In 2024, customers nationwide experienced property damage from severe hail, leading State Farm to pay out more than $3.8 billion for home repairs and over $1.2 billion for auto repairs. With recent devastating storms serving as a reminder, State Farm encourages homeowners to prepare for the spring and hailstorm season by taking preventative measures to minimize damage to their properties.

Hail damage can be reduced with the right preparation.

“Every spring storm season brings its own unique challenges, so it’s important to prepare ahead for what this season will bring,” said State Farm spokesperson Keiana Holleman. “Knowing what’s covered in your policy—and what isn’t—will inform your next steps so you can smoothly recover from any loss from hail damage. Reaching out to your State Farm agent is the best first step in the process.”

1. Create a Home Inventory To Prep for Storms

One way to prepare for spring and hail storm season is to meet with your agent to make sure you understand your policy, take photos or videos of everything in your home, or create a detailed list of your belongings. Having a home inventory at your fingertips can simplify the claims process after a storm.

2. Prepare Before the Storm Hits

When a storm approaches, execute your emergency plan to protect your family and your home. Here’s what to do:

• Create a survival kit. Include batteries, flashlights, water, non-perishable food, chargers and first aid supplies.
• Bring pets indoors. Ensure the safety of your animals by bringing them inside or another safe space.
• Secure outdoor items. Store furniture, potted plants and any valuables inside. 

3. Quick Recovery After the Storm

After the storm passes, wait until it’s safe to assess any damage. Hailstorms can damage roofs, decks, outdoor personal property and vehicles parked outside. Document any damage to support your claims. State Farm customers can file claims by contacting their local agent, calling 1-800-SF-CLAIM, visiting statefarm.com or using the State Farm mobile app.

4. Watch Out for Scams

In the aftermath of hailstorms, scams targeting homeowners are common. Before hiring contractors for repairs, do your research to ensure they are licensed and reputable. To add an extra layer of security, contact your local agent for assistance. Taking the time to verify and keeping your insurance agent informed can help protect you from contractor fraud.

5. Consider Upgrading Your Roof

For residents in hail-prone areas, investing in an impact-resistant roof can reduce damage to your home. Replacing wood shingles with more durable materials may save you money in the long run. To learn more about upgrading your roofing, visit Simple Insights - Impact Resistant Roofing Materials or reach out to your local State Farm agent.

By taking the right precautions and being prepared, you can minimize hail damage and ensure a smoother recovery process.

A total of approximately 5,500 home and auto claims have been reported across nine states from the string of storms (date range April 26-28) as for 4:00pm CT on April 30, 2024: 

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the tornado, the following are in place: 

• Catastrophe claims adjusters and support members are deploying and arriving on-site. Catastrophe claim teams will be actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses. Catastrophe Customer Care sites are being planned in the most impacted communities to support claim handling efforts for local residents, additional details will be shared as available.
• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent. 
• State Farm policyholders who have damage can submit and manage their claim through various channels. This includes calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, submitting a claim through our mobile app or through our website at statefarm.com/claims. Customers may also text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.

Making temporary repairs to damaged property:

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable/limited property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.   

On March 1, the students visited the State Farm® Technology Research and Innovation Laboratory (TRAIL) in Bloomington, IL, to face the ultimate test: Could their student-built roofs stand up to the State Farm Hail Simulator, a piece of research equipment designed to mimic the wrath of Mother Nature herself.

Around the room, the students’ sample roofs made of asphalt shingles and metal – and even one built with ecologically sustainable materials– were getting final tweaks. Then, with nervous excitement, the students placed the roofs below a tower of tubes loaded with steal ball bearings that simulate the impact energies of free-falling hail. Some roofs held up better than others. It is all part of the learning process.

The students were also treated to a demonstration of an ice launcher that is used by State Farm researchers to study the performance of roofing materials. 

Doug Dewey, Senior Research Analyst, State Farm Enterprise Research, worked with the Metcalf students prior to the big test day. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate. What a wonderful group of students who truly have a passion for physics and science”, said Dewey. “I especially enjoyed my discussions with each of the project teams and their thought processes in developing their real-world roofing solutions to combat wind and hail.”

