After a Central Arkansas Hailstorm: What to Check Before You Call Anyone

First, make sure the storm is actually over

Central Arkansas storms like to come through in rounds. Stay inside during active hail, wind, lightning, or a tornado warning, and follow the National Weather Service and local emergency guidance. The insurance questions will keep until people are safe.

Don't climb up on a wet or damaged roof. Look from the ground, or have a qualified professional get up there later.

What to check from somewhere safe

Walk the property only when there are no downed power lines, unstable trees, broken glass, standing water near electrical equipment, or anything else that can hurt you.

Look for:

1. Broken windows or skylights
2. Roof damage you can see, missing shingles, or debris up on the roof
3. Dented gutters, downspouts, vents, metal trim, or siding
4. Water getting into the house
5. Damage to fences, sheds, detached garages, outdoor equipment, or the HVAC unit
6. Cracked windshields, broken lights, or dents on vehicles
7. Limbs or trees down near structures and vehicles

Take wide photos that show where the damage is, and close-up photos that show the detail. Note the date and roughly what time the storm came through. Hang onto receipts for tarps, boarding, a hotel room, or any emergency work.

Look up the deductible before you guess about the claim

Your home policy may carry one deductible for most losses and a different one for wind or hail. A percentage deductible may be figured on an insured value shown in the policy rather than on the repair estimate. Your auto comprehensive deductible can be different again.

The declarations page is the place to start. If the deductible wording isn't clear, call us and we'll read it with you. Don't go off your neighbor's deductible or last year's policy.

Temporary protection isn't the same as permanent repair

If a broken window or an opening in the roof is letting more water in, reasonable temporary steps may keep the damage from spreading — a tarp, a temporary board, or moving undamaged belongings out of the way, as long as it's safe to do.

Photograph the damage before and after any temporary work, and save the receipts. Hold off on permanent repairs until the insurer has explained what it needs for inspection and documentation.

The Arkansas Insurance Department advises consumers to document damage, make necessary temporary repairs to prevent further loss, save receipts, and avoid rushing into unsolicited contractor agreements after severe weather.

Be careful with the pressure at the door

After a big hail or wind event, contractors show up fast. Showing up fast isn't automatically a bad sign — but pressure is.

Before you sign anything:

• Get more than one bid when you can.
• Check who they are, ask for references, and check licensing requirements.
• Don't sign a form with blank spaces on it.
• Know whether you're signing an inspection authorization, a repair contract, or an assignment of your rights.
• Be careful with anybody promising to waive or pay your deductible.
• Keep a copy of everything you sign.

The insurer, the adjuster, the contractor, and your agent all have different jobs. If you're not sure who's asking you to approve what, stop and ask. That's what we're here for.

What about the vehicles?

Hail damage to your own vehicle is generally a comprehensive-coverage question, subject to the deductible and the policy terms. Liability-only coverage doesn't pay for hail damage to your own car.

If more than one vehicle got hit, don't assume one deductible covers the whole household — check each vehicle and each policy. Photograph all sides of every vehicle, and get the windshield, roof, hood, trunk, lights, and trim.

Should you file a claim?

There's no one honest answer that fits everybody. It depends on things like:

• What the repair is likely to cost
• Which deductible applies
• Whether the damage is cosmetic, functional, or letting water in
• What the insurer requires for inspection
• How the policy settles roof claims
• Other damage from the same storm
• Safety, and keeping the damage from getting worse

If the damage is urgent, get in touch with the carrier or with us right away. If it isn't, gather the facts and find out what the process requires before you decide based on a door-to-door estimate.

A practical next-step checklist

1. Follow official safety instructions.
2. Photograph the visible damage from somewhere safe.
3. Keep it from getting worse when it's safe and reasonable to do so.
4. Save every receipt.
5. Find your home wind or hail deductible and your auto comprehensive deductible.
6. Call your agent or carrier for claim and inspection instructions.
7. Check contractor credentials and get more than one bid when you can.
8. Keep a simple log of calls, names, dates, estimates, and documents.

When to call us

Call if you need help finding the deductible, understanding how the claim process works, or making sense of what your declarations page says. We can tell you the next sensible step — the carrier and the policy determine coverage and payment for any particular loss.