What to Do Immediately After Hail Damage in Plano

Plano sits in the central corridor of DFW’s hail alley. After every major storm, my phone starts ringing with the same question: what do I do right now?

Here’s the order that works.

Hour 0–6: Right after the storm

Once the rain stops and it’s safe to go outside:

1. Check for active leaks inside. Walk every room, especially ceilings on the second floor and the top floor of any vaulted areas. If water is actively coming in, place buckets and move valuables. Skip ahead to the “active leak” section below.

2. Walk your property with your phone. Take photos and video of:

• Hail on the ground (if any is still visible) — proves the event
• Dents on gutters, downspouts, AC condenser fins, window screens
• Damaged outdoor furniture, broken patio panels
• Any visible roof damage (from the ground only — don’t climb)
• Your vehicle if it was outside

3. Screenshot weather coverage. Local news websites, the National Weather Service Fort Worth office, or a screenshot of your weather app showing the storm date and severity. This proves the event happened and when.

Do not climb on the roof. Wet shingles after a storm are slippery, and walking on hail-compromised areas can do additional damage.

Day 1: Contact your insurance company

Call your insurer’s claims department (not your local agent — though your agent can advise you). Have ready:

• Policy number
• Date and approximate time of the storm
• Brief description of damage you observed
• Photos from the previous step

They’ll:

1. Open a claim and assign a claim number
2. Schedule an adjuster inspection (usually 5–14 days)
3. Email you a claim packet

Don’t agree to specifics yet. Just open the claim.

After a major Plano storm, claims volume spikes — adjusters get overwhelmed and inspections can stretch from 2 weeks to 6 weeks. The earlier you file, the earlier you’re in the queue.

Day 1–3: Schedule a roof inspection with a local contractor

Before the adjuster visits, get your roof inspected by a local Plano-area roofing contractor. This is critical.

What you want:

• A roofer who actually walks the roof (not just a drive-by visual)
• A written photo report documenting every area of damage
• An estimate of replacement scope and cost

You want this in hand before the adjuster shows up. The adjuster’s job is to write the smallest accurate estimate. Your roofer’s job is to make sure nothing is missed.

Day 5–14: Meet the adjuster on the roof

When the adjuster arrives to inspect, have your roofing contractor on the roof at the same time. This is the single most important step in the whole process.

Why? Adjusters work for the insurance company. Their job is to write the smallest accurate estimate. A roofing contractor working with you knows what to point out — bruised shingles, displaced granules, damaged flashing, hail-pocked vents — that an adjuster can miss or undercount under time pressure.

Across the Plano claims we’ve worked, this step is what separates partial-replacement outcomes from full-replacement outcomes more often than anything else.

Day 14–30: Receive the claim decision

A few days to a few weeks after the adjuster visit, you’ll get a written claim decision. The full process from filing to final payment usually takes 4–10 weeks for a typical Plano hail claim. Our full claim filing guide walks through every step.

What to do if you have an active leak

If water is actively coming in during or right after the storm:

1. Move valuables, place buckets, contain the damage. Don’t worry about the roof yet.

2. Call a roofer for emergency tarp service. Most reputable Plano-area roofers offer this — they’ll come out within hours and tarp the affected area to prevent further water intrusion.

3. Document everything. Photos of water coming in, of damaged drywall/ceilings, of any belongings affected. Insurance will need this.

4. Save receipts. Anything you spend on emergency response (tarps, dehumidifiers, professional drying services) is typically reimbursable through your claim.

5. Don’t try to fix the leak yourself in the middle of a storm. Wet roofs are dangerous, and DIY tarping during active rain often fails.

The biggest mistake Plano homeowners make

After every major DFW storm, out-of-state “storm-chasing” companies flood Plano neighborhoods. They knock on every door, offer “free inspections,” and pressure homeowners to sign contracts on the spot.

The pattern is usually:

1. Door-knocker offers to “look at your roof” for free
2. After a few minutes on the roof, comes down with photos of “extensive damage”
3. Pushes a “contingency contract” — sign now and they’ll handle everything
4. Collects your deductible and disappears, leaving substandard work

Rules to avoid this:

• Never let a door-knocker on your roof. If they’re already up there before you got back to them, ask them to come down.
• Never sign anything the day of the visit. Reputable contractors don’t pressure you to sign immediately.
• Never let anyone “waive your deductible.” That’s a form of insurance fraud under Texas law, and homeowners can be held liable.
• Verify local presence. Real Plano-area contractors have a local address, local references, and a verifiable history. Storm-chasers don’t.

What not to do

• Don’t wait weeks to file. Plano insurance claim windows are typically one year, but waiting beyond 30 days makes documentation harder and adjuster scheduling worse.
• Don’t get only one quote. Three written, itemized quotes minimum.
• Don’t accept verbal estimates. Always get it in writing.
• Don’t pay anything before work is done. Reputable contractors don’t ask for full payment upfront. They invoice as work is completed and you submit those invoices to your insurer.
• Don’t climb your own roof. Hire someone.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly do I need to file my Plano insurance claim?

Most Texas homeowners policies require filing within one year of the storm, but you should aim to file within the first 30 days. Earlier = easier to prove damage tied to the event, easier to get an adjuster scheduled, and more contractor availability.

What if the storm hit my neighbor’s house but mine looks fine?

Get an inspection anyway. Hail tracks aren’t uniform across a neighborhood — your side of the street might have taken more damage than visible. A free inspection takes 30 minutes and gives you documentation for the next storm even if there’s no current damage.

Should I call my insurance agent or the insurance company first?

Either works. The claims department processes the claim, but your local agent can guide you on what your policy covers and recommend whether to file at all. If you’re unsure, call your agent first for a 5-minute conversation.

My adjuster came alone and said the damage was minimal. What now?

Get a second opinion from a local roofer. If the roofer documents damage the adjuster missed, you file a supplemental claim with the additional photo evidence. This is common — adjusters miss damage all the time on first pass, especially in complex roof geometries.

Will my insurance premium go up if I file a claim?

Hail damage is generally treated as an “act of God” and doesn’t directly raise individual premiums the way at-fault claims do. But statewide claim volume can affect rates over time, and some insurers have stricter renewal underwriting for homes with multiple recent claims. Ask your agent about your specific situation.

A final note

Plano gets hit hard. We work this market constantly, and the same patterns repeat after every storm — fast-acting homeowners get better outcomes than ones who wait.

If you’ve just had a storm and need a roof inspected fast, schedule a free inspection. We’ll be on your roof within 24 hours during storm response, document everything with photos, and tell you straight whether you have damage worth filing on.