Claim guides · Documentation

How to Document Hail, Wind and Tornado Damage for an Insurance Claim

Record the storm date, take wide and close-up photos of every damaged area (inside and out), keep damaged materials where safe, and gather third-party weather records for the date of loss. Organized evidence makes the insurer’s job, and any later dispute, easier.

Book a free consultation Call 833-446-7728

Free consultationWe work for policyholders, not insurers

The short answer

Pin down the date of loss

Insurers often ask when the damage happened, especially with hail. Two free government sources help: the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database and the NOAA Storm Prediction Center: storm reports, which list reported hail, wind and tornado events by date and place. Save a copy of the entries for your area.

Photo checklist

Each side of the building from a distance, so the whole structure is visible.
Roof (from the ground or by a qualified roofer): shingles or membrane, flashing, vents, skylights.
Rooftop units, gutters, downspouts and siding: dents and spatter marks show up well here.
Windows, doors, fences, signs and vehicles on site.
Every interior room with water stains, leaks or broken items.
A close-up with a coin or tape measure for scale, then a wider shot showing where it is.

Turn on your phone’s location and date stamp. Don’t edit the originals. More tips: 10-step guide to taking claim photos.

Make an inventory

List damaged contents and equipment with a rough age, model and where you bought it. Receipts, bank statements and older photos all help. Keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them, if you safely can.

Commercial property

Pull roof age, warranties, maintenance records and any prior inspection or engineering reports. Records from before the storm are often what answers a ‘wear and tear’ argument later.

Your home

Find receipts for big items, any photos of the house from before the storm, and when the roof was last replaced.

Keep it all in one place

Make one claim folder (shared drive or a single email thread) with photos, the inventory, weather records, every letter and email, and notes from each call with the date and the person’s name. Water damage that shows up later needs the same care: how to document hidden water damage.

Next: report the claim · temporary repairs.

Sources

Last checked: October 28, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Questions

Common questions

How do I prove the date of a hail storm?

Save the entries for your area from the NOAA Storm Events Database or the Storm Prediction Center’s storm reports, and keep any dated photos or news reports from that day.

Should I throw out damaged items after taking photos?

Keep them until the insurer’s adjuster has seen them, if you can do so safely. If something must go, photograph it closely first and note why it was discarded.

What records help most on a roof claim?

Dated photos of the damage, the roof’s age and warranty, past inspection or repair records, and weather records for the date of loss.

Don’t navigate your insurance claim alone

Talk with a Mission PLC public adjuster about your loss. The consultation is free.