With Doug’s guidance, the students absorbed a rainfall of knowledge about roofs, the science behind hail and how it ties to being prepared for severe spring weather. “We have an incredible group of researchers here at State Farm with decades of experience”, says Laurel Straub, Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Research at State Farm. “Anytime we can leverage our internal expertise to help educate our community, we get excited to be involved.”

Prepare for hail by being weather aware

If weather conditions turn severe, consider these tips to help prepare for severe weather.

• Now is the perfect time to call your insurance agent and review your coverage. After a hailstorm is not the time to find out your coverage is outdated.
• Update your home inventory by taking pictures and video of your property for a detailed digital record. This can help with the claims process should damage occur.
• Stay connected to forecasts when severe weather threatens and listen to warning signs issued by authorities.
• Personal safety is the number one priority and if you are indoors when a hailstorm hits, stay there. Hail can shatter windows so close drapes, blinds or window shades to reduce the amount of broken glass that might blow inside.
• When building or remodeling, consider impact resistant roofing to help reduce hail damage to your home. State Farm currently offers insurance premium discounts to eligible homeowners in many states with qualifying impact-resistant roofing products.

Don’t forget your vehicles

While nothing can stop hail from falling, there are steps you can take to help protect or reduce damage to vehicles.

• Plan ahead. If a storm is forecast, plan to park your vehicle under cover in a garage or carport, delay your trip or use an alternative mode of transportation.
• Raid the closet - If your home doesn't have a garage, cover the car with any thick blankets, comforters, or even large towels that you have on hand. The more layers the better to add as much cushioning as possible.
• Avoid parking under trees as branches could fall on your vehicle.
• If you are driving when hail is predicted, head for the closest parking garage to ride out the storm in safety. If you can't reach it before the hailstones hit, safely pull under a gas station canopy or a similar spot that can help protect your car from hail damage.

After the storm

• After a hailstorm, visually inspect your home for structural damage, take pictures and, if possible, move your personal belongings to prevent further damage.
• State Farm policyholders are encouraged to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. For example, board up holes with plywood and cover leaks with plastic sheeting.
• Policyholders should save receipts related to home repairs, vehicle towing, temporary housing, meals and other living expenses. Expenses may be eligible for reimbursement after any required deductibles are met.
• State Farm customers who have damage can start the claim process by contacting your agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, filing online at statefarm.com® or on the State Farm mobile app. 

Approximately 8,600 fire claims and 3,500 auto claims are reported. Fire catastrophes are declared in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Auto catastrophes are declared in Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and Mississippi.

Claim teams are actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses.

Catastrophe Customer Care sites are being established in the communities of Florence and Amory, Mississippi with a site in Rolling Fork to open in the future to support claim handling efforts. Fire and auto claim handlers will be onsite to assist agents and policyholders with questions and provide advanced payments, as warranted.

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the tornado, the following are in place: 

• Claims adjusters and all necessary State Farm support members are deploying and on-site.
   
• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent.
   
• State Farm policyholders who have damage can submit and manage their claim through various channels. This includes calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, submitting a claim through our mobile app or through our website at statefarm.com/claims. Customers may also text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.

In addition to our on-the-ground team, we also have three Centralized Catastrophe Services (CCS) operations and our Initial Loss Reporting (ILR) teams located throughout the United States. State Farm has the advantage of a fleet of mobile claim handling facilities, innovatively designed to support our ability to provide optimal customer service even under challenging conditions.
 

Making temporary repairs to damaged property:

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable/limited property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.   

Total Hail Claims Paid | Home & Auto

1. Texas $474.6M
2. Illinois $394.2M
3. Minnesota $259.2M
4. Missouri $236.9M
5. Colorado $207.9M

Hail can damage roofs, gutters, and windows while denting vehicles and cracking windshields. The average homeowner claim totaled nearly $12,000 and vehicle claims averaged more than $4,300, according to State Farm 2020 hail claims data.

