Hail and high winds roll through Northwest Arkansas every spring. The days right after a storm are when homeowners make the most expensive mistakes, like waiting too long to file or signing with the first crew that knocks on the door.
This guide walks you through the claim process in order. It starts on the day of the storm and runs through the deadlines your insurance company has to meet under Arkansas law.
What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Storm
- Stay off the roof. Wet shingles are slick, and storm damage can weaken decking you can’t see from above.
- Walk the property from the ground. Look for shingles in the yard and dents in gutters or downspouts. Check for torn flashing around the chimney.
- Check inside. Look at ceilings and the attic for fresh water stains or drips.
- Stop more water from getting in. Your policy expects you to prevent further damage. A tarp or a bucket under a drip counts. Keep every receipt, because many policies reimburse reasonable emergency repairs.
- Write down the date and time of the storm. Your insurer will ask, and the date needs to match local weather reports.
- Hold off on signing anything. A contract can wait until you know what your policy covers.
How to Document Roof Damage for Your Claim
Good documentation is the difference between a smooth claim and weeks of back-and-forth with your adjuster.
- Take wide shots first, then close-ups. A wide photo shows where the damage is on the house. A close-up shows what it is.
- Photograph soft metals. Hail leaves clear dents on gutters and downspouts. AC fins and mailboxes show them too, and adjusters often check these first.
- Capture interior damage. Photograph water stains on ceilings and in the attic, with something in the frame for scale.
- Save storm reports. Screenshot local news or weather service reports showing hail or high winds in your ZIP code on that date.
- Keep a claim log. Write down every call with your insurer, including the date, the person you spoke with, and your claim number.
Not every worn shingle is storm damage, and adjusters know it. Our guide to the signs of hail damage on your roof shows what real hail hits look like, so you know what you’re photographing.
Will Insurance Cover Your Roof Damage?
Most homeowners policies cover sudden damage from hail or wind. What they don’t cover is a roof that wore out on its own.
- Usually covered: shingles torn off by wind, hail bruising that cracks or breaks the shingle mat, and leaks caused by that storm damage.
- Usually not covered: granule loss from age, curling or cracking from years of sun, and damage from skipped maintenance.
- Cosmetic vs functional damage: some policies exclude cosmetic damage, like small dents in a metal roof that don’t affect how it sheds water. Check your policy for a cosmetic damage exclusion.
- Roof age matters: older roofs are more likely to be paid at actual cash value, which means a smaller check after depreciation.
Your roofer’s inspection should tell you which side of the line your damage falls on before you file.
Step-by-Step: Filing Your Roof Insurance Claim
- Read your declarations page.
- Find your deductible. Some Arkansas policies use a percentage of your home’s insured value for wind and hail instead of a flat dollar amount.
- Check whether your roof is covered at actual cash value or replacement cost.
- Get a professional roof inspection. A local roofer can tell you whether the damage is likely above your deductible. That helps you avoid filing a claim that pays nothing.
- Report the claim to your insurer. Do it as soon as you can, and write down your claim number.
- Meet the adjuster. Be home for the inspection, and have your roofer there too if you can, so nothing on the roof gets missed.
- Review the adjuster’s estimate line by line. Compare it against your roofer’s estimate. Missed items like drip edge or code-required underlayment are common and can be added through a supplement.
- Approve the work and schedule repairs. Once the claim is approved, your roofer orders materials and sets a date.
- Call your mortgage company if you have one. Insurance checks for roof damage are often made out to both you and your lender. Your lender may need to sign the check or release the money in stages, so calling early keeps payment from holding up your repairs.
- Send the final invoice to your insurer. If you have replacement cost coverage, this is how you collect the rest of your money.
ACV vs RCV in Plain Terms
Your policy covers your roof at either replacement cost value (RCV) or actual cash value (ACV).
- With RCV, your insurer holds back depreciation on the first check and pays it once the work is finished.
- With ACV, depreciation for your roof’s age comes off the payout and doesn’t come back.
Many replacement cost policies also set a time limit to finish repairs and claim the depreciation they held back. Check your policy for that window and get your roof scheduled well before it closes.
Your declarations page tells you which coverage you have. For a full breakdown with real numbers, read our guide to ACV vs RCV roof insurance in Arkansas.
Arkansas Insurance Claim Timelines: What Your Insurer Has to Do
Arkansas Insurance Department rules set minimum deadlines for how insurers handle your claim. Knowing them helps you spot when a claim is stalling.
