Insurance Claim Documentation Checklist

Photograph — dated, before any work

• Wide shots of every elevation of the house from the ground
• The gutters and downspouts, close, showing any dents
• Vent caps, turbines, and any aluminium trim
• The air-conditioner fins
• Any hailstones — next to a coin or a ruler for scale, before they melt
• Debris in the yard: shingles, granule piles at the downspout base
• Every interior stain, with a wide shot showing which room it is in
• The attic: staining on rafters, wet insulation, daylight through the deck
• Anything else the storm damaged — fence, shed, deck, screens, siding

Write down

• The date and rough time of the storm
• What you saw and heard — hail size compared to a coin is fine
• When you first noticed each piece of damage
• The date you called your insurer, and the claim number
• The name of every person you speak to, and when
• The date of the adjuster visit and who attended

Find and keep

• Your policy — specifically your deductible, and whether it is a flat amount or a percentage
• Whether your roof is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value (this is the single biggest number in the whole process)
• The age of the roof, and any paperwork from the last one
• Any prior claim on the property
• Photos of the roof from before the storm, if you have any — even a family barbecue photo with the roof in the background

On the first call

• Is my roof covered at replacement cost or actual cash value?
• What is my deductible on this claim — and is it a separate wind/hail deductible?
• Is there a time limit for reporting this damage?
• Does filing this claim affect my premium or my renewal?
• What happens if the estimate comes in under my deductible?
• May I have my roofer present at the adjuster inspection?