The first 24–72 hours
Keep clear of downed lines, leaning enclosures and anything above ladder height
Safety Treat every downed line as live and report it to the utility. A screen enclosure or carport that is still standing after a storm may be held up by one bent post. OSHA’s fall-protection page notes that falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths; photograph the roof and the enclosure from the ground and leave climbing to a contractor.[4]
Write down the date, the time you first saw the damage and the event’s name if it has one
A named storm, a tornado warning and an afternoon thunderstorm each leave a different public record. Record the date and the event as a fact: which event, which date. Do not describe the wind speed; the official reports do that.
Photograph the affected elevation wide before you touch anything
Stand back far enough to get the whole side of the house, the enclosure and the fence run in one frame. Ready.gov’s hurricane guidance is to document any property damage with photographs and then contact your insurance company for assistance; the same order applies to any windstorm.[1]
Note the wind direction as you observed it, with the time
Which side of the house took the wind, which way the fence leans, where the shingles landed. Write it down now while the debris is still where it fell; once it is raked into piles the direction is gone.
Secure what you must, then photograph and receipt it
Boards over a broken window or straps on a leaning enclosure stop further damage. Photograph before and after, and keep the receipt for every board, strap and fastener; Florida DFS tells storm-affected homeowners to keep all receipts.[5]
What wind does to Florida structures, and the photos that show it
Florida homes have parts that houses elsewhere do not: screen enclosures over pools and lanais, aluminium carports, long fence runs, vented soffits. Wind takes each of them in a characteristic way. Photograph every one as its own item, wide first, then piece by piece, and count the pieces.
| Structure | What wind does | Photos that show it |
|---|---|---|
| Screen enclosure or pool cage | Tears screen panels, bends or twists frame members, pulls anchor bolts from the deck | Wide shot of the whole cage from two corners, then every panel in order with a count of torn and intact panels, then each bent member and anchor |
| Fence | Pushes the run over in one direction, snaps posts at ground level, lifts panels out | The run from each end, then post by post showing the lean direction, then each broken post at the break |
| Carport | Lifts the roof sheet, buckles posts, folds the structure over a vehicle | All four sides, the roof from the ground, each post, and anything under it |
| Soffit and fascia | Blows soffit panels in or out, peels fascia away from the roof edge | The whole elevation wide, then each gap with something for scale, then the attic side if a panel is missing |
| Gutters and downspouts | Pulls gutters from their hangers, crushes downspouts, fills them with roof granules and debris | The gutter line along each elevation, each detached section, the contents of the gutter |
| Shed or outbuilding | Shifts it off its base, removes roofing or doors, collapses it | All sides, the base and where it stood, the contents where they lie |
For each structure, write the count into the caption: “Lanai cage, 14 panels, 9 torn, 3 frame members bent, 2026-09-10”. Numbers are easier to check later than adjectives.
Record the wind direction and where the debris went
Wind direction is a fact you can observe and record without any instrument: which elevation lost soffit, which way the fence leans, where the shingles are lying, which trees are down and in what direction. Record it as “what I saw, at what time”, not as a conclusion about the storm. A reader can compare your observation with the official reports for the day.
- Note the elevation that took the damage (north, east, south or west) and the time you made the observation.
- Photograph each piece of flying debris where it landed, then photograph where it came from, and caption both with the same identifier. A shingle in the pool and the bare patch on the west slope are one fact in two photos.
- Photograph debris that is not yours where it lies on your property, and note where it appears to have come from, without entering anyone else’s property.
- Photograph comparable damage on neighbouring homes and trees from the street or sidewalk only.
- If a tree or limb came down, photograph the stump or the break, the direction it fell and what it landed on.
Official records for the day: SPC and NWS storm reports
The Storm Prediction Center publishes preliminary tornado, hail and wind reports with the time, the size or speed, the location, the county and the state. Past dates are reached by entering the date as YYMMDD, the archive goes back to 1 June 1999, and each day’s page covers from 1200 UTC to 1159 UTC the next day. Save the page for your date as a screenshot or printout and note that its reports are preliminary.[2]
For a named storm, the National Hurricane Center archive lists advisories by year and storm with their times; record which advisory was in force when you observed damage. For a tornado or downburst, your local National Weather Service office may publish a storm survey; if it does, save it with its date. None of these documents say what happened at your address. They show what was reported nearby, and your own observations sit beside them.[6]
| Estimated wind speed | Typical damage described by NWS |
|---|---|
| 55-72 mph | Damage to chimneys and TV antennas; pushes over shallow rooted trees |
| 73-112 mph | Peels surfaces off roofs; windows broken |
| 113-157 mph | Roofs torn off houses; cars lifted off ground |
This table is how the National Weather Service reads damage; it is here so you know what observers are looking at when they write a report. Record what you saw, not a wind speed. “Soffit panels missing on the west elevation” is a fact; “100 mph winds” is a guess unless an official report says it.
