StormFile Blog · November 5, 2026 · Hail claims

What to Do After a Hailstorm: The First 24 Hours

What you do in the first day after a hailstorm sets the shape of your whole claim — and the evidence is already fading. Here's the order that works.

The hail has stopped. Your yard is covered in ice, the gutters are dented, and there's a wet spot forming on the ceiling. What you do in the next day matters more than most homeowners realize — not because the damage is going anywhere, but because the evidence is already fading and the clock on your claim has started.

This is the order that works: stay safe, stop the water, document everything, then call your insurer. StormFile is a documentation tool, not an adjuster or a legal advisor. What follows is general, practical information — not insurance or legal advice.

1. Wait until it's actually over

Hailstorms often come in waves, and the second cell can be worse than the first. Don't go outside while hail is still falling or while lightning is active — a good rule is to wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before stepping out.

While you wait, do a quick indoor check from the windows:

• Look up. Water stains, drips, or bulging spots on ceilings, especially under the roof valleys and around chimneys and skylights.
• Look at windows. Cracked panes, broken seals (fog between double panes), torn screens.
• Check the attic if you can get there safely. Daylight showing through the roof deck or wet insulation is a clear sign of a breach.
• Note the time the storm hit and roughly how long it lasted. Write it down now — you'll forget the details by tomorrow.

2. Walk the property — from the ground

Once it's safe, walk the full perimeter of your house. Do not climb onto the roof. Wet, hail-slicked shingles are dangerous, and walking on a damaged roof can make the damage worse — and an adjuster may argue you caused it.

From the ground and a ladder at the eaves (only if you're comfortable and it's safe), look for:

• Roof: missing or lifted shingles, granules piled in the gutters or at the downspouts, visible dents or cracks on metal roofing.
• Gutters and downspouts: dents, splits, sections pulled away from the fascia.
• Siding: cracks, holes, and dents — vinyl shows circular dents and cracks; fiber cement chips; wood splits.
• Windows and screens: cracked glass, dented frames, torn screens, damaged shutters.
• AC condenser: bent fins on the outdoor unit — a common hail casualty that's easy to miss.
• Outdoor items: fences, deck furniture, grills, play equipment, cars. Hail hits everything on the windward side, not just the roof.
• The yard itself: the size of the largest hailstones still on the ground. Put a coin next to one and photograph it — that single photo anchors the whole storm's severity.

3. Stop water from getting in

If water is coming in, temporary protection comes before everything else — including the call to your insurer. Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and they generally reimburse reasonable temporary repairs. Keep every receipt.

• Roof leak: if you can safely reach it, a tarp secured over the damaged area works. If you can't do it safely, call a roofer for emergency tarping — it's a common service after storms, and most local roofers offer it.
• Broken window: cover it with plywood or heavy plastic sheeting, taped and sealed from the outside if possible.
• Interior drips: put a bucket under the leak, move furniture and valuables out of the way, and poke a small hole in a bulging ceiling spot to let trapped water drain in a controlled way rather than collapsing the drywall.
• Don't start permanent repairs yet. Patch and cover — don't replace. Anything you tear out or rebuild before the adjuster sees it is evidence that no longer exists.

4. Photograph everything before you touch anything

This is the step most homeowners rush past, and it's the one that matters most for the claim. Once you start cleaning up, tarping, and moving things, the scene changes — and an adjuster can only evaluate what they can see or what you can show them.

• Start wide, then go close. Full-house shots from all four sides first, then each damaged surface, then close-ups of individual marks.
• Use scale in close-ups. A coin, a ruler, or your hand next to a dent or a hailstone gives the photo meaning. Without scale, a dent is just a smudge.
• Photograph the soft metals. Gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, and the AC condenser show hail impacts clearly — and adjusters use them to confirm the storm hit your property.
• Photograph what looks fine, too. Undamaged slopes and surfaces prove the damage pattern matches the storm direction.
• Don't clean up first. Hailstones in the yard, granules in the gutter, broken branches on the roof — photograph them in place.
• Keep the originals. Don't filter, crop, or delete. Original files carry timestamps that back up your timeline.

5. Write down the storm details

While it's fresh, note:

• Date and time the storm hit and how long it lasted.
• Hail size — the largest stones you saw, compared to a coin.
• Wind direction if you noticed it — it explains why one side of the house is hammered and the other is untouched.
• What you observed — where the water came in, which rooms, what you heard (the sound of hail on a roof is unmistakable and worth noting).
• Any prior condition — if the roof was new last year or the gutters were replaced recently, write that down. It helps distinguish storm damage from wear.

6. Call your insurer

Once the water is stopped and the photos are taken, call your insurer or agent to start the claim. You don't need a repair estimate first, and you don't need to know the full extent of the damage.

What to say:

• The date and time of the storm.
• What you observed — damage to roof, gutters, siding, windows, AC unit.
• That you have photographed everything and taken temporary measures to prevent further damage.
• Ask for your claim number and the adjuster's expected timeline.

What not to do on that call:

• Don't guess at dollar amounts. "It looks like about $5,000 of damage" is a number that can follow you through the whole claim. Say what you see, not what you think it's worth.
• Don't say it was "just cosmetic" or "not that bad" — you're not qualified to make that call, and neither is anyone who hasn't inspected it.
• Don't agree to anything in writing from a contractor or a third party before the adjuster has been out.

7. Expect the door-knockers — and be careful with them

After a hailstorm, contractors — including out-of-state storm chasers — will be on your street within a day, sometimes within hours. Some are legitimate local roofers. Some are not.

• Don't sign anything at the door. No inspection authorization, no assignment of benefits, no contingency agreement — not on the first visit, and not before your adjuster has inspected.
• Get a local contractor you chose, not one who chose you. Ask neighbors, check reviews, verify the license and insurance.
• Be wary of anyone offering to "cover your deductible" or waive it. In many states that's illegal, and it can void your claim.
• Don't let anyone climb on your roof for a "free inspection" before you've photographed it. A stranger walking on damaged shingles can create damage that looks like storm damage — and then nobody can tell the difference.

8. Keep every receipt and every record

From this point forward, keep a simple folder — paper or digital — for the claim:

• Temporary repair receipts (tarps, plywood, emergency roofer).
• Your photos and storm notes.
• Your claim number and the name of every person you speak to at the insurer, with dates.
• Copies of anything you send or receive.
• Contractor estimates, once you get them.

If your claim is ever questioned, this folder is your case. The adjuster has a file; you should have one too.

What not to do in the first 24 hours

• Don't climb on the roof. Leave that to the adjuster and the roofer.
• Don't start permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects.
• Don't throw damaged materials away. A dented gutter section or a cracked shingle is evidence.
• Don't wait to document. Hail marks weather and soften. Granules wash away. The first-day record is the best record you'll ever have.
• Don't sign contractor paperwork at the door.

The bottom line

The first 24 hours after a hailstorm set the shape of your whole claim. Stay safe, stop the water, photograph everything before you clean anything up, write down the storm details, and then call your insurer with facts — not guesses. The adjuster can only pay for damage they can see or that you can prove, and the proof you make on day one is the proof that holds up months later.

StormFile is a documentation tool — a timestamped, AI-assisted photographic record of visible condition. It is not an inspection, not an adjuster's opinion, and not legal or insurance advice. For questions about coverage or your claim, talk to your agent or a licensed professional.