The deadlines
- 15 working days to acknowledge your claim, unless they pay it within that window.
- About 20 days to send you proof-of-loss forms after you report the claim. If they don’t, they generally lose the right to require them.
- 15 working days to respond to any message from you that reasonably needs a reply.
- 45 calendar days to finish investigating. If they need longer, they must tell you why in writing and update you every 45 days after that.
- 15 working days to accept or deny your claim after receiving your signed proof of loss.
- 10 days to send payment once the investigation closes.
What this looks like in practice
- Day 1: You report the claim and get a claim number.
- Within about 3 weeks: Your insurer acknowledges the claim and sends any forms you need to fill out.
- Within 45 days: The adjuster has inspected and the investigation is done, or you’ve received a written explanation of the delay.
- About 3 weeks after you return proof of loss: You hear whether the claim is accepted or denied.
- Within 10 days of the investigation closing: Your first check should arrive.
Real claims often move faster than this, especially for straightforward hail damage. These are the outer limits, not the typical pace.
There’s no state deadline to report a claim
Arkansas law doesn’t set a filing deadline for property claims. Your policy does. Check your declarations page, and report the damage as soon as you can. A late report gives your insurer room to question whether the damage came from that storm.
Filing a storm claim won’t get you dropped on its own
Arkansas law says an insurer can’t cancel or refuse to renew your policy solely because of claims from natural causes like hail or wind. Your premium can still change at renewal, so ask your agent how a claim affects your rate.
If your insurer misses a deadline
- Put your questions in writing and keep copies. Your claim log matters most here.
- File a complaint with the Arkansas Insurance Department if deadlines keep slipping or you can’t get answers.
- Know that late payment can cost the insurer. If an insurer fails to pay on time and you have to sue, recovering at least 80% of what you asked for can mean the insurer owes a 12% penalty plus your attorney’s fees.
We’re roofers, not attorneys. For legal questions about a disputed claim, talk to a licensed professional.
Common Reasons Roof Claims Get Denied
Knowing these ahead of time helps you avoid them:
- The insurer blames age or wear instead of the storm. This is the most common one, and it’s why photos tied to a storm date matter so much.
- The damage costs less than your deductible. An inspection before filing tells you this up front.
- The claim was reported too late. The longer you wait, the harder it is to connect the damage to one storm.
- The documentation is thin. A few blurry photos rarely hold up against an adjuster’s report.
Three Storm-Chaser Red Flags to Watch for During a Claim
After every big hail storm, out-of-town crews show up in NWA neighborhoods. Three warning signs matter most while your claim is open:
- They offer to cover or waive your deductible. The only way to do that is to bill your insurer more than the real cost of the job, which is insurance fraud.
- They can’t show their Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board registration. Residential roofers doing jobs over $2,000 must be registered or licensed, and you can look them up on the ACLB website.
- They push you to sign before your adjuster has inspected. A trustworthy roofer will wait until you know what your policy covers.
We cover the rest of their tactics in our post on storm chaser roofing scams in Northwest Arkansas.
Why NWA Homeowners Call TCG Roofing After a Storm
We’re a locally owned roofing contractor, not a franchise, so we’ll still be here next storm season. When you call us, we come out for a free on-site inspection and tell you honestly whether your damage is worth filing.
If your claim moves forward, we handle the storm and hail damage roof repair from start to finish.
Schedule your free storm damage inspection
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a roof insurance claim in Arkansas?
Arkansas law doesn’t set a filing deadline for property claims. Your policy does. Many policies allow about a year from the storm date, but some are shorter, so check your declarations page and report the damage as soon as you can.
Will filing a storm damage claim get my policy cancelled?
Not on its own. Arkansas law prevents insurers from cancelling or refusing to renew a policy solely because of claims from natural causes like hail or wind. Your premium can still change at renewal.
What should I do if my roof claim is denied?
Ask for the denial in writing with the policy language it’s based on. Then get a second inspection from a local roofer and ask your insurer for a re-inspection. If you still disagree, check your policy for an appraisal clause or file a complaint with the Arkansas Insurance Department.
Should I call my roofer or my insurance company first?
Get a roof inspection first if you can. A local roofer can tell you whether the damage is above your deductible, so you’re not filing a claim that won’t pay out.
How long does my insurer have to pay my claim in Arkansas?
Once the investigation closes, your insurer has 10 days to send payment. The investigation itself has a 45-day limit unless the insurer explains in writing why it needs more time.