The first 72 hours after a hurricane or major storm determine how your entire insurance claim and restoration process will go. Every step you take — or fail to take — in those first three days either strengthens or weakens your position with your insurance carrier. This checklist walks Coastal North Carolina homeowners through exactly what to do after a storm hits, in the order that matters most.
Key Takeaways
- Safety first — never enter a damaged structure until you verify it is structurally sound and utilities are safe.
- Document everything before moving or cleaning anything — photos and videos are your most valuable claim evidence.
- Emergency mitigation is required by your insurance policy — not doing it can reduce or void your claim.
- File your claim within 72 hours and get a contractor assessment before the adjuster arrives.
- Never sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) with any contractor working on your claim.
Phase 1: The First Hours (Safety and Documentation)
Before you touch anything or move anything, your priorities are safety, documentation, and utility verification. This phase takes 1-3 hours depending on the extent of damage.
1. Verify Structural Safety
Do not enter a damaged home until you have verified it is safe. Look for:
- Leaning walls or visible structural damage
- Collapsed sections of roof or floor
- Fallen trees or limbs on the structure
- Downed power lines near the home
- Active gas leaks (smell of rotten eggs)
- Flooding that may have compromised electrical systems
If any of these are present, do NOT enter. Call 911 or the local fire department for safety clearance.
2. Shut Off Utilities If Safe to Do So
If the home is structurally sound but there are obvious utility concerns:
- Electricity: Shut off the main breaker panel if safe to approach. If the panel is wet or damaged, call your utility company.
- Gas: Shut off the main gas valve at the meter (outside the house) if you smell gas.
- Water: Shut off the main water valve if there are broken pipes causing flooding.
3. Document Every Surface and Item
Before you clean, move, or fix anything, photograph and video every damaged area. This documentation is your most valuable insurance claim evidence.
Photograph:
- Exterior damage from every side of the home
- Roof damage (from the ground using zoom; do not climb on a damaged roof)
- Interior water damage at ceilings, walls, and flooring
- Damaged personal property including furniture, electronics, and clothing
- Broken windows and doors with measurements
- Fallen trees and debris on or around the structure
Video walks-throughs are especially powerful. Walk through every room of the home narrating what you see and what was damaged. Keep these videos forever — they may be needed months later during the supplement process.
Important: Do NOT throw away damaged items before the adjuster has seen them. Even obviously ruined items — soaked carpet, broken glass, damaged drywall — should be preserved for inspection. Bag saturated materials if they pose a mold risk but keep them accessible on the property.
Phase 2: Emergency Mitigation (Hours 4-48)
Your homeowners insurance policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a covered loss. This is called your duty to mitigate, and failing to do it can reduce or even void your claim. Do not wait for the adjuster — mitigate first, then claim.
1. Stop Active Water Intrusion
- Tarp roof damage using heavy-duty plastic sheeting secured with furring strips (not just nailed tarps that will blow off in the next storm)
- Board up broken windows with OSB or plywood to prevent rain entry and pest intrusion
- Cover open walls with plastic sheeting where siding or sheathing is missing
2. Extract Standing Water
If water is standing inside the home:
- Remove water with wet/dry vacuums or pumps before it saturates more materials
- Run dehumidifiers and fans to reduce humidity and speed drying
- Lift rugs and move furniture off wet carpet to minimize absorption
- Remove soaked insulation from walls and attics where accessible — wet insulation feeds mold growth within 48 hours
3. Prevent Mold Growth
Mold establishes itself within 24-72 hours after water intrusion. The window for prevention is short. Focus on:
- Drying wet surfaces rapidly with fans and dehumidifiers
- Removing saturated drywall and flooring that cannot be dried quickly
- Bagging moldy materials and removing them from the home
- Keeping HVAC off if the evaporator coil is wet (running it spreads mold spores)
4. Hire a Restoration Contractor for Emergency Work
Call a licensed restoration contractor — not a general handyman — for emergency tarping, board-up, and water extraction. A legitimate restoration contractor will document their work for your insurance claim and provide receipts that count toward your claim total. Our emergency roof tarping service dispatches within hours of a storm event.
Phase 3: File the Claim (Hours 24-72)
Contact your insurance company within 24-72 hours of the storm. Most carriers require “prompt notification” but do not specify exact timing. Earlier is better — it establishes your position in the claim queue and starts the adjuster dispatch process.
When You Call
Provide basic information:
- Policy number
- Date and time of the damage event
- General description of damage (roof damage, water intrusion, broken windows, etc.)
