What should you photograph after a coastal storm?

Start with the whole property

Walk around the house and take one wide photo of each side, plus the street sign or house number, so an adjuster can match photos to slopes and walls. On a raised house, include the piers and the area underneath. Video narrating what you see works well too.

Wind and rain damage

• Missing or folded shingles, lifted ridge caps and peeled drip edge, using zoom from the ground.
• Pieces of roofing, siding or soffit in the yard, photographed where they landed.
• Torn screens on porches and pool enclosures, damaged shutters and broken windows.
• Ceiling stains, wet insulation in the attic (only if safe) and water at windows and doors.

Keep flood damage separate

Homeowners and NCIUA wind policies don't cover rising water; a flood policy does. If water came in from outside at ground level, photograph the highest water line on interior and exterior walls with a tape measure, and keep those photos in a separate folder from roof and wind damage. If you have both policies, report to both. Clear photos help each adjuster see which damage is theirs.

Hail

Photograph dents in gutters, downspouts, AC fins and boat lift canopies at an angle so they show, and any stones beside a ruler. See the hail size chart.

Records to keep

• The storm name or date, and the NWS warning or report from the Storm Center.
• Claim numbers for each policy (homeowners, NCIUA, flood) and the name of everyone you talk to.
• Receipts for tarps, plywood, fans, generators, hotel stays and meals if you had to leave.
• Estimates, contracts and invoices, and the adjuster's estimate.
• Your evacuation dates, if you weren't home during the storm. Damage found on return is still reportable.

Before you throw things out

Keep a sample of damaged shingles, flashing and soaked materials until the adjuster has seen them, unless they're a health hazard. Wet drywall and carpet often can't wait in coastal humidity; photograph and measure them first, then remove them.