Storm Damage Insurance Claims: Owner Guide

Storm damage claims can feel overwhelming, especially when there are adjusters, mortgage companies, contractors, checks, supplements, and deadlines involved. We have worked through this process many times and can help keep the repair side organized and moving.

While the insurance claim itself must be opened and managed by the property owner, we can assist with inspections, contractor coordination, repair bids, documentation, and completion paperwork.

The Basic Process

1. You Start the Insurance Claim

The owner must open the claim directly with the insurance company.

This is one step we cannot do for you because the insurance policy is between you and your insurance carrier. Once the claim is opened, your insurance company will assign a claim number and usually schedule an adjuster inspection.



Please send us the claim number, adjuster contact information, and scheduled inspection date as soon as you have them.

2. The Adjuster Inspects the Property

The insurance adjuster will inspect the property and prepare a damage assessment.

We are happy to meet the adjuster at the property when scheduling allows. This is often helpful because we can point out known damage, provide access, and help make sure the inspection is thorough.



Storm damage is not always limited to the obvious items. Roof, gutters, fencing, siding, windows, exterior paint, vents, and interior water damage may all need to be reviewed depending on the storm and the property.

3. Insurance Provides the Claim Paperwork

After the inspection, the insurance company will provide claim paperwork.

This is usually a multi-page document that lists the covered damage, estimated repair costs, depreciation, deductible, and the scope of repairs expected by the insurance company.

Please send us a complete copy of the claim paperwork when you receive it.

We use this document as the starting “statement of work” for the repair process. It tells us what the insurance company has included in the claim so we can help make sure the necessary items are bid, assigned, and completed.

4. We Coordinate Bids and Repairs

Once we have the insurance paperwork, we can coordinate with qualified contractors for the covered repairs.

We use contractors we know and trust whenever possible. Storm claims are not new territory for us, and we are familiar with the practical flow of getting bids, matching repairs to the insurance scope, watching for missed items, and helping the job move from claim paperwork to completed work.

Sometimes a contractor may identify additional storm-related damage that was missed in the original insurance estimate. When that happens, the contractor may prepare supplemental documentation for the insurance company to review.  This is sent directly to insurance for their approval.

5. Work Is Completed and Documentation Is Sent

After the work is completed, required completion documents, certifications, invoices, photos, or contractor releases can be sent to the insurance company as needed.



This helps support release of any recoverable depreciation or remaining claim funds owed under the policy.

Important Note About Insurance Payments

Insurance payments are sometimes issued directly to the owner.

In other cases, the payment may be made jointly to both the owner and the mortgage company. This is common when there is a mortgage on the property.

When that happens, the owner usually signs the check and sends it to the mortgage company. The mortgage company may require proof of repairs, inspection, invoices, or other completion documents before releasing funds back to the owner. Each lender handles this a little differently.



We can help provide repair documentation, but the mortgage company’s release process is controlled by the lender.

Our Role

Our role is to help coordinate the repair side of the claim.

We can help with:

• Meeting adjusters when scheduling allows
• Providing access to the property
• Helping identify visible storm damage
• Coordinating contractor bids
• Matching contractor work to the insurance scope
• Helping with supplements when additional damage is found
• Coordinating repair completion
• Providing completion documentation to insurance or lender contacts when needed
• 
  

We do not decide coverage, approve or deny claim items, control insurance payments, or act as the insurance company. Those decisions remain with the insurance carrier, the policy terms, and the property owner.

Our goal is to make the repair process as organized, secure, and low-stress as possible while protecting the property and helping the claim move toward completion.