Preparing for 2021

Extreme weather has already brought threats to parts of the country this year, but the threats are not over. Hail generally peaks during spring and summer but can occur any time of year.

What you can do now to prepare will help you weather the storm. Here are some steps to protect your property and family:

• Review insurance coverage: Ask your State Farm agent what-if questions in an insurance review.
• Know the claims process: Should your property be damaged, become familiar with the claims process now
• Be weather aware: Stay connected to forecasts when severe weather threatens.
• Update home inventory: Take pictures and video of your property for a detailed digital record
• Preparation: If there’s time and it’s safe, put vehicles in the garage and move patio furniture under cover. Close your blinds and curtains to prevent broken glass from blowing inside, possibly causing injuries or damage.

Filing a Claim

As with any storm, nature is unpredictable and experiencing damage can be draining.

Document your damage with pictures. If you need to, make temporary repairs to prevent more damage. Take pictures and save the receipts related to the temporary repairs.

• First Steps:
  • Tell us what happened
  • We’ll review your claim and policy to determine what is covered
  • You don’t have to be an insurance expert; we’ll tell you what happens next
  • We'll arrange payment - less your deductible – for covered losses.
  • After you file your claim, you can set up your payment and communication preferences.

While balancing health and safety with our commitment to customers, we continue to innovate and leverage technology by offering virtual claim handling.

Recovery and Rebuilding

If you do have to make repairs, consider improved building materials, including an impact resistant roof, which could qualify for insurance premium discounts.

Our hearts go out to all those impacted – especially family and friends of those who lost their lives. Safety is paramount as residents assess damage and begin the recovery process.

Start the claim process as soon as possible.

Take steps to prevent further damage as soon as it is safe to do so. There are four ways to start the claim process:

1. Online at www.statefarm.com/claims
2. Use the State Farm Mobile App
3. Call 1-800-SFCLAIM
4. Contact your State Farm Agent

Hundreds of customers have already filed claims. Our local agents and call center claim specialists are already assisting customers with their most immediate needs, like additional living expenses (ALE). The State Farm Claims Catastrophe Response Team is being deployed to the most heavily impacted areas to assist in the recovery. This additional personnel includes three drone teams.

Customers with damage should:

• Inspect your property. Document damage with pictures to share with your claims specialist.
• Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. Take pictures and save receipts for materials purchased.
• Exercise caution when selecting a contractor. Storm recovery can be emotionally and physically draining. Don’t make a quick, emotional decision without recommendations. Obtain detailed written estimates and multiple bids.

Additional insurance considerations and storm recovery tips:

Tree removal can be very expensive right now because resources are spread thin. As a reminder, insurance only pays to remove trees impacting your home, building, fences or other structures. Coverage limits may apply to debris removal coverage.

Be wary of those who might try to capitalize on the storm.

• Ask for recommendations
• Beware of door-to-door solicited repairs
• Get multiple written estimates
• Always have a written, detailed estimate
• Don’t pay up front. Always inspect the completed work before payment.
• If making repairs, consider upgraded roofing materials (upgrades could result in insurance premium discounts).

If you have experienced a power outage:

• Never use candles for emergency lighting, use flashlights.
• Disconnect any appliances, equipment or electronics that were on when the power went out. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes”. This can damage computers, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. Leave one light on so you know when the power returns.
• Check to see if your homeowners policy covers damages resulting from outages. Subject to the deductible, your policy may cover spoiled food and other damages.
• Use generators safely. If you have a portable generator, only run it outdoors with adequate ventilation. Never use a generator indoors or in attached garages. The exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if inhaled.

State Farm encourages customers to start the claim process as soon as they can and take steps to prevent further damage. Customers can start the claim process by contacting their agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, using the State Farm Mobile App, or reporting a claim through www.statefarm.com/claims.

State Farm is responding to storm-impacted areas. We will be here to help customers with their claims as we begin the recovery process. State Farm agents, agent’s staff, and local employees are available to help customers with their claims. Our Claims Catastrophe Response Team is being deployed to the most heavily impacted areas to begin assisting our customers.

