How to use this page
Two questions decide everything that happens next
The first is whether water is getting in right now. If it is, the sequence is mitigation, then documentation, then claim — in that order, and the first step is measured in hours. Standard policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and the cost of that emergency work is generally recoverable, so tarping a roof at midnight is not you spending money the carrier will resent. Waiting until morning, on the other hand, converts a roof claim into a roof-and-ceiling-and-insulation claim, and gives an adjuster a reason to argue about how much of the interior loss was avoidable.
The second is whether the damage is a covered peril at all. Hail, windstorm, fire and lightning are covered on virtually every standard HO-3 policy. Sudden accidental water coming through a storm-created opening usually is. Flood and storm surge are not — those need separate flood coverage — and neither is long-term seepage or deferred maintenance, which is the exclusion that catches the most homeowners out, because a leak ignored for two seasons stops looking sudden and accidental. Every service below states what a standard policy typically covers for that specific peril, so you can find out before you call rather than after.
What none of this changes is the arithmetic on your side of it. On an approved claim the insurer funds the scope and you pay your deductible, so a $5,000–$80,000 project and a $300–$1,500 project can cost you the same amount. The figures on this page are what the covered repair is worth, not what you write a cheque for.
Call first, document second
Emergency services
Active water intrusion or structural risk. These move same or next day, before the loss grows.
Roof leak & storm water damage repair
$3,000–$15,000Sudden, accidental interior water damage from a storm-created opening (wind-torn shingles, a fallen limb) is generally covered, including drying and rebuild. Long-term seepage, wear, or unaddressed maintenance leaks are commonly excluded, which is why prompt mitigation matters.
What it looks like
- Active dripping, or a bulging, sagging area of ceiling drywall
- Brown or yellow water stains and rings on ceilings or walls
- Peeling paint, bubbling drywall tape, or warped trim
Emergency timeline
Emergency mitigation same or next day (extraction, drying); structural drying runs 3–5 days; rebuild/restoration about 1–3 weeks.
Emergency roof tarping
$300–$1,500Reasonable emergency mitigation, tarping and board-up to prevent further damage, is reimbursable and, in fact, REQUIRED under your policy's 'duty to mitigate.' Keep receipts and photos; these costs are typically added to the claim.
What it looks like
- Missing shingles or a hole with exposed decking or open sky
- A tree or large limb through the roof
- Active dripping into the home during or after a storm
Emergency timeline
24/7 dispatch; most tarping is completed the same day to stop active water intrusion.
Tornado & hurricane damage repair
$10,000–$60,000Wind damage from tornadoes and hurricanes is covered on standard policies, but coastal/named-storm policies often carry a separate hurricane or wind/hail deductible (a percentage of your dwelling limit). Flood/storm-surge water is NOT covered by a standard policy, that requires separate flood (NFIP or private) coverage.
What it looks like
- Missing large sections of roof, or the roof deck partially gone
- Shifted, racked, or leaning walls, or a bowed roofline
- Broken windows, blown-in or blown-out doors and garage doors
Emergency timeline
Emergency stabilization/tarping immediately; full rebuild ranges from several weeks to several months depending on severity and permitting.
Tree damage & removal
$1,000–$25,000When a tree hits a covered structure, both the resulting repair AND removal of the tree off the structure are generally covered (removal is often capped, commonly around $500–$1,000 per policy). A tree that falls without hitting a structure is frequently removal-capped or not covered.
What it looks like
- A tree or large limb resting on or through the roof or wall
- A hole in the roof with active water intrusion
- Downed limbs on power lines near the house, treat as live
Emergency timeline
Emergency removal and tarping same day; roof/structural repair about 1–4 weeks depending on scope.
Fire & smoke damage restoration
$5,000–$80,000Fire is the original covered peril, every standard HO-3 homeowners policy covers fire and lightning, including smoke and soot cleanup, water damage from firefighting, and debris removal. If the home is unlivable during restoration, your policy's Additional Living Expense coverage (Coverage D) pays for temporary housing and the extra cost of living elsewhere.
What it looks like
- Charred or heat-damaged framing, roofing, siding, or windows
- Smoke and soot residue on walls, ceilings, and contents, even in untouched rooms
- Persistent smoke odor embedded in drywall, insulation, and HVAC ductwork
Emergency timeline
Emergency board-up and site security same day; smoke and soot mitigation starts within days; cleanup and odor remediation run about 1–4 weeks, and structural rebuild ranges from a few weeks to several months on larger losses.
Document first, repair second
Claim-track services
Nothing is actively getting worse, so the priority is an inspection and an insurance-grade scope before anyone touches the roof.
Hail damage roof repair
$9,000–$30,000Hail is a covered peril on virtually every HO-3 homeowners policy. When an inspection finds enough bruised/fractured shingles per test square, carriers routinely approve a full roof replacement, plus gutters, screens, and sometimes siding or AC-fin damage.
What it looks like
- Dented or dinged gutters, downspouts, gutter screens, or metal fascia
- Dents on soft metals, AC condenser fins, vent hoods, roof flashing, mailbox
- Spatter marks or clean spots on a dirty, oxidized roof surface
Typical timeline
Free inspection within days; once the claim is approved, most roof replacements are scheduled and completed in about 2–6 weeks (weather and material supply permitting).
Wind damage roof repair
$500–$18,000Windstorm is a covered peril on standard policies. Missing, creased, or lifted shingles and torn flashing are typically covered as repair or, when damage is widespread, full replacement.
