A storm just hit your home. You are dealing with adrenaline, damage you can see, and probably damage you cannot see yet. The decisions you make in the next 24 hours will directly affect what your insurance company pays you — for better or worse.
Phase III Construction has been handling Michigan storm damage claims since 1993. This guide covers exactly what to do, in order, to protect your family and maximize your insurance recovery.
Step 1: Safety First
Before you document anything or make any calls, assess safety:
- Structural damage: If the roof has visible collapse, load-bearing walls are cracked, or you hear creaking under load — stay out and call 911.
- Gas: If you smell gas after the storm, leave immediately and call your gas company from outside. Do not use light switches or phones inside the home.
- Electricity and water: If water has entered the home and reached outlets, panels, or appliances, do not enter until the power is shut off at the meter.
- Trees on the structure: Do not go underneath or around a tree that has fallen on your home. The load may have shifted the structure and the tree can shift further.
Call 911 if: The structure is compromised, there is a gas smell, power lines are down on or near your property, or anyone is injured.
Step 2: Document Everything Before You Touch It
This is the single most important thing you can do for your claim. Insurance adjusters pay based on documented damage. Damage that was cleaned up before documentation is damage that often does not get paid.
Photo and video protocol:
- Start with wide shots of the exterior showing the full scope: all four sides, the roofline, the yard.
- Move to close-ups of every point of damage: missing shingles, broken gutters, cracked siding, damaged windows, broken trees.
- Shoot video walking through each room, narrating what you see. Date and time stamp matters — your phone does this automatically.
- Photograph any water intrusion from the inside: wet insulation, stained drywall, wet flooring.
- Do not throw away damaged materials. Adjusters often want to see them.
What to capture specifically:
- Impact points (where hail hit, where tree landed, where wind tore material)
- Granule loss on shingles (the dark spots where the protective coating is gone)
- Dents on gutters, downspouts, AC units, and satellite dishes
- Broken or cracked windows and screens
- Any standing water or moisture intrusion inside
Note: Michigan storms often create hidden damage that shows up days or weeks later — attic leaks, wall moisture, soffit damage. Your right to supplement your claim to include newly discovered damage typically survives the initial settlement. Document what you can see now and work with your contractor to identify hidden damage before your claim closes.
Step 3: Emergency Temporary Protection
If your roof, windows, or doors have been breached, you have a legal obligation to mitigate further damage — meaning you must take reasonable steps to prevent rain, animals, and weather from making things worse. This is not optional under most Michigan homeowner policies.
Standard emergency protection measures:
- Roof tarping: A properly installed tarp covers the damaged area and extends to the ridge to prevent water intrusion. Cheap tarps stapled down at the edges do not hold in wind and can create additional damage.
- Window and door board-up: Broken windows and damaged exterior doors should be covered with plywood to prevent rain intrusion and secure the home.
- Interior protection: Move furniture and valuables away from areas of active water intrusion. Use buckets and towels, and photograph what you are doing.
Keep every receipt. Emergency protective measures are typically covered under your claim. If you hire a contractor for emergency board-up, get a written invoice documenting what was done.
→ Phase III handles emergency board-up across SE Michigan and documents everything for your adjuster.
Step 4: Report the Claim — The Right Way
Call your insurance company within 24 to 48 hours. Most policies require "prompt notice" of a loss, and waiting too long can give the carrier grounds to reduce or deny your claim.
What to tell them:
- Date and approximate time of the storm
- General description of the damage (roof, windows, siding, trees — do not over-specify before inspection)
- That you have documented the damage with photos and video
- That you have taken or will take emergency protective measures
What NOT to do at claim intake:
- Do not guess at the scope of damage — say "I have visible roof damage and broken windows" not "I think I need a full roof replacement"
- Do not authorize any permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects
- Do not accept a settlement on the spot without a full inspection
- Do not give a recorded statement until you understand your policy rights
Your carrier will send an adjuster. That adjuster works for the insurance company, not for you. Their job is to accurately scope the loss — but their estimate of "accurate" may differ significantly from what a licensed contractor finds. Phase III reviews adjuster estimates on every claim we handle and has recovered additional scope on the majority of them.
Step 5: Storm Chasers at Your Door
After every significant weather event in Michigan, out-of-state contractors arrive in large numbers targeting storm-affected neighborhoods. They often knock on doors within 24 hours of the storm.
Signs you are dealing with a storm chaser:
- They appeared immediately after the storm, often within hours
- They are offering to do a "free inspection" and handle everything with your insurance
- They ask you to sign an "Assignment of Benefits" or "Direction to Pay" form
- They cannot provide a Michigan GC license number on the spot
- Their truck has out-of-state plates
- They are pressuring you to sign before the adjuster comes
An Assignment of Benefits (AOB) transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor. Once signed, you lose control of the claim negotiation. Storm chasers collect the settlement, do minimum work, and leave the state. If the work is wrong or incomplete, you have no recourse because you no longer own the claim.
Do not sign anything. Get their name, license number, and company name. Verify the license at michigan.gov before allowing any work.
Step 6: Get a Licensed Local Contractor Involved
You have the right to choose your own contractor. Your insurance company cannot require you to use their "preferred" contractor list, though they may suggest it.
A licensed local GC who specializes in insurance restoration will:
- Conduct their own damage inspection before the adjuster arrives
- Document scope the adjuster may miss (hidden damage, code upgrade requirements, depreciation disputes)
- Review the adjuster's estimate line by line and negotiate on your behalf
- Handle the entire repair process with accountability — they are licensed, bonded, and will be here after the job is done
Phase III has been doing this in SE Michigan since 1993. We have inspected thousands of storm-damaged properties and know exactly what carriers try to miss and how to document it correctly.
Related Storm Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Report the claim first, document everything before cleanup, and do not authorize any permanent repairs until your adjuster has inspected. You can do emergency temporary protection (tarps, board-up) without jeopardizing your claim.
Document everything with photos and video first. You can remove hazards for safety, but photograph all damage extensively before moving anything. Never throw away damaged materials before the adjuster sees them or gives approval.
Most homeowner policies cover emergency protective measures like tarping a roof or boarding broken windows as part of the claim. Keep all receipts. Phase III can handle emergency board-up and document it properly for your adjuster.
Do not sign anything. Storm chasers typically work large territories after events, have no local accountability, and often use Assignment of Benefits agreements that sign away your claim rights. Work with a licensed local contractor who knows Michigan insurance law.
Most Michigan homeowner policies require prompt notice within 24–72 hours of the loss. The policy period for filing a formal proof of loss is typically longer, but delaying report of the loss can give carriers grounds to dispute. File immediately.
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