Tornado guide
What to do after a tornado
A plain English checklist for the hours and days after a tornado, from staying safe to filing your claim and getting your contents list together.
I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and during storm season tornado watches are just part of life here. Most of the time nothing happens. But when one does touch down, the damage can be sudden and very uneven. One house is fine and the one next door is missing its roof.
If you're dealing with that right now, here's what to do, in order. Safety first, then the insurance stuff.
1. Stay safe first
The National Weather Service and the CDC both say the danger isn't over when the wind stops. Their advice comes down to this:
- Stay out of damaged buildings until local authorities say they're safe. If you hear shifting or strange noises, get out.
- If you smell gas or see a broken line, shut off the main valve from outside if you can, leave, and call the gas company. Don't use matches, lighters, appliances or light switches until you know there's no leak.
- Stay clear of downed power lines and report them to the electric company.
- Dress for debris. Sturdy shoes or boots, long pants, long sleeves and gloves. Tornado debris is full of nails, glass and sharp metal.
- Keep generators outside, at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent. Never run one in the house, basement or garage.
- Keep listening to local news or NOAA Weather Radio. More storms can follow in the same outbreak.
2. Call your insurance company or agent
Report the damage as soon as you can, even if you're not sure how bad it is. Getting in line early helps. Ask these on the first call:
- What's my claim number, and who's my adjuster?
- What's my deductible for wind and hail? (Some policies have a separate one.)
- Does my policy cover additional living expenses if I can't stay here?
- What temporary repairs should I make, and how do you want me to document them?
- What do you need from me for the contents part of the claim, and by when?
Write down every name, date and what was said. A note on your phone is fine.
3. What's usually covered
Here's the good news. Standard homeowners policies usually cover wind and hail damage, which is most of what a tornado does. That typically includes the house, other structures like a fence or shed, and your personal belongings, up to your limits. Renters policies usually cover your stuff from wind damage too. A few things to know:
- Wind and hail deductibles. Some policies, especially in storm prone areas, have a separate wind or hail deductible that's a percentage of your dwelling coverage instead of a flat dollar amount. Check your declarations page so you're not surprised.
- Hail counts. Hail that dents a roof, breaks windows or damages siding is usually covered under the same wind and hail coverage.
- Flood usually isn't. If heavy rain from the same storm caused flooding, a standard homeowners policy usually won't pay for that. You'd need a separate flood policy.
4. Take photos before you clean up
- Photograph and video every room and the outside before you move anything, including the roof, siding, windows, fence and any trees on the house.
- Get close on damaged items, especially anything with a brand, model or serial number.
- Don't throw out damaged things until your adjuster has seen them or tells you it's okay. If something has to go for health reasons (like wet carpet), photograph it first and keep a small sample if you can.
- Photograph hail damage with a coin or ruler in the shot for scale.
5. Temporary repairs and receipts
Most policies expect you to protect your home from more damage once it's safe. That usually means tarping the roof, boarding broken windows and drying out wet areas. Your insurer may send someone, or you can hire it out. Keep every receipt and take before and after photos. Hold off on permanent repairs until your adjuster has looked at the damage, unless they tell you otherwise.
6. If you can't stay home
If the house isn't livable, check your policy for additional living expenses, sometimes called loss of use. It can help pay for a hotel or rental, meals over what you normally spend, and other extra costs while repairs happen. Save every receipt and ask your insurer what your limit is.
7. Build your contents list
This is the part that drags. Your insurer will usually want a list of damaged or destroyed belongings with a description, age and value for each one. If you made a home inventory before the storm, this is where it pays off. If you didn't, you can still build one:
- Go room by room, including closets, the attic and the garage
- Scroll your camera roll and social media for photos taken inside your home
- Pull order history from Amazon, Walmart, Target and other stores
- Check bank and credit card statements for bigger purchases
- Look up what each item costs to replace today
Our room by room home inventory checklist works great as a memory jogger, and here's how to prove what you owned without receipts. If you're not sure how your policy values things, read actual cash value vs replacement cost.
Doing the list the fast way
I built AfterProof because this list is brutal to make by hand, especially when you're living out of a hotel. You snap photos of your stuff (or of similar items if yours are gone), the AI identifies each one and finds what it costs to replace today, and you get a PDF to send your adjuster. If you have hundreds of items, the web app lets you do it from a computer.
8. Watch out for contractor scams
The National Weather Service specifically warns people to watch for scammers after a tornado. They show up fast. A few red flags:
- Door knockers from out of town who want a big deposit up front.
- Pressure to sign today, or a contract that lets them deal with your insurer for you.
- Offers to "cover" your deductible. That can be insurance fraud in some states.
Check licenses and reviews, get more than one written estimate, and talk to your adjuster before you sign anything.
9. FEMA help if it's a declared disaster
If the President declares a major disaster for your area and approves individual assistance, FEMA may be able to help with needs your insurance doesn't cover. FEMA says its help is not a substitute for insurance, so file with your insurer first. You can apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1 800 621 FEMA (3362).
Before next tornado season
- Pick a safe room: a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows
- Get a NOAA Weather Radio and turn on alerts on your phone
- Read your declarations page and find your wind and hail deductible
- Make a home inventory with photos and store it in the cloud, not just on a phone that could get lost
- Check that your personal property limit fits what you own (how much personal property coverage do I need)
Quick answers
Does homeowners insurance cover tornado damage?
Usually, yes. Standard homeowners policies typically cover wind and hail, which is most tornado damage, up to your limits. Flooding from the same storm usually isn't covered without a separate flood policy.
What should I do first after a tornado hits my house?
Make sure everyone is safe, stay out of damaged buildings, avoid downed power lines and leave if you smell gas. Then call your insurer or agent to report the damage and get a claim number.
What is a wind and hail deductible?
Some policies have a separate deductible for wind or hail damage, often a percentage of your dwelling coverage instead of a flat amount. Check your declarations page to see if yours does.
Should I make repairs before the adjuster comes?
Make temporary repairs to prevent more damage, like tarping the roof or boarding windows, and keep the receipts. Hold off on permanent repairs until your adjuster has seen the damage or says it's okay.
Can FEMA help after a tornado?
If your area gets a federal disaster declaration with individual assistance, FEMA may help with needs insurance doesn't cover. File with your insurer first, then apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1 800 621 FEMA (3362).
This is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Every policy is different, so check yours or ask your agent.
Sources: National Weather Service, after a tornado, CDC, staying safe after a tornado, FEMA, Individuals and Households Program.
