If a hailstorm hit your Northwest Indiana neighborhood and you think your roof or siding may be damaged, you have a limited window to act — and how you handle the first 72 hours affects whether your claim gets paid, denied, or underpaid. This is the step-by-step process we walk our Crown Point, Schererville, Merrillville, Munster, Dyer, and St. John customers through.
Disclaimer: Saia & Sons Restoration is not a public adjuster and does not negotiate insurance claims on your behalf. We provide construction inspections, photographs, measurements, and estimates. All coverage decisions, deductible payments, and policy interpretations remain between you and your carrier. In Indiana, only licensed public adjusters and attorneys can negotiate claims on a homeowner's behalf. This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
Step 1 — Immediately after the storm
Do not climb on your roof. Do not authorize any work. Do these three things:
- Document from the ground. Photograph any visible damage — dented gutters, torn screens, cracked siding, debris on the lawn, damaged vehicles. Timestamp matters.
- Check the storm date. Note the exact date and time of the storm event. Local NWS reports, weather service records, and news reports establish that the event happened. This becomes evidence.
- Note the damage timing. If interior damage (ceiling stains, water intrusion) appears, note when you first noticed it.
Step 2 — Schedule a professional exterior inspection
Before contacting your insurance carrier, get an independent, photo-documented exterior inspection. There are two reasons this order matters:
- If damage is minor and below your deductible, filing a claim only hurts your loss history without any payout.
- If damage is significant, you want a documented scope of loss in hand before the carrier's adjuster arrives.
A Saia & Sons inspection is free and includes drone or ladder-based photos of visible damage, an assessment of whether the damage meets the threshold for a claim, and a construction estimate. We tell you honestly whether we recommend filing.
Step 3 — Contact your insurance carrier
If damage warrants a claim, contact your insurance carrier's claims department directly. You'll be assigned a claim number and an adjuster. Note:
- Indiana's claim-filing window is typically one year from the date of loss. Some policies are shorter. Check your policy declarations page.
- The adjuster works for the insurance carrier, not for you. Their scope of loss is one opinion, not the final word.
- You are entitled to have your contractor on-site during the adjuster's inspection. We attend these inspections when requested to walk the adjuster through what we found.
Step 4 — The adjuster inspection
The insurance adjuster inspects the property, writes their own scope of loss, and issues a settlement estimate. Common outcomes:
- Full approval — the adjuster's scope matches or exceeds what's needed. Settlement is issued in two payments (ACV up front, depreciation on completion), minus your deductible.
- Partial approval — the adjuster acknowledges some damage but disputes scope or amount. This is common and often resolvable.
- Denial — the adjuster claims damage is pre-existing, wear-and-tear, or otherwise not covered. You have appeal rights.
Step 5 — Reviewing the adjuster's scope
Once you receive the adjuster's estimate, compare it line-by-line against a construction estimate from your contractor. Common discrepancies:
- Missing components — drip edge, ice-and-water shield, ridge cap upgrades, flashing replacement — items that are code-required but sometimes omitted from adjuster scopes.
- Understated square footage — adjusters sometimes measure aerially with software that misses roof complexity.
- Missing accessory damage — gutters, downspouts, siding, screens, and detached structures can all be storm-damaged and covered.
- Non-matching materials — if damaged shingles have been discontinued, some carriers cover a slope replacement or full roof under matching provisions; others do not.
If the adjuster's scope is short, your contractor can submit a supplement request with photos, measurements, and code documentation. Most carriers process supplements within 2–4 weeks.
Step 6 — Signing a contract
Do not sign an "insurance-only" contract with a roofer before the claim is approved. Do not sign an assignment of benefits (AOB) that transfers your claim rights to the contractor. Both are Indiana-legal but heavily favor the contractor's control over your claim. A reputable contractor writes a normal construction contract contingent on claim approval, with pricing that matches the approved scope.
Step 7 — The work and the depreciation check
Once you're approved and the contract is signed, the carrier issues the ACV (actual cash value) check first — this is the depreciated value of your damaged property. Work is completed to the approved scope. On completion, the contractor submits a certificate of completion to the carrier, and the carrier releases the recoverable depreciation check (RCV, less deductible). Total received should equal RCV minus deductible.
Common mistakes homeowners make
- Waiting too long. The claim window in Indiana is typically one year. Damage that goes uninspected for months becomes harder to attribute to a specific storm event.
- Signing paperwork on the day of the storm. Reputable contractors don't door-knock the day after a storm demanding signatures. Storm-chasers do.
- Assuming the adjuster's number is final. Adjusters miss items regularly. A construction estimate from a qualified contractor is the counterweight.
- Skipping the deductible. Any roofer who offers to "waive" or "cover" your deductible is committing insurance fraud in Indiana and can void your claim.
Will filing a claim raise my rates?
In Indiana, single weather-related claims typically don't cause immediate premium increases, but they stay on your CLUE loss-history report for 5–7 years and can affect underwriting when you shop for a new policy. If your damage is well over your deductible, filing usually makes financial sense. If it's marginal, filing may not.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a hail damage claim in Indiana?
Most Indiana homeowners policies allow one year from the date of loss to file a claim. Some are shorter. Check your specific policy declarations page — the statute of limitations for breach of an insurance contract in Indiana is 10 years, but the policy's own filing deadline usually applies first.
Should I get an inspection before I file the claim?
Yes. A professional exterior inspection tells you whether damage is significant enough to warrant a claim. If damage is below your deductible, filing only hurts your loss history without any payout. If damage is significant, having a documented construction scope before the adjuster arrives protects you.
Can my contractor negotiate the claim with my insurance company?
No — not in Indiana. Only licensed public adjusters and attorneys can legally negotiate insurance claims on a homeowner's behalf. A contractor can provide construction inspections, photographs, measurements, and estimates, and can attend the adjuster inspection, but cannot negotiate coverage or scope on your behalf.
What is an assignment of benefits and should I sign one?
An assignment of benefits (AOB) transfers your insurance claim rights to a contractor. AOBs are legal in Indiana but heavily favor the contractor's control over your claim, sometimes at your expense. Saia & Sons does not use AOBs. A normal construction contract contingent on claim approval accomplishes the same thing without transferring your rights.
What if the adjuster denies my claim?
You have appeal rights. Common denial reasons — pre-existing damage, wear-and-tear, insufficient documentation — can often be countered with a professional construction inspection, photos, and code references. If the denial holds after appeal, an attorney or public adjuster may be worth consulting.
Can a roofer waive my deductible?
No — this is insurance fraud in Indiana and can void your claim. Any contractor who offers to cover, waive, absorb, or hide your deductible is proposing a fraudulent scheme. Walk away.
How long does the whole claim process take?
For a straightforward approval, from inspection to final payment typically takes 6–12 weeks. Claims requiring supplements or appeals can take 3–6 months. Weather-driven backlogs after a major regional storm event can extend timelines further.