As a reminder, insurance will only pay to remove trees that are impacting your home, building or other structures or fences. Coverage limits may apply to debris removal coverage. Tree removal can be very expensive right now because resources are spread thin.

Tips to help with storm recovery and insurance considerations:

• When safe to do so, make temporary repairs to damaged property.

  • For example, to prevent further damage patch holes or cover windows to prevent rain from entering the house

  • Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.

• Document damage by taking photos.

• If you have experienced a power outage, never use candles for emergency lighting. Instead, use flashlights.

  • Disconnect any appliances, equipment or electronics that were on when the power went out.

  • When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes.” This can damage computers, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. Leave one light on so you know when the power returns.

  • Your homeowner policy may cover spoiled food and other damages as a result of power outages, subject to the deductible. Check with your insurance company to see if your policy covers damages resulting from outages.

• Use generators safely. If you have a portable generator, only run it outdoors with adequate ventilation. Never use a generator indoors or in attached garages. The exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if inhaled.

• Deal with a reputable contractor. While there are many good and reputable contractors in the state, be wary of those who might try to capitalize on the storm. State Farm claims specialists offer these tips to consider. Among the many preventative measures we recommend:

  • Shop around, get recommendations, inspect their work.

  • Get three written estimates and have a written detailed estimate.

  • Do not pay for work up front or sign a contract with any blank spaces. Always inspect the completed work before payment.

  • Beware of door-to-door unsolicited repairs.

  • If making roof repairs, consider upgraded roofing materials. These upgrades could result in insurance premium discounts.

  • State Farm customers also have access to a Contractor Locator. Available through their online StateFarm.com account, it provides a list of contractors known to State Farm. It is up to the consumer to pick the contractor. State Farm does not warranty or guarantee the work.

State Farm encourages customers to start the claim process as soon as they can and take steps to prevent further damage. Customers can start the claim process by contacting their agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, using the State Farm Mobile App or reporting a claim through www.statefarm.com/claims

State Farm is responding to storm-impacted areas, and will be here to help customers with their claims as we begin the recovery process. State Farm agents, agent’s staff, and local employees are available to help customers with their claims, and our Claims Catastrophe Response Team is being deployed to the most heavily impacted areas to begin assisting our customers.

As a reminder, insurance will only pay to remove trees that are impacting your home, building or other structures or fences. Coverage limits may apply to debris removal coverage. Tree removal can be very expensive right now because resource are spread thin.

Tips to help with storm recovery and insurance considerations:

• Make temporary repairs to damaged property: When it is safe to do so, those who’ve experienced property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage (for example, patching holes or covering windows to prevent rain from entering the house). Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.

• Document damage by taking photos.

• Working with contractors: While there are many good and reputable contractors in the state, be wary of those who might try to capitalize on the storm.
  • Ask for recommendations
  • Be aware of door-to-door solicited repairs
  • Get multiple written estimates
  • Always have a written, detailed estimate
  • Don’t pay up front. Always inspect the completed work before payment.
  • If making repairs, consider upgraded roofing materials (upgrades could result in insurance premium discounts).

• If you have experienced a power outage, never use candles for emergency lighting, use flashlights.
  • Disconnect any appliances, equipment or electronics that were on when the power went out.
  • When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can damage computers, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. Leave one light on so you know when the power returns.
  • Your homeowner policy may cover spoiled food and other damages as a result of power outages, subject to the deductible. Check with your insurance company to see if your policy covers damages resulting from outages.

• Use generators safely. If you have a portable generator, only run it outdoors with adequate ventilation. Never use a generator indoors or in attached garages. The exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if inhaled.

In 2018, State Farm paid more than $2.7 billion for more than 280,000 auto and homeowners insurance hail damage claims.

Here are some tips from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to keep you and your family safe during a hailstorm.

In an Automobile

• Stop driving. If you see a safe place close-by (like inside a garage, under a highway overpass or under a service station awning), drive to it as soon as you can. Make sure you pull completely off the highway.
• Do NOT leave the vehicle until it stops hailing.
• Stay away from car windows. Cover your eyes with something, like a piece of clothing. If possible, get onto the floor facedown or lie down on the seat with your back to the windows.
• Put very small children under you and cover their eyes.

