The Storm Just Hit — What To Do in the First 2 Hours

The choices you make in the first 2 hours after a Fort Wayne storm will determine whether your insurance claim gets paid in full, whether a storm chaser scams you, and how fast you can get your roof fixed. Most homeowners waste this window because they don't know what to do. This guide tells you exactly what to do, minute by minute, while the information is fresh and the evidence is intact.

Minute 0-15: Safety First

Before anything else, verify everyone is safe and the structure is stable.

• Account for everyone in the home. If any family member was outside when the storm hit, find them first.
• Check for gas smell. If you smell gas, evacuate and call the utility company — don't touch light switches.
• Stay clear of downed power lines. Any wire on the ground is assumed live.
• Check for structural damage. Sagging ceilings, cracked walls, or obvious structural shift means evacuate until an inspector clears it.
• Verify water intrusion. Walk each room and look for ceiling stains, drips, or wet spots. Note locations.

If there's active water, see our emergency roof repair guide for containment steps. If there's structural damage or active leaks, call a local 24/7 emergency roofer before continuing this checklist.

Minute 15-30: Interior Assessment

Walk every room with your phone in video mode. Narrate what you see as you walk. This creates a time-stamped record of what the storm did to your house.

• Ceilings (water stains, cracks, drips)
• Windows (broken panes, torn screens)
• Walls (water running down from above)
• Attic if accessible (daylight through the roof = bad)
• Basement (flooding, seepage)

Do this before touching anything. Contractors and adjusters need to see the "as-is" state.

Minute 30-60: Exterior Assessment (From the Ground)

Do NOT climb the roof. Adjusters, roofers, and insurance companies do not want you on the roof, and you can hurt yourself or damage evidence. Walk around the entire perimeter of your home taking photos.

What to photograph:

• Roof from multiple angles. Stand across the street. Stand at each corner of the yard. Get wide shots and zoom shots.
• Shingles in the yard. Photograph them where they landed before picking any up.
• Tree damage. Branches down, branches on the house, trees leaning.
• Soft metals. Gutters (dents), downspouts, AC unit fins, mailbox, metal trash cans, grills. These dent at lower impact than shingles and prove a qualifying weather event.
• Window screens. Torn or punched-through screens are hail evidence.
• Siding. Dents, cracks, missing pieces.
• Exposed structural damage. Visible decking, broken rafters, missing fascia.

Take at least 50 photos. Overshooting is free. Undershooting can cost you thousands.

Minute 60-90: Document the Storm Itself

Pull up the weather record while it's fresh:

• NOAA storm reports: Search weather.gov for Fort Wayne on today's date
• Local news coverage: Save or screenshot any local TV news coverage of the storm
• Radar imagery: Screenshot radar from any weather app showing the storm at your location
• Social media reports: Neighborhood Facebook groups often have real-time storm reports
• Hail size evidence: If hail is still on the ground, photograph it next to a coin or ruler

This documentation proves to insurance that a qualifying weather event happened at your location on that specific day. Insurance will try to argue "pre-existing damage" if they can — this is your counter-evidence.

Minute 90-120: Start Making Calls

The order matters.

Call #1: A local roofer (NOT insurance)

Yes, you heard that right. Before you call insurance, call a local licensed roofer for a damage inspection. Here's why: once you file a claim, an adjuster is assigned and scheduled. If your roofer can inspect first, they identify every damage point, provide a professional written report, and prepare you for the adjuster meeting. Homeowners who do this get claims paid fully about 3x more often than homeowners who call insurance first.

Ask these questions when you call:

• Are you licensed in Indiana?
• Can you inspect within 48 hours?
• Is the inspection free?
• Will you attend the insurance adjuster meeting with me?
• Do you require an "assignment of benefits"? (Correct answer: NO)

Legitimate roofers will say yes to everything except the AOB. Call us at (260) 255-4551 or any other licensed local operator.

Call #2: Your insurance company

After the roofer is scheduled, call your insurance claims line. Report the damage in factual terms: "A storm hit my house today, I have visible roof damage, there's active water intrusion [or not], and I've photographed everything. I'd like to open a claim." Get a claim number. Ask them to schedule an adjuster. Request an appointment time that aligns with when your roofer can be present.

Do NOT speculate on damage scope, do NOT estimate costs, do NOT commit to anything.

Call #3: Mortgage company (if applicable)

If your insurance check will exceed around $10,000, your mortgage company is typically a co-payee on the check and has a process for releasing funds. Calling them now saves you 1-2 weeks of delay later.

What To NOT Do In the First 2 Hours

• Don't climb the roof. Slip hazard, structural hazard, evidence preservation.
• Don't clean up debris yet. Adjusters need to see damage in place.
• Don't sign anything with a door-knocker. Storm chasers show up within hours of major storms. Anyone who finds you is a red flag — see our storm chaser guide.
• Don't call multiple roofers for quotes yet. Pick one local roofer for the first inspection. You can get additional opinions later if needed.
• Don't file a claim before you know your deductible. Check your policy first. If damage is under deductible, a claim just hurts your rate without paying anything.
• Don't commit to repairs before the adjuster meeting. Anyone pressuring you to sign a contract before insurance evaluates is probably a scam.
• Don't throw away damaged items. Every broken shingle, every torn screen, every dented piece of metal is evidence. Keep it in a pile for the adjuster.

The Next 24 Hours

Assuming you completed the 2-hour checklist, here's what happens next:

• Roofer inspection scheduled within 24-48 hours
• Professional damage report in hand
• Insurance adjuster scheduled (1-2 weeks out, typically)
• Interior water mitigation in progress if needed
• Temporary tarping in place if structural damage exists

For the full end-to-end process, see our insurance claim checklist and realistic repair timeline.

If you need an immediate storm damage inspection in Fort Wayne or anywhere in Allen County, call (260) 255-4551. We dispatch within 24 hours.