- Whether the home is currently habitable
- Whether emergency repairs are already underway
What NOT to Say
Do not give detailed damage assessments over the phone. Do not commit to specific damage values. Do not say “everything is fine” or “we’re doing OK” even if you are safe — those statements can be used later to dispute the severity of your claim.
Request a Claim Number and Adjuster Assignment
Ask for your claim number and the estimated timeline for adjuster assignment. Most carriers will dispatch an adjuster within 3-14 days depending on the scope of the regional disaster. In major events affecting thousands of homes, it can take 4-8 weeks to get an adjuster visit.
Pro Tip: Get a contractor on-site for damage assessment before the adjuster arrives. A contractor who is familiar with Xactimate estimating software can prepare a line-item scope of damage that you can present to the adjuster, dramatically improving your chances of a fair initial settlement.
Phase 4: Adjuster Meeting (Day 3 to Week 8)
When the adjuster arrives to inspect, you have one meeting to ensure nothing is missed. Preparation determines whether that meeting goes well or poorly.
Meet the Adjuster On-Site
Be present for the inspection. Bring your contractor if possible — having a licensed restoration contractor walk the property alongside the adjuster catches items that would otherwise be missed. This is the single most valuable thing you can do for your claim.
Walk Through Together
Walk every area of damage with the adjuster. Point out every component — not just the obvious roof damage, but the collateral damage to siding, windows, gutters, fencing, interior finishes, and personal property. Adjusters are paid to move through claims efficiently, which means they often overlook items unless you specifically point them out.
Request a Copy of the Adjuster’s Scope
Ask for a copy of the adjuster’s Xactimate estimate. You are entitled to this document. Review it against your contractor’s independent assessment to identify missing line items.
Note Everything
Keep notes on what the adjuster said, committed to, or questioned. If there are disagreements about coverage or scope, document them in writing and follow up by email for a paper trail.
Phase 5: Scope Verification and Supplement (Week 2-6)
After the adjuster visits and issues a scope of damage, compare it to your contractor’s independent assessment. In our experience, 70-80% of storm damage claims in Onslow County require at least one supplement to cover items the adjuster missed or underpaid.
Common Missed Items
- Code-required upgrades when replacing damaged components (synthetic underlayment, drip edge, 6-nail patterns)
- Pipe boot replacement and step flashing at wall intersections
- Ridge cap shingles and hip cap replacement
- Collateral damage to siding, gutters, fascia, and soffit caused by the same wind event
- Interior water damage that was not visible during the adjuster visit
- Attic insulation damage from water intrusion
- Paint and drywall O&P for multi-trade projects
Filing the Supplement
Your contractor should file the supplement in Xactimate format directly with the carrier. Every item should be photographed, priced at the current Xactimate database rate, and justified with clear damage documentation. Supplements filed informally or without Xactimate coding are far more likely to be disputed or denied.
Warning: Never sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) with a contractor. AOB transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor, removing your ability to negotiate or change contractors if things go wrong. A legitimate restoration contractor works with you, not in place of you.
Phase 6: Restoration Work (Week 4 to Week 20)
Once the scope is finalized and agreed, actual restoration work begins. This phase varies dramatically in length depending on scope:
- Roof-only restoration: 1-3 days of active work after materials arrive
- Exterior restoration (siding, windows, gutters): 1-3 weeks
- Interior restoration (drywall, flooring, paint): 2-6 weeks
- Whole-home restoration: 6-20 weeks total
Work is typically sequenced outside-in: roof first, then exterior envelope, then interior. This gets the home weather-tight as quickly as possible.
Phase 7: Final Documentation and Holdback Release (Week 8 to Week 24)
When restoration is complete, final documentation goes to the insurance carrier to release any recoverable depreciation holdback.
Documents typically required:
- Certificate of Completion signed by the homeowner and contractor
- Final photos showing completed work
- Final invoice with line items matching the approved scope
- Permit closeout documentation from the building department
- Any inspection reports from county or third-party inspectors
Once submitted, the carrier typically releases the holdback within 30-60 days.
Call for Help Before the Next Storm
The best time to prepare for a storm is before it happens. Inspect your roof now, address deferred maintenance items, verify your insurance coverage, and know who you will call when the next storm hits.
Call Parade Rest Services at (910) 786-1230 for a pre-season roof inspection or post-storm assessment. We handle whole-home storm restoration for homeowners throughout Jacksonville, Hampstead, Swansboro, Holly Ridge, and the entire Crystal Coast. Visit our storm damage restoration page for the full service scope.