Build the wind-event timeline
A wind event is short, so the timeline is mostly about what you saw, when, and what you did next. Separate the three, and write “unknown” where you were not there. Named storm or afternoon squall, the format is the same: which event, which date, which observations, which actions.
| Date and time | Observed | Recorded | Acted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 15:40 | Severe thunderstorm warning for the county | Screenshot of the alert | Closed windows, moved car |
| 2026-06-18 16:05 | Loud bang from the lanai; wind from the west | Note with time | Stayed inside |
| 2026-06-18 16:50 | Cage panels torn, fence run leaning east, shingles in the pool | Wide and per-panel photos, fence post by post | Nothing yet |
| 2026-06-18 18:00 | Neighbour’s tree limb across the side fence | Photos from the street | Nothing |
| 2026-06-19 09:00 | SPC report page for 180618 shows wind reports in the county | Screenshot saved | Called insurer, claim number issued |
| 2026-06-19 14:00 | Straps placed on the leaning cage frame by a contractor | Before and after photos, receipt | Temporary securing |
Log every call and every visit as its own row with the name of the person. If the event was a named storm, add the advisory number and time to the rows where you were not observing directly.
Inventory and receipts for wind-damaged structures
Structures such as an enclosure, a fence or a shed are inventory items like any other. Give each one a row with the identifier, the description, the count of damaged pieces, the age or install date if you know it, and any permit or contractor invoice from when it was built. Florida DFS recommends an itemized list with costs, purchase dates and serial numbers, and that applies to a pool cage as much as to a television.[5]
- Contents of a collapsed shed or carport: photograph each item where it lies, then list it with its condition.
- Temporary securing: boards, straps, tarps and fasteners, each with its receipt and the structure it relates to.
- Contractor estimates for an enclosure or a fence: log them as estimates, separate from any paid receipt.
- Removal of a fallen tree: the invoice, the date and photos of the tree before and after removal.
Keeping the evidence
Wind evidence is mostly outdoors and gets tidied fast. Keep the originals, name the files with the structure identifier and the date, and copy the whole set somewhere else the same day. Keep the SPC page, any NWS survey and any NHC advisory as saved files next to your photos, each with the date you saved it.
- One folder per structure: cage, fence, carport, soffit, roof, shed, trees, debris.
- A written wind-direction note, dated and timed, stored with the photos it describes.
- Receipts photographed the day you receive them, and logged against the structure.
- Every call to the insurer, the adjuster’s name and the claim number written into the timeline.
What to document
| Item | Why it matters | Where it appears in your report |
|---|---|---|
| Screen enclosure photographed panel by panel, with the total panel count and the number torn | A count can be checked against the photos; “badly damaged” cannot | Affected Areas |
| Fence run photographed post to post from each end, with the direction of the lean written down | Records the wind direction as a physical observation | Detailed Documentation |
| Each piece of debris photographed where it landed and where it came from, captioned as one pair | Connects the missing piece to the found piece | Photo Documentation |
| Soffit, fascia and gutter detachment photographed close, plus a wide shot of the whole elevation | Shows which side of the house took the wind | Damage Summary |
| Shingles or tiles found on the ground photographed where they lay before anyone picked them up | Their position is evidence only until they are moved | Documented Details |
| SPC or NWS storm report page for the date saved as a screenshot or printout | A third-party record of what was reported nearby that day | Timeline of Events |
| Wind direction and the affected elevation written as an observation with the time | A dated observation, not a conclusion about the storm | Claim Summary |
| Boards, straps or tarps used to secure a structure photographed before and after, with receipts | Records the securing and what it cost | Mitigation Actions |
| Age, install date and any permit or invoice for the enclosure, fence, carport or shed | The facts a reader needs about the structure itself | Property Details |
| Contractor estimates for enclosure or fence work logged apart from paid receipts | Keeps a prediction of cost distinct from a payment | Additional Documentation |
What your documentation report will contain
A ClaimPrep documentation report organises what you recorded into these sections. It records facts; it does not value your loss or interpret your policy.
