Storm Damage Insurance Claim: What to Do After Hail or a Tornado, and Your Insurer’s Deadlines in NJ, PA, DE and MD

What hit on Nov. 12

The Storm Prediction Center’s preliminary list for Nov. 12, 2026 has 34 hail reports, 7 wind damage reports and 1 tornado, all in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.

The tornado touched down near Christiana Hospital in New Castle County, Del. The report from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, N.J., says radar and video confirm it. Reports from nearby Woodshade mention trees and wires down and minor house damage.

In Chesterfield Township, N.J., the fire department reported a barn and a garage collapsed in what the report calls a probable tornado.

The biggest hail was golf-ball size (1.75 inches), near Lakehurst and Burlington Township, N.J.

If you’re in one of these counties, the regulators’ advice is to inspect the structure and the roof after every storm, even if nothing is leaking yet.

The first 48 hours

These steps come from the insurance regulators of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New Mexico, whose storm checklist the regulators’ national association publishes.

1. Photograph and video everything before you clean up or fix anything: the roof, siding, windows and gutters.
2. Stop more damage. Tarp the roof, board up broken windows. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance says those temporary repairs are usually covered by your policy. Keep every receipt.
3. Hold off on permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen the damage.
4. Call your insurer or agent. Have your policy number ready and ask what documents and forms they want.
5. Keep a log of everyone you talk to: the date, the name and the title.
6. If you can’t stay in the house, keep the receipts for hotels and meals. Additional living expenses are a separate part of the claim.

Water that got inside starts a different clock: the EPA says to dry wet areas within 24 to 48 hours to keep mold from growing. Our burst pipe guide has the details.

Is it covered, and what’s your deductible?

Damage from wind, hail and tornadoes is a homeowners insurance claim, unless your policy leaves wind and hail out: depending on where you live, some do, and wind and hail then come as a separate policy. Flood is the other exception: a standard homeowners policy doesn’t cover it, and flood insurance is a separate policy that usually takes 30 days to start (more in our El Niño winter guide).

Before you file, find the declarations page and look for a wind/hail or windstorm deductible. The NAIC says it applies to any wind or hail damage, such as a tree that falls on your roof on a windy day. It’s often a percentage of the home’s insured value, not a flat amount.

The math matters. On a home insured for $300,000, a 2% wind/hail deductible is $6,000 out of your pocket before the insurer pays anything. A few cracked shingles may cost less than that to fix.

Policies can also deny damage caused by neglect, such as a dead limb you knew was hanging over the roof, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department warns.

The clock on your insurer, state by state

Once you report the claim, each state’s rules give your insurer deadlines. They’re in each state’s insurance regulations, and here they are side by side.

The decision clock starts with your proof of loss, the signed statement of what was damaged and what you’re claiming. Ask the adjuster for the form, send it back as soon as it’s complete, and keep a copy with the date you sent it.

One more Pennsylvania rule: if you’re still negotiating without a lawyer, your insurer must warn you in writing 30 days before a deadline in your policy or the law runs out on your claim.

A missed deadline is worth reporting to your state’s insurance department, though it doesn’t by itself decide your claim.

Checking the roofer before you sign

“Natural disasters can be a magnet for dishonest solicitors,” the Pennsylvania Insurance Department says. Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door after a storm, contractors and public adjusters included.

Pennsylvania’s regulators add a short list that works anywhere:

• Get more than one estimate and check references.
• Get the total cost, the work, the timetable and any guarantee in writing.
• Never sign a form with blanks; someone can fill them in later.
• Don’t pay in full or sign that the work is complete until it is.
• Watch for trucks with no company name and out-of-state plates.

A public adjuster is different from a contractor: a state-licensed claims handler you can hire to work your claim for you. Ask for the license, and in Pennsylvania check it with the license lookup the Insurance Department points to.

If the claim is denied or the offer is low

• Don’t rush to settle. Get your own repair estimate before you accept the insurer’s number.
• Read the denial. In Pennsylvania and Maryland, a denial has to name the policy provision it relies on; in Delaware, the insurer must explain the basis in the policy if you ask.
• Appeal to the claim manager at your insurance company.
• In New Jersey, if you question the insurer’s estimate, it must give you the name of a contractor who will do the work at the price it quoted.
• Check your policy for a disputed-claim notice, an internal appeal or an appraisal clause.
• Still stuck? File a complaint with your state’s insurance department.