What to do After a Hailstorm

Unfortunately, hailstorms occur all over the country throughout most of the spring and summer seasons and can cause damage to your property.  After a hailstorm hits, MAX members typically ask if they need to file a claim and inquire about the necessary steps to file a claim.  Here are a few helpful steps if your home sustains damage after a hailstorm:

  1. Please be sure to make note of the day and time of the hailstorm to correctly report to us.
  2. After the storm has passed and there is no risk, you can inspect your dwelling for damage, including roof, gutters, air conditioning unit, window screens ,etc. We recommend that you do not climb on your roof if is steep and dangerous.   Also, check for any interior water leaking in any of your interior rooms.
  3. If you have any broken windows or interior water damage, contact a contractor to complete temporary repairs and keep the invoice to submit for our review.
  4. You may wish to have a local, licensed contractor inspect your property and give you an estimate to determine if the repairs will exceed your deductible. Many policies have a 1% wind/hail deductible.
  5. You can file a claim by calling your agent and he/she will submit the claim to us. If you don’t have a local agent or his/her office is closed, you can call us direct at  877-971-6300 and we will file your claim.
  6. Once your claim has been filed, one of our adjusters will contact you to discuss your claim and answer any questions.

If you have any questions, please contact your MAX agent or give us a call at 877-971-6300 and we are happy to help!

Photo by Care_SMC

Weather Radios Help You Stay Informed of a Storm’s Progress

by Karen Morrone, Marketing & Communications Manager

When I was a child, I can remember going to my grandpa’s house and hearing him listen to his weather radio. At the time, I figured my grandpa enjoyed listening to the weather forecast each day and I’m sure he did. Perhaps he was listening for a storm’s progress near his home, but I never thought of a weather radio’s purpose for storm tracking.

Now, as an adult, I own a weather radio. I do not listen to my weather radio for daily forecasts like my grandpa did – that’s the advantage of having technology in your hands with the numerous Weather Apps on our smartphones. However, the reason I purchased a weather radio is for protection of me and my family. It gives me a heads up if there is a severe thunderstorm or tornado in my area. The weather radio gives you the progress of each storm and its forecasted path. Plus, it sounds off with a very loud alarm which I need because I am a sound sleeper. The tornado sirens in my neighborhood will not necessarily wake me from a deep sleep. Even if your power goes out during a storm, your weather radio should have a battery back-up, keeping you connected and informed.

Keeping yourself informed of a storm’s progress is always a good idea. Whether it’s with your smartphone or a weather radio, the goal is the same: Stay Safe. For more safety tips, check out our posts here.

About Karen

Karen is the Marketing & Communications Manager for MAX where she manages content marketing and social media. When she’s not at the office, Karen can be found transporting her children to soccer and other after-school activities. In her “spare time”, you can find her tending to her flowers outside or baking cookies and brownies.