Hail just hit your East Tennessee home. Here is what to do

Hail around Knoxville usually comes with spring storms crossing the Cumberland Plateau from the west. Warnings come from the National Weather Service office in Morristown. Afterward, be cautious with door-to-door contractors: Tennessee's Department of Commerce and Insurance warns about storm chasers after every big event.

Step 1: Check for hazards

Short answer: wait for the lightning to end, then look for downed lines and broken limbs before going outside.

Inside, look for water at ceilings, skylights and light fixtures. Shut off a circuit if water is near it and you can safely reach the panel. Do not climb a ladder or get on the roof.

Step 2: Photograph it all

Short answer: the hailstones, then the whole house from wide shots to close-ups, all dated.

1. Hailstones: the largest you can find, beside a ruler or coin.
2. Wide shots: each side of the house and each roof slope from the ground.
3. Close-ups: gutters, downspouts, vents, the heat pump, metal roofs, screens, siding, the deck and vehicles.
4. Granules: fresh piles at downspout outlets.
5. Interior: new stains and drips, with a wide shot of the room.
6. The storm: save the NWS Morristown warning or the Storm Center report.

Step 3: Temporary repairs

Short answer: cover openings, board broken windows and dry wet areas, with photos and receipts.

Policies generally require reasonable steps to prevent more damage and usually reimburse reasonable costs. Hold off on permanent repairs until the insurer inspects or agrees in writing. See emergency tarping.

Step 4: Compare damage with your deductible

Short answer: find the deductible that applies to hail on your declarations page and compare it with a roofer's estimate.

Some Tennessee policies carry a separate wind/hail deductible, often written as a percentage of the dwelling coverage (Coverage A), for example 1% or 2%, rather than a flat dollar amount. The declarations page shows which deductibles apply. The Department of Commerce and Insurance can explain terms and take complaints. A 2% deductible on a $350,000 home is $7,000. If you are unsure whether to file, ask your agent how a claim under the deductible would be recorded. See wind and hail deductibles.

Step 5: Report promptly

Short answer: as soon as you reasonably can, and note your policy's suit limitation clause, which in Tennessee is often one year.

Write down the claim number, the adjuster's contact, the deductible and what the insurer needs next. Use the first-call question list.

Step 6: Check the roofer and the paperwork

Short answer: after big East Tennessee hailstorms, door-to-door crews arrive quickly. Check their license and insurance, and read every form before signing.

Tennessee's residential roofing services law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-601 and following) says that before you sign, a roofer must give you in writing its mailing address, phone number, any contractor, home improvement, or public adjuster license numbers, a detailed description of the damage and repairs the contract covers, and a notice that you may cancel until midnight of the third business day after your insurer tells you in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered. If you cancel, payments other than for emergency repairs already done must be returned within 10 business days. A contractor who offers to cover or waive your deductible may be overstating the loss to your insurer, which can create insurance-fraud problems for you. Treat it as a warning sign and ask your insurer. See how to check a roofer and storm chaser warning signs.

Step 7: Before the adjuster arrives

Print the adjuster question list, organize your photos and receipts, and invite your roofer. Point out metal dents and interior damage.

Step 8: Track every contact

Log each call, email and visit with the date, the name and what was said, and confirm important calls in writing. With a one-year suit clause possible, a dated record matters even more in Tennessee.

Local contacts after an East Tennessee hailstorm

• Warnings: NWS Morristown and the Storm Center.
• Contractor license lookup: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (state contractor and, in Knox County, Home Improvement licenses).
• Permits: city and county building offices; see the county and town pages.
• Insurance help: TN Department of Commerce and Insurance, 615-741-2218 or 800-342-4029.

Owners of rental cabins and second homes

Many Sevier and Blount County cabins sit empty between guests or for weeks in the off-season. After a hailstorm:

• Ask your property manager or a neighbor to check the roof, gutters, skylights and decks the same day, with photos.
• Have guests report leaks right away, and keep their messages as evidence of the date.
• Check your policy type: short-term rental cabins often need a landlord or commercial policy with different rules.
• Keep booking records if damage forces cancellations; some policies cover lost rent.

Condos, townhomes and HOAs

If you live in a condo or townhome with an association, the association's master policy usually covers the roof. Report damage to the HOA in writing, and ask your agent whether your HO-6 policy has loss assessment coverage, which can help pay your share of the association's deductible.

Renters and rental owners

Renters should notify the landlord in writing and photograph their belongings. Owners of rental houses and cabins should check whether the building is on a dwelling or landlord policy and whether it covers lost rent while repairs are made.

Vehicles

Hail damage to cars goes through your auto policy's comprehensive coverage, separately from the house.

Door-to-door sales and your right to cancel

The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you three business days to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at your home, with some exceptions. Tennessee's roofing law adds a separate right to cancel a roofing contract if your insurer denies the claim. Don't sign anything the same day a stranger knocks, and keep any cancellation notice you're given.

Who issues building permits around Knoxville?

A re-roof usually needs a permit. Ask your roofer to pull it in their name, and check with the building office for your address:

• Knox County (county government): Knoxville, Farragut, Powell, Halls
• Blount County (county government): Maryville, Alcoa, Townsend
• Anderson County (county government): Oak Ridge, Clinton
• Sevier County (county government): Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Seymour
• Loudon County (county government): Lenoir City, Loudon