Most storm claims that go badly in Alabama go badly in the first 72 hours: photos that were never taken, a leak left running, a contract signed on the driveway with a crew from out of state. The process below is the order that protects you, and it is the same order we follow when we are the contractor on the job.
The storm claim process, step by step
1. Document the damage before anything moves
Photograph and video every side of the house, the roof from the ground, every damaged room, and serial or model plates on damaged equipment. Date-stamp everything and keep receipts for anything you spend.
- Shoot wide first (the whole elevation), then close-ups with something for scale, like a tape measure or a coin.
- Inside, photograph ceilings, the tops of walls and window sills, where water shows first.
- Save the weather: a screenshot of the National Weather Service warning or local radar for your address and date helps tie damage to the event.
- Do not throw away damaged materials until your adjuster says it is fine. If something must go for health reasons, photograph it and keep a sample.
2. Mitigate further damage
Tarp, board up, shut off water, and pull out soaked materials so the loss does not grow. Most policies expect reasonable steps to protect the property; keep the receipts and photograph the condition before and after.
Mitigation is the part homeowners most often delay while waiting for the adjuster. Do not wait on active water. Wet drywall, insulation and carpet pad start growing mold within a day or two in Alabama humidity, and damage caused by not protecting the property can be disputed. A tarp, a board-up, or pulling soaked materials is a reasonable step; a full rebuild before the adjuster sees the loss is not.
3. Report the claim and meet the adjuster
Report to your carrier, write down the claim number, and be present for the adjuster inspection. Walk them through your photos and point out interior damage they might not see from outside.
Ask the adjuster what they need from you and by when, and ask whether your policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value, because that changes how and when payments arrive. Your policy sets its own deadlines for reporting and for proof of loss. Read the declarations page and the duties-after-loss section, or ask your agent. If you have a dispute you cannot resolve, the Alabama Department of Insurance takes consumer complaints.
4. Agree the scope of repair
Compare the adjuster estimate with a contractor written scope line by line. Differences are resolved between you and your carrier; a contractor can explain what the repair actually requires and document anything found once work opens up.
A good scope names materials, quantities and rooms, not just "repair roof" or "fix water damage". We separate storm damage from pre-existing wear in writing. That is not us being difficult. Bundling old rot into a storm claim is how claims get denied, and it is your name on the claim, not ours.
5. Repair, document and close out
Repairs proceed to the agreed scope with photos at each stage. Hidden damage found during work is photographed and sent to you to submit to your carrier as a supplement before it is repaired.
Expect the scope to change once walls or roof decking are opened. When it does, we stop, photograph it, and give you a written change with the cost. You decide whether to submit it to your carrier before we go further. Nothing gets covered over undocumented.
What "we work with your adjuster" means in practice
The phrase gets abused, so here is exactly what we do and do not do. We meet the adjuster on site when you ask us to and the schedule allows. We answer technical questions about how a repair has to be built, such as whether a siding profile can still be matched or how far water damage runs behind a wall. We supply our photos and our itemized written scope. We do not negotiate your settlement, sign anything on your behalf, ask you to sign over your claim, or tell you what to say to your carrier. Those are your decisions.
We also do not waive, rebate or "cover" deductibles in any form, including disguised ones like an inflated line item or a marketing credit. If a contractor offers that, it is a sign of how they will treat the rest of the job.
Red flags after an Alabama storm
- Door-to-door crews offering a free roof or promising "insurance will pay for everything".
- Pressure to sign before the adjuster has inspected, or a contract that assigns your insurance benefits.
- Large cash deposits before materials are ordered or work starts.
- No local address or phone number, and a truck with out-of-state plates and no company name.
- A contractor who will not put license numbers or proof of insurance in writing. Ask anyone, including us, and check the numbers yourself on the Alabama state licensing portals.
For adjusters & insurance carriers
If you are an independent or staff adjuster, a carrier claims team, or a property manager working a loss, this is what you get from us and how to request it.
Photo documentation
We photograph every elevation and every affected room before work, during tear-out, and at completion. Close-ups include scale. Hidden damage found after opening up is photographed in place and sent before it is repaired, so a supplement can be reviewed against evidence rather than a description.
Written scopes
Scopes are itemized by room and elevation with materials and quantities, and storm-related items are kept separate from pre-existing conditions and owner-requested upgrades. If the homeowner wants an upgrade, it is a separate line they pay for, never folded into the claim scope. We write our own estimates in plain line items; we do not represent them as being in any particular estimating platform format.
Mitigation timeline
For each job we keep a dated log: when we were contacted, when the property was weather-tightened, what was removed and why, and when drying or rebuild started. That log goes with the photos, so the order of events is clear if questions come up later about whether the loss grew after the storm.
How to request us
- Call 205-281-0940, or submit the quote form from this page so the request is tagged to this program.
- Send the property address, insured name and contact number, claim number, and the date of loss.
- Tell us whether you need a mitigation visit, a written repair scope, a second-opinion scope, or the repair itself.
- We confirm the homeowner authorizes us before scheduling, and we copy them on everything we send you.
Our primary area is the Birmingham metro. Other Alabama locations, including Baldwin and Mobile counties, are scheduled from Birmingham by arrangement, and we will tell you honestly if a catastrophe event has our crews committed.