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The Storm Damage Claim Checklist: 10 Steps to Protect Your Home and Your Record
Most Illinois homeowners have never filed a storm damage claim, and the terms come fast. This free checklist is built to be worked through one tick at a time, from the first hail impact to the final paperwork. Print it, keep it in the kitchen drawer, and when the next storm hits (and in Northern Illinois, it will), you will know exactly what to do next.
Photograph and date the damage while it is fresh - save the weather alert, then take wide shots and close-ups of any hail or wind impact.
Walk your property from the ground - check the gutters, downspouts, siding, AC unit, and mailbox for dents, and look for shingle granules washing out.
Stay off the roof - let a licensed professional get up there to inspect and document it safely.
Book a licensed roofing contractor to inspect the roof and put the storm damage in writing.
Look up your wind/hail deductible before you decide anything - note the amount and whether it is a flat dollar figure or a percentage.
Read your policy's filing steps and deadlines - and if you choose to file, contact your carrier promptly (or call us and we'll walk you through it).
Be there for the carrier adjuster's inspection, with your roofer on hand to answer construction-scope questions.
Compare the insurance estimate to your contractor's, line by line - flag anything missing, undervalued, or left out.
Note every deadline in your policy - reporting, filing, finishing repairs, and any recoverable-depreciation request.
Keep every document in one place - the adjuster's report, all correspondence, completion photos, and warranty paperwork.
Good to know
Not steps to tick off, just the background that makes the checklist above make sense.
- ACV vs. RCV
- Depending on your policy and the covered loss, an Actual Cash Value payment can hold back depreciation, while a replacement-cost policy may let you recover some of it after the qualifying work is finished and documented.
- The extras a rushed inspection misses
- Code-required upgrades, manufacturer specifications, disposal, and access conditions add up and are easy to miss on a quick look. Our itemized estimate captures them, so the record in your hands reflects the full scope of the work, not a lowball number.
- Deductible types
- A flat deductible is a set dollar amount. A percentage deductible is a share of your home's insured value, so it can be much larger than a flat one - worth knowing before you weigh a claim.
Start with a safe, documented roofing inspection.
Eagle Star documents the roofing construction scope and hands you the record. What you do with it is your call: file a claim, get a second opinion, or hire us to rebuild.
