Storm Damage Documentation Checklist

The first hours after a storm are when the best claim evidence exists — before repairs, weather, or cleanup erase it. Print this checklist (or save it as a PDF), work through it from the ground, and you'll have the photos and notes your insurance adjuster actually looks for.

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Insurance claims are won and lost on documentation. Adjusters don't just look at the roof — they look for corroborating evidence that a real hail or wind event hit your property: dented gutters, pocked mailboxes, shredded window screens, neighbor damage. This checklist walks you through capturing all of it safely, with both feet on the ground. When you're done, pair it with our Texas storm insurance claim guide for the step-by-step claim process, and use the claim worksheet to track adjuster visits, claim numbers, and deadlines.

Storm Damage Documentation Checklist

AttarCo Homes — Roofing Specialists • Houston, TX • (281) 686-9227 • attarcohomes.com

1. Record the Storm Itself

☐Date of storm: Time it hit: How long it lasted:
☐Hail size observed (pea / dime / quarter / golf ball / larger):
☐Wind direction the storm came from:
☐Photo of hailstones next to a coin or ruler (before they melt — freeze a few if you can)

2. Wide Shots — Every Side of the House

Stand back far enough to get the full roofline in frame. These establish the "before repairs" condition of the whole home.

☐Front of house, full roofline visible
☐Back of house, full roofline visible
☐Left side, full roofline visible
☐Right side, full roofline visible

3. Close-Ups of Visible Damage (From the Ground)

Zoom in with your phone — do not climb. A ladder-free photo of real damage beats a risky close-up every time.

☐Missing, lifted, or creased shingles you can see from the yard
☐Shingle pieces, tabs, or debris that landed in the yard (photograph where they fell)
☐Granule piles at downspout outlets or in gutter splash areas
☐Damaged vents, flashing, or fascia visible from ground level

4. Gutters & Downspouts

Dents and dings in gutter metal are hail evidence adjusters specifically look for.

☐Dents/dings on gutter faces and tops (photograph each run)
☐Dents on downspouts, including at eye level
☐Gutters knocked loose, sagging, or detached

5. Soft Metals — the Classic Hail Corroborators

Soft metal takes and keeps hail impressions. These items help prove hail size and direction.

☐Mailbox (dents and pocks)
☐AC condenser fins (flattened or peppered fins)
☐Window screens (tears and hail holes)
☐Garage door, exterior light fixtures, grill lids, metal patio furniture

6. Fence, Deck, Vehicles & Yard

Collateral damage is storm evidence too — it corroborates the event even though it may fall under different coverage.

☐Fence damage (splits, hail pocks, blown-over sections)
☐Deck or patio surface damage
☐Vehicle dents or cracked glass (auto claims are separate, but photograph them as storm evidence)
☐Downed limbs/trees and where they fell

7. Interior & Attic (Only If Safe)

☐Ceiling stains, drips, or bubbling paint — photograph with something for scale, note the room
☐Attic (safe access only): daylight through the decking, wet insulation, water trails on rafters
☐Date/time-stamp interior photos (your phone does this automatically — don't edit the originals)

8. Neighborhood Notes

☐Neighbor damage you can see from your property (tarps, missing shingles, fence damage):
☐Other notes (power outages, sirens, news coverage of the storm):

9. Receipts & Records

☐Keep every receipt for emergency measures (tarping, board-up, water extraction) — they're typically reimbursable
☐Photograph any emergency tarping before and after it goes on
☐Back up all photos (cloud or email to yourself) the same day

⚠ What NOT to Do

✗Don't climb on the roof. A storm-wet roof is how homeowners get hurt. Everything above can be done from the ground.
✗Don't sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) or any contract from a door-knocker — it can sign your claim rights away.
✗Don't authorize repairs before the adjuster inspects, except emergency tarping to stop active water intrusion.
✗Don't throw anything away — damaged shingles, screens, and debris are physical evidence until the claim is settled.

Bring this checklist and your photos to your free AttarCo inspection. We'll match what you documented against what we find on the roof and give you a straight answer on whether a claim makes sense. AttarCo Homes — (281) 686-9227 • attarcohomes.com

What happens after you document? If the damage looks claim-worthy, read how the process works in Texas — deadlines, adjuster visits, and what your policy actually covers — in our Texas storm insurance claim guide, and see how we handle storm damage insurance claims with you end-to-end. Keep everything organized with the printable insurance claim worksheet. And if you'd rather have a professional set of eyes on it first, that's exactly what the free inspection is for.

Documented the Damage? Get a Straight Answer Next.

Call or text (281) 686-9227 for a free, no-pressure inspection — we'll tell you honestly whether what you found justifies a claim, and quote any repair by the end of the next business day, guaranteed.

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