this number before you talk to anyone.
• Check your ALE (Additional Living Expenses) coverage. If the storm made your home uninhabitable, your policy may cover hotel and meal costs while repairs are underway. This is separate from your dwelling coverage and has its own limit.
• Note your claim filing deadline. Texas policies generally require you to report a claim promptly, but “promptly” is defined in your specific policy. Don’t assume you have months.

What NOT to Do After a Storm

A few common mistakes that complicate claims or reduce payouts:

• Don’t throw anything away before the adjuster visits, or before you’ve photographed and logged it thoroughly. Damaged materials are evidence.
• Don’t make permanent repairs before the claim is filed. Temporary protective measures (tarps, plywood over broken windows) are expected and appropriate. Replacing a roof section before an adjuster has seen the damage is not, it removes the evidence the insurer needs to assess the loss.
• Don’t sign anything from a contractor who approaches you unsolicited. After major storms in West Texas, out-of-area contractors sometimes move through neighborhoods quickly, pressuring homeowners to sign Assignment of Benefits agreements. These transfer your claim rights to the contractor. Understand what you’re signing before you do.
• Don’t underreport to avoid a rate increase. File what happened. Unreported damage that worsens over time, a slow roof leak that eventually causes mold, for example, can be denied later as a maintenance issue rather than a storm loss.

When to Bring in a Restoration Contractor

Your insurer’s adjuster works for the insurance company. That’s not a criticism, it’s just the structure of the relationship. A licensed restoration contractor works for you, and can serve as an independent set of eyes on the damage before or during the adjuster’s visit.

Consider calling a restoration contractor:

• Before the adjuster arrives, if you want someone to walk the property with you and identify damage you might have missed, especially hidden moisture behind walls or in the attic.
• If the adjuster’s estimate seems low, a contractor can provide a detailed scope of work that documents what it will actually cost to restore the property to its pre-loss condition.
• If there’s any water intrusion, even a small amount. Water that entered during the storm can migrate further than the visible staining suggests. Drywall, insulation, and wood framing can hold moisture for weeks before you see or smell the result. Thermal imaging and moisture meters find it before it becomes a mold problem.
• For the restoration work itself. Storm damage restoration covers more than roofing, it includes structural drying, interior repairs, content handling, and in some cases reconstruction. A contractor experienced in insurance work can bill the carrier directly and document the work in the format adjusters expect.

If you’re in the Midland area and the storm left you with water intrusion, structural damage, or you’re not sure what you’re looking at, ACS Enterprise handles storm damage restoration and can help you understand the scope of the loss before your adjuster visit. Reach them at (432) 847-4704.

The Longer Road: What Comes After the Claim Is Filed

Filing the claim is the beginning, not the end. Here’s what to expect:

1. Adjuster inspection, typically scheduled within a few days to a couple of weeks depending on how widespread the storm event was.
2. Claim decision and estimate, the carrier issues a scope of loss and an initial payment, minus your deductible.
3. Contractor selection and scope agreement, your contractor reviews the carrier’s estimate and supplements it if items were missed or underpriced.
4. Restoration work, the actual repair and drying process, which for significant water intrusion can take days to weeks before reconstruction begins.
5. Recoverable depreciation, many policies pay actual cash value initially and release the depreciation holdback once repairs are complete and receipts are submitted. Don’t skip this step; it can represent a significant portion of the total claim.

Keep every receipt, every email, every phone log from the moment the storm hits. The paper trail protects you at every stage.

Storm claims in West Texas can be complicated by the combination of high winds, driving rain, and hail that the region sees, damage that looks minor from the street can mean real moisture problems inside the wall cavity. If you’re working through a claim and want a professional assessment of what the storm actually did to your property, ACS Enterprise is available at (432) 847-4704.