In a Building

• Stay inside until the hail stops.
• Stay away from windows.
• Account for all family members, building occupants, pets, etc.
• Do not go outside for any reason.
• To avoid the danger of electrocution from lightning, avoid using phones and electrical appliances during a severe storm.

Outside

• Seek shelter immediately. If you can’t find something to protect your entire body, find something to protect your head.
• Stay out of culverts and lowland areas that may suddenly fill with water.
• Seeking shelter under trees should be a last resort. It is common during severe storms for trees to lose branches.

The shareable, interactive image below shows more hail facts when you hover over the "+" signs.

If weather conditions are likely to produce hail you can take steps around the home like moving cars, boats, RVs, lawn and patio furniture into a covered area.

Personal safety is a number one priority and if you are indoors when a hailstorm hits, stay there. Hail can shatter windows so close drapes, blinds or window shades in an attempt to reduce the amount of broken glass that might blow inside. Stay away from skylights and doors.

A hail research field study isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of romantic. Swapping candle lit dinners for life on the road chasing storms probably wouldn’t work for most couples. But Dr. Tanya Brown and Dr. Ian Giammanco are anything but conventional.

Dr. Tanya Brown is the lead research engineer and director of hail research for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). She conducts a major field study on hailstorms with a team that includes lead research meteorologist Dr. Ian Giammanco.

In addition to their research, the pair also happens to be dating.

Giammanco and Brown met while attending graduate school at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, where they worked on several thunderstorm and hurricane field research projects. Since then, amid week-long beef jerky binges and of course the storms, Giammanco and Brown found some common ground.

The Research

IBHS develops safety research that can be translated into real world solutions, and the hail study is no exception. Giammanco and Brown seek to improve weather forecasts and influence the design of roofing products to be better prepared for hail damage.

Their hope is to leverage this study to decrease property losses caused by hail. The the work is being done in the central plain region of the United States. They study hail characteristics such as size, shape, density and hardness, so they can come as close as possible to Mother nature when they produce hailstones at the IBHS Research Center.

Love at First Hail

According to Brown, “We definitely did not have a love at first site kind of relationship. We had known each other for at least a year before we really ever had a conversation more than just saying hi while passing in the hallway.”

At the time they met, years before the hail field study had begun, they realized they both had a passion for field research.

It takes a special kind of love not only to be research partners, but also life partners. Brown explains, “I’d say our dedication to field work is what really ties us together.”

Bonded by a common goal that will eventually benefit the common good , their relationship is the perfect blend of uniqueness. “There’s not a lot of people out there that will basically give up their whole life for weeks or even months at a time to live in crummy hotels and eat fast food every meal of every day, not to mention braving the wind, hail, rain and storm surge, and actually enjoy doing it and get to do it with their significant other,” says Brown.

Benefits of the Study

The pair remains motivated; they believe in the good that this study will be able to produce. According to IBHS, as the population increases and the spacing between buildings decrease, there has been a significant uptick in damage due to hailstorms. In fact, from 1999 to 2011 hail was the number one cause of losses for Texas homeowners coming in at $10.4 billion according to The Texas Department of Insurance.

State Farm supports the work of Dr. Brown and Dr. Giammanco and believes in the good that can come from this kind of research. Besides studying hail, researchers also test hail resistant roofing material in the hopes of preventing damage. The field study also seeks to improve weather forecast models and hail detection.

Ups and Downs

But working with a loved one isn’t always easy, “we do disagree sometimes about the project, but ultimately we will arrive at what is best for the project, and that is a big reason that we’ve been so successful,” Giammanco says.

Ultimately their differences complement each other, Giammanco explains, “Tanya makes sure that I let things go when I need to so that I don’t obsess about things like a missed forecast or not enough data.”

Brown explains further, “We have worked together for so long that we really have a natural rhythm, and each take advantage of each other’s strengths. There are a lot of things I don’t have to worry about taking care of because I know he’s got my back and vice-versa. It makes us really efficient and successful