Storm claims are unusual in one respect: you generally get warning. Two hours of preparation before landfall is worth weeks of argument afterwards.
Before the storm
Exterior first. Roof from ground level on all sides, gutters, siding, windows, doors, fences, deck, shed, driveway, mature trees near the structure. This is the "before" half of a before-and-after pair, and it is what settles disputes about pre-existing condition.
Interior next. Every room, every closet open, every cabinet. Ceilings and floors — water damage claims turn on what the ceiling looked like before.
Serial plates. Refrigerator, washer, dryer, HVAC unit, water heater, televisions, computers. Flood water destroys labels, and an unidentifiable appliance is harder to value. See serial numbers: what to record.
Mechanical rooms. HVAC, water heater, well pump, generator, electrical panel. Expensive, boring, always forgotten.
The coverage question people discover too late
| Damage | Typically covered by |
|---|---|
| Wind, wind-driven rain through a breach | Homeowners policy |
| Rising water, storm surge, flooding | Separate flood policy only |
| Fallen tree on the structure | Homeowners policy |
| Sewer backup | Usually an endorsement, not standard |
Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Flood policies commonly have a waiting period measured in weeks, which means the week of a named storm is too late. Check what you have while the sky is clear.
Documents and the drive
Move to higher ground or take with you: declarations pages, the inventory drive, deeds, titles, passports, medical records, prescription list. If you are staying, put them in a waterproof container above the projected water line — not in the basement, which is where they usually are.
During and after
- Do not enter standing water around electrical equipment. Nothing in the house justifies it.
- Photograph before you clean up. Every room, every damaged item, from several angles, before anything is moved.
- Keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them or explicitly releases them.
- Log every expense from day one — lodging, meals, fuel, tarps, a generator. Additional living expenses coverage reimburses much of it, and only against receipts.
- Note the time and date you first reported the claim, and the name of everyone you speak to.
Why the pre-storm inventory does the heavy lifting
After a hurricane an adjuster may be handling hundreds of files in your county. The claim that moves fastest is the one where the documentation arrives complete: a room-by-room list with photos, values and dates, plus post-event photographs of the same rooms. That contrast is nearly impossible to argue with, and it is only available to people who did the first half in advance. How to create a home inventory covers the fastest complete pass.