The roof is the most important part of your house and it’s also one of the first to deteriorate. When you are filing an insurance claim for hail damage, it’s a good idea to get a professional inspection before you even call your agent. The inspector can identify problems that might not be covered by insurance or may be able to provide estimates on repair costs. It will save you time and money in the long run!

Know What Your Policy Covers

Before you do anything else, make sure you know the details of your policy. Some policies may not cover certain types of damage such as hail, wind or fire. It’s important to know what is and isn’t covered before you even call your insurance agent because many agents will just refer you back to your policy and tell you that it’s not covered. If there are repairs that need to be done immediately (such as roof leaks or windows shattered by flying debris), you’ll want to start claiming damages right away while the claim is still fresh in both yours and the insurance company’s mind.

Call A Professional

Many counties have licensed home inspectors who can give you an estimate on how much it will cost to repair damage from hail. The inspector will come out and observe the damage, look for leaks, etc. He or she will then be able to provide you with a ballpark figure of how much your repairs will cost and how much your insurance company should cover.

Keep An Inventory List Of Everything That Was Damaged In The Storm, Including Photos

You may not notice the damage right away, especially if it’s on the roof or in another part of your yard. Take pictures and keep detailed notes of everything that was damaged so you can give as much information to your insurance company as possible. This will also make it easier for them to assess the damages. Your notes should include measurements, a description of what happened (how did the windows get broken?), date and time of incident, location where damage occurred, etc. You should take photos from all angles with close-ups whenever possible because it will help an appraiser better determine the extent of the damage and will prevent any disputes down the road. Keep these things in a folder in case you need to show them at a later date such as during an insurance claim or if your home has to be re-appraised for resale.

Contact the Insurance Company Promptly

Most claims are handled by independent adjusters and not agents because it is more cost efficient. This means that after you’ve had time to make a call about the damage, your case will be assigned to an adjuster who specializes in appraising damages for hail damage claims. The sooner you tell them what happened, the sooner they can begin making plans to inspect your home and help with any repairs. Keep in mind though that there will likely be a lot of other cases being reported after a severe storm so give yourself some time before calling just in case you have problems getting through at first. You should also give yourself time to find a contractor and make arrangements for the repairs before making your claim so you won’t have to deal with this once the adjuster arrives!

Contact a Contractor

Your insurance company will help you find a reputable contractor to do any necessary repairs. This can be very beneficial if you aren’t too experienced in-home remodeling or don’t know many local contractors. However, it’s important that you get at least two or three quotes from different people who are highly rated by other homeowners because their estimates may vary greatly and finding the best price is key to getting compensated as much as possible. If someone tries to pressure you into using his services, tell him that you’re going to want at least two other estimates before deciding what to do.

Get Quotes For All Costs Involved

You may be tempted simply to ask how much the contractor will charge to fix everything because you figure that’s what your insurance is going to cover, but this could cost you in the long run. For example, if he charges $3000 for new windows but your insurance company only covers $1000 of it and you go ahead with the repairs anyway, they might decide not to pay anything at all because you were aware that they wouldn’t be covering those extra expenses. This means that even though your home was damaged and needs repairs, you won’t get any money from your insurance claim which would have helped a lot during such a stressful time. Ask for dollar amounts instead of percentages so there won’t be any discrepancies later on.

Get Everything In Writing

Always get estimates and contracts in writing so there won’t be any misunderstandings when it comes time to pay the final bill. In addition, make sure that you read everything carefully and have someone else do it too if possible. No matter how honest someone is or how many good references he has, there’s always room for error. It’s better safe than sorry! Also keep your new windows receipt as proof of what was purchased because some insurance companies will require this information before they agree to cover the costs of repairs.