My roof is damaged and now it’s raining. What do I do next?

Last updated: October 8, 2023, 4:50PM EST

Your home insurance and storm damage

Rain entering your home after roof damage

If you’re now experiencing water coming in from your ceiling due to a hole left by wind, try not to panic. Water, like rain, entering your home through an opening created by high winds is covered by most (if not all) insurance policies.

Rain is almost always covered by home insurance if the reason for it entering your home was due to a covered peril. However, rain damage that is gradual or due to natural flooding may only be covered if you have purchased separate flood insurance. If the rain came in or caused leaks because your home wasn’t properly maintained, then that may be omitted from coverage.

What to do after a severe storm

When storms strike heavily populated areas, insurance companies may be slow to respond due to the volume of claims, and roofers or emergency contractors’ availability may be impacted for the same reason. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to protect your property from further damages while your claim is being processed:

1. Remain calm: These things happen, and you’ve purchased home insurance to protect you in situations like this. If there was a storm that caused a lot of damage in the area, response times will likely be longer than usual and you should be prepared for some inconvenience. Try to be patient and not let this frustrate you.
2. Document the damage: One way to expedite the claims process is to document all the damage to your home. This is especially important if you notice water damage after the initial storm. Take photos and videos, and keep any written reports or receipts for expenses. Provide these to your insurance company when speaking with your adjuster.
3. Inform your broker or insurance company if the situation has changed: If you notice that water has entered your home, you’ll need to have more than just a roofer come. Water damage may call for emergency mitigation to prevent further damage by extracting as much moisture as possible. Contact your broker or your insurer’s claims department as soon as you can to let them know that the situation has changed and ensure the appropriate contractors are dispatched to your home.
4. Protect your home: To avoid further damage, you’ll need to take some proactive measures. Try to dry up all wet spots, place buckets under drips, and put down plastic tarps or barriers if you can.
5. Make emergency repairs only: If necessary, perform some emergency services on your own or with an emergency mitigation specialist of your choosing, so long as the situation calls for it. Remove wet or damaged items and dry out the area as best you can. Avoid disposing of any items that you wish to claim and instead temporarily move them out of the way to another area.