A major storm rolls through your neighborhood. When it passes, you walk outside and see damaged shingles, dented gutters, broken windows, or worse. What you do in the next 24–72 hours can make a massive difference in whether your insurance claim is approved — and for how much. Here’s a step-by-step guide from the experts at Trident Construction Group.
Step 1: Stay Safe First
Before anything else, make sure your home is structurally safe to enter. If there’s severe structural damage, downed power lines nearby, or flooding, wait for emergency services to clear the area. No insurance claim is worth risking your life.
Step 2: Document Everything — Immediately
This is the most important step most homeowners skip. Grab your phone and photograph every inch of damage before you touch or move anything. Take wide shots, close-ups, and video walkthroughs. Document the roof, gutters, siding, windows, fencing, vehicles, and any interior water damage. Time-stamped photos are gold when it comes to proving your claim.
Step 3: Make Temporary Repairs to Prevent Further Damage
Your insurance policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage — but don’t do major repairs yet. Tarp a damaged roof, board up broken windows, or place buckets under leaks. Keep all your receipts for materials and labor. These costs are typically reimbursable under your policy.
Step 4: Report the Claim Promptly
Contact your insurance company to open a claim as soon as possible. Delays can give the carrier grounds to argue the damage was pre-existing or worsened due to negligence. Get a claim number and write down the name of every person you speak with.
Step 5: Do NOT Accept the First Offer Without a Second Opinion
The insurance adjuster will come out and write an estimate. That estimate is almost always lower than what the real repair costs. Before you sign anything or accept a payment, get an independent estimate from a licensed contractor — or better yet, call a public adjuster who can fight for the full value of your claim.
Step 6: Call Trident for a Free Claim Review
Trident Construction Group handles everything from the initial inspection to the final nail. Our public adjusters know Illinois insurance law inside and out, and our construction crews do the work right. If your claim has been opened, denied, or underpaid after storm damage, we’ll review it for free and tell you exactly where you stand.
Don’t face the insurance company alone. Call +1 (903) 952-2766 or visit tridentconstructiongrp.com to schedule your free review.