What it looks like
- Missing shingles, or shingles lying in the yard and flower beds
- Lifted or curled shingle tabs that no longer lie flat
- Horizontal crease lines across shingles that were bent back and flopped down
Typical timeline
Inspection within days; spot repairs often within a week, full replacements about 2–5 weeks after claim approval.
Siding & gutter damage repair
$1,000–$20,000Hail and wind damage to siding and gutters is covered. Note that state 'matching' rules vary, some require the carrier to reasonably match undamaged adjacent siding, which affects how much of a wall is replaced.
What it looks like
- Dents, dings, or oil-canning (waviness) in metal or vinyl siding
- Cracked, chipped, or holed vinyl siding, worse in cold-weather hail
- Dented or dislodged gutters, downspouts, and gutter aprons
Typical timeline
Inspection within days; gutter work in about a week, siding replacement roughly 1–3 weeks after approval.
All 8 services at a glance
Typical insured project value — what the covered repair costs and what insurance funds, not your out-of-pocket.
| Service | Response | Insured project value |
|---|---|---|
| Hail damage roof repairDented shingles, gutters, or vents after a hailstorm | Inspection in days | $9,000–$30,000 |
| Wind damage roof repairMissing, lifted, or creased shingles after high winds | Inspection in days | $500–$18,000 |
| Roof leak & storm water damage repairActive leak, ceiling stains, or wet drywall after a storm | Same / next day | $3,000–$15,000 |
| Emergency roof tarpingNeed the roof covered NOW to stop water getting in | Same / next day | $300–$1,500 |
| Siding & gutter damage repairCracked siding or dented gutters from hail or wind | Inspection in days | $1,000–$20,000 |
| Tornado & hurricane damage repairMajor structural damage from a tornado or hurricane | Same / next day | $10,000–$60,000 |
| Tree damage & removalA tree or large limb fell on the house or garage | Same / next day | $1,000–$25,000 |
| Fire & smoke damage restorationFire, smoke, soot, or lightning-strike damage | Same / next day | $5,000–$80,000 |
Ranges are planning figures from the same estimate engine our damage quiz uses, not quotes. Your contractor sets the scope and your carrier approves it.
The number that actually matters
Repair value across all 8 services
$300–$80,000
What the covered repair costs and what insurance funds.
Your real cost on a covered claim
$500–$2,500
Usually just the flat deductible — or 1%–5% of your dwelling coverage where a separate wind/hail deductible applies.
The percentage deductible is the one to check on your declarations page before a storm rather than after. How roof deductibles work.
Before you file
Whichever service you need, the claim is decided by the same three things, and all three happen in the first week. Document the damage with dated photos before any repair, including the collateral evidence adjusters look for — dented gutters, dinged vent hoods, granules at the downspouts. Report the loss inside your policy’s notice window, which is often shorter than homeowners assume and in some states has been tightened further by reform. And hire a contractor who can write a scope an adjuster will actually accept, rather than a number on the back of a business card.
Our insurance-claim guides cover the filing process, adjuster inspections, deductibles and what to do with a denial. If you would rather start from where you live, the state-by-state storm damage directory carries local claim-deadline guidance and deductible rules for all 50 states.
Common questions
Which storm damage service do I actually need?
Start with whether water is getting in right now. If it is — an active leak, a tree through the roof, a torn-open envelope — you need emergency work first (tarping, extraction, board-up) and the claim conversation second; most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and the cost of that mitigation is generally recoverable. If nothing is actively getting worse, you are on the claim track, and the priority is documentation before repair. The 5 emergency services and 3 claim-track services are separated below for exactly that reason.
How much does storm damage repair cost?
Across these 8 services the typical insured project value spans $300–$80,000 — from emergency roof tarping at $300–$1,500 up to fire & smoke damage at $5,000–$80,000. Those are honest planning ranges for what the covered repair costs, not what you pay: on an approved claim the insurer funds the scope and your out-of-pocket is the deductible. A single hailstorm roof and a full hurricane rebuild genuinely are orders of magnitude apart, which is why the bands are wide rather than falsely precise.
Is my damage covered by homeowners insurance?
Hail, windstorm, fire and lightning are covered perils on virtually every standard HO-3 policy, and sudden accidental water entering through a storm-created opening usually is too. The common exclusions are the ones people are surprised by: flood and storm surge need separate flood coverage, and long-term seepage or deferred maintenance is generally not covered, which is why prompt mitigation matters so much. Each service page below sets out what a standard policy typically covers for that specific peril. This is general information, not a coverage determination — your policy and your adjuster decide your claim.
What will I actually pay out of pocket?
Usually just your deductible. On a covered claim the carrier funds the approved scope and you cover the deductible — commonly $500–$2,500 as a flat amount. The catch worth knowing before the storm rather than after: wind and hail are frequently carved out under a separate percentage deductible calculated against your dwelling coverage, typically 1%–5% of it, which on most homes is considerably more than the flat figure on the same policy.
How quickly can someone get out here?
Emergency services move in hours, not days: tarping, board-up and water extraction are same or next day, because every hour of water intrusion widens the loss and weakens the claim. Non-emergency inspections are typically within a few days, and the repair itself starts after the claim is approved — most roof replacements land in the two-to-six-week range once approval comes through, with larger multi-trade rebuilds running considerably longer. Each service page carries its own realistic timeline.
What does it cost to get matched with a contractor?
Nothing, and there is no obligation. Your request goes to one vetted local contractor screened for active licensing and insurance — never blasted to five companies who then compete for your phone. We are paid by the contractors in our network, not by homeowners, so you are free to get other estimates before you sign anything. We are a referral service, not a contractor; the independent pro is responsible for the work performed.
Have an active leak right now? Call (561) 220-0117 for 24/7 emergency response.