Storm damage

What to do after a significant storm

handling insurance

You and your insurance company are on the same team. You are not adversaries and both of you have the same goal of putting your house back to its original shape. When you work together with good communication, it’s the easiest path to accomplish this purpose. The insurance company needs satisfied customers. They want to handle claims quickly but accurately.


Contact your insurance agent and they should be able to do the rest for you. Depending on the severity of the storm your insurance company may want a reputable roofing company to assess the damage before officially filing a claim. If the storm is severe you can bypass this step as it is not necessary.


Insurance companies line items out each product that they are replacing to help ensure there is as little ambiguity as possible in what needs to be done. Each line item has a replacement cost associated with it that is a standardized price set by a third party based on the region. The most common tool used for this is Xactimate. Contractors and Insurance companies both have access to this program and it allows us to work together to make sure everything is covered and priced appropriately.


When payment is made by your insurance company, it generally comes in two checks. The first is the ACV, or actual cash value. This is about ⅔ of the total cost that the insurance company is willing to give you, irrespective of any work being done. The second check is the RCV, or replacement cost value. This takes into account a depreciated amount that will be paid upon completion of the work. This can only be received by invoicing the insurance company when work is completed.


Your deductible will be predetermined by the insurance policy you carry on your home. When you get an insurance policy you agree to pay X dollars before insurance kicks in, this dollar figure is your deductible. By law the deductible is the first money paid out on a claim.

Ex: You have a $1,000 deductible and the insurance claim is $10,000. Your insurance company will pay you a total of $9,000 if you get all the work completed and send them an invoice for $10,000. If you somehow got a deal and it only cost you $9,000 to complete the work, the insurance company will pay you $8,000.

So any way you do it, you will end up having to pay your deductible. Any way around this is illegal and insurance fraud, see Nebraska Statute 44-8604.

  • Insurance, homeowner, and contractor work together to repair storm damaged houses back to their original condition prior to the storm.
  • Pricing is predetermined by insurance when the scope of work is decided.
  • The contractor needs to know what the scope of work is and help determine it is complete.
  • The homeowner needs to choose both entities according to how well they perform.

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Retail Process vs Insurance Claim Process

Do I need a new roof?

Retail Process

Your roof is getting older, and you think it may be time for a new roof. Have a reputable contractor look at it and give you their professional opinion.

Insurance Claim Process

In the event of large hail, inspect your gutters, siding, windows, and vehicle. If you have damage on more than 1 of those items call your insurance company to inspect the damage. If you’re not sure, call a roofer to get their professional opinion. Just remember, the only opinion that matters is the insurance companies. They make all of the calls on damage.

How Should I select a contractor?

Retail Process

If you don’t already have a roofing company you trust, Select a few reputable companies and request a bid.

Insurance Claim Process

On an insurance claim the price is predetermined so you just need to find a reputable local company you trust to get the job done.


How much will it cost?

Retail Process

You will need a contractor to give you a bid on price. The price can vary depending on quality of materials and if the contractor is properly insured or not.

Insurance Claim Process

You will pay your deductible and the insurance company will pay the rest, unless you electively choose to upgrade products or have more work completed.


Do I have to pay my deductible?

Retail Process

On a retail project you will pay the full cost.

Insurance Claim Process

Yes, by law the first money paid out on an insurance claim is to be the deductible. The rest of the money will be paid by the insurance company. If a company tells you they can “Make it go away” they’re likely committing insurance fraud and pulling you into it. There is no legal way to make this happen. See Nebraska Statute 44-8604


What work needs to be completed?

Retail Process

Only work of your choosing.

Insurance Claim Process

The scope of work that your insurance provides you will have a list of work that needs to done. Any work on this list that is not completed (either by you or a contractor) will not be insured until it has been completed and reported to the insurance company. On some items you may wish to let them be for any number of reasons, just be aware that the insurance company will not pay for these items again if they are not replaced.

Does the roof need to be completed immediately?

Retail Process

Only if the roof is in such bad shape that it is actively leaking.

Insurance Claim Process

Hail rarely causes severe enough damage to roofs to need the roof replaced immediately. Your roof is damaged, but it will hold up for the foreseeable future as long as it is not actively leaking. If there are holes in the roof or any active leaks, call us immediately to patch it so we can mitigate as much interior damage as possible

Does every contractor have proper insurance?

The short answer is NO. A lot of contractors carry little or no insurance at all. As a best practice have your roofing contractor send you a certificate of insurance. If you’re worried about the contract, have them provide you with a copy with your property listed as an additional insured. This will ensure your property is covered should the contract have an issue. Even if they stop paying their bills, your project will be covered.

Look for these minimum requirements on insurance policies:

  • Liability Insurance: $1,000,000 per occurrence
  • Workers Compensation Insurance: $500,000 per occurrence
  • Umbrella: $2,000,000 per occurrence
  • Certificate of Insurance

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Choosing a Contractor


If you know you will be going through your insurance to cover the damage that you need fixed and you know you want White Castle Roofing to complete the work for your property, please fill out this Insurance Form. One of our roofing specialists will be in contact with you about your requests. Once you have met with a roofing specialist and have gone over what work you would like done, they will provide you with a formal proposal for you to review, make adjustments if needed, and sign. We appreciate your patience as we try to get back to all of our customers and calls.


After a big hail storm, White Castle Roofing is often asked about when the best time of year to put on a new roof is. While we are generally able to safely install new roofs well into the fall months, when you’re working with an insurance claim, it can be beneficial to wait until later in the summer or even the following spring (or as long as your insurance will allow!) to have your roofing job completed. Here are some reasons why…

  • In Nebraska it hails…frequently. It’s not uncommon to see hail storms throughout the spring and into mid-summer. You may be able to avoid another replacement (and another deductible!) by waiting, in the event of another storm. After all, one more season on your old roof is one less on your new one, saving you an extra season of wear and tear.
  • We have a repair team at the ready. We work year-round to make sure our customers’ homes remain watertight. You can rest assured that we will be able to patch any leaks until your new roof is installed.


Below are images of the hail impact for Lincoln and the surrounding areas. These maps are here to provide our customers/future customers with a visual representation of what areas were impacted most.

April 12, 2020 Lincoln Hail Impact Map

April 12, 2020 Lincoln Hail Impact Map

Below are some images of the damage that a few houses sustained due to the April 12th, 2020 hail storm.

Need more information?

If you have further questions, you can always contact us by phone, e-mail or website for more details and assistance, and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process.