Claim Summary Property Details Damage Summary Timeline of Events Affected Areas Detailed Documentation Mitigation Actions Documented Details Additional Documentation Photo Documentation
See a sample documentation report (a fictional example) or read how ClaimPrep works.
Who to contact
- Your insurance company or agent
- They take the report of the loss and issue the claim number; write the date, the name and the number into your timeline.[1]
- Your electric utility
- They handle downed lines; report them, and keep the report reference and the outage start and restoration times.
- Florida DFS Insurance Consumer Helpline, 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), out of state (850) 413-3089
- State consumer help for insurance questions, available 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday; have your company name, policy number and agent name ready.[7]
- A licensed enclosure, fence or roofing contractor
- They secure or remove unstable structures and give a written estimate; ask for a dated document and log it as an estimate.
- Your local National Weather Service office
- Publishes storm surveys after tornadoes and significant wind events; save any survey for your date as a file.[2]
Common documentation mistakes
- Raking the debris into piles before photographing where it landed
- Walk the property with the camera first; the direction the debris travelled is evidence only while it lies where it fell.
- Writing a wind speed into your record
- Record what you saw and when; attach the SPC or NWS report and let it carry any speed.
- Photographing the pool cage from one corner only
- Two corners wide, then every panel in order with a count; a single photo cannot show which panels are torn.
- Climbing on a leaning enclosure or the roof to get a closer photo
- Use zoom from the ground or a phone on a pole; OSHA’s fall-protection page is a reminder of how common fall injuries are.
- Entering a neighbour’s yard to photograph their damage
- Photograph comparable damage from the street or sidewalk only, and note where you stood.
Questions
How do I document which direction the wind came from?
Record what you can observe: the elevation that lost soffit or shingles, the direction the fence leans, where the debris landed relative to where it came from, and the direction fallen trees point. Write it as an observation with the date and time, photograph each of those things, and attach the Storm Prediction Center report page for the day. Do not state a wind speed.[2]
Does a screen enclosure or pool cage count as part of the house in my report?
In your documentation it is an affected area that you record like any other structure: wide photos, panel-by-panel photos with counts, the install date and any permit or invoice. Whether it is insured, and under which part of a policy, is a question for your policy and your insurer; ClaimPrep documents damage and does not give coverage opinions.
Where can I find an official record of the storm on that day?
The Storm Prediction Center publishes preliminary tornado, hail and wind reports by date, with time, location and county, back to June 1999; enter the date as YYMMDD. For a named storm, the National Hurricane Center archive lists advisories by year and storm. Your local National Weather Service office may also publish a storm survey. Save the page for your date as a file with the date you saved it.[2][6]
What if the damage was from a tornado rather than a hurricane?
Document it the same way and record which event and which date. A tornado usually appears in the Storm Prediction Center reports as a tornado report with a time and county, and the local National Weather Service office may publish a survey. Your record states what you observed and attaches those reports; it does not need to decide what kind of wind it was.[2]
Sources
- Hurricanes, Ready.gov (FEMA). Accessed Document damage with photographs and contact your insurer; electrical and debris safety.
- Storm Prediction Center Storm Reports, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Accessed Preliminary tornado, hail and wind reports with time, location and county; past dates by YYMMDD; data back to 1999.
- Estimating Winds and Hail Size in Thunderstorms, NOAA/NWS Burlington. Accessed The wind-speed and damage table reproduced above.
- Fall Protection: Overview, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Accessed Falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths.
- Hurricane Ready, Florida Department of Financial Services. Accessed Itemized inventory and keeping all receipts.
- NHC Archive, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Accessed Advisories indexed by year and storm, for named-storm timelines.
- Hurricane Resources, Florida Department of Financial Services, Consumer Services. Accessed Insurance Consumer Helpline number and hours.
How this guide was produced. Written and maintained by ClaimPrep’s editorial team from the sources listed above. Drafting used AI writing assistance; a person checked every statement against the cited sources before publication and at each review date. ClaimPrep sells the documentation service linked on this page. Documentation guidance only, not legal, insurance, public-adjusting or financial advice. Found an error? Read the corrections policy.