The first 72 hours
Step 1 — safety first. Don't enter a structure if there's any chance of structural damage, downed lines, or active flooding. If you can safely enter, do it once, with a phone camera rolling.
Step 2 — document everything before you touch anything. Wide shots of every room. Close-ups of damaged items. Video walkthrough narrating what you see. Photos of the exterior from every angle. This documentation is the single biggest determinant of claim outcome.
Step 3 — call your insurer to open a claim and get the claim number in writing (or text/email). Note the date, time, and name of the adjuster you spoke to. You're not committing to anything by opening a claim — you're starting the timeline.
Step 4 — mitigate further damage. Tarp the roof, board windows, shut off water, remove valuables. The policy requires you to prevent additional damage. Keep all receipts; mitigation costs are reimbursable.
Understanding your deductibles
Standard HO-3 policies have a flat dollar deductible ($1,000–$2,500 typical). But policies in hurricane, wind, hail, and earthquake regions almost always have a SEPARATE percentage deductible for those perils — 1%, 2%, or 5% of dwelling coverage.
On a $400,000 dwelling, a 5% wind deductible is $20,000. You pay that out of pocket before any payout. Many homeowners discover this for the first time after a hurricane. Pull your declarations page now if you haven't.
Flood is not covered. Period.
Standard homeowners policies (HO-3, HO-5) exclude flood from rising water. They cover wind-driven rain entering through a wind-damaged opening, and they cover plumbing failures — but rising water from rain, river, or storm surge requires a separate flood policy (NFIP through FEMA or a private flood insurer).
After Hurricane Ida, ~60% of damaged Louisiana homes had no flood coverage. After Hurricane Helene's inland flooding in NC and TN, the number was higher. If you are in any flood zone (X included — X is not 'safe', it's 'lower risk'), price flood coverage. Premiums in moderate-risk zones often run $400–$700/yr.
Additional Living Expenses (ALE) — use it
Most policies include 20% of dwelling coverage as Loss-of-Use / ALE. That covers reasonable extra costs while your home is uninhabitable: hotel, restaurant meals above your usual grocery spend, laundromat, pet boarding, additional commuting.
Save every receipt. The carrier reimburses against documentation. ALE timeline runs until the home is repaired or until the policy limit is exhausted, whichever comes first. Don't wait — many policies have a notification requirement.
Working with the adjuster
The carrier sends a field adjuster within 1–10 days depending on disaster scale. Be present for the inspection. Walk every room with them. Point out anything not visually obvious (wet drywall behind cabinets, smoke damage in the attic, foundation cracks). The adjuster's first estimate is rarely the final settlement — supplements are normal as more damage is uncovered.
Get your own repair estimates in parallel from licensed contractors. If their numbers materially exceed the adjuster's estimate, supplement the claim with the higher quotes and photographs of the underlying damage.
Public adjusters — worth it?
A public adjuster works for you, not the insurance company, and is paid 10–20% of the settlement. For small claims (under $10K), the math rarely works. For total losses or large complex claims (especially fire and major hurricane), they typically increase the settlement enough to more than cover their fee.
Two cautions: only use a state-licensed public adjuster, and never sign with a roofer or 'storm chaser' company that calls or knocks on your door uninvited — those are common scams in disaster zones.
FEMA, SBA, and tax deductions
If a federal disaster is declared, FEMA Individual Assistance can provide funds for uninsured losses (housing, personal property, transportation) — typically up to ~$42,500. SBA disaster loans (low-interest, long-term) are available even to homeowners and renters, not just businesses.
Uninsured losses above the FEMA cap may be deductible as a casualty loss on federal income tax (federally-declared-disaster requirement applies). Document everything; keep all receipts and adjuster correspondence for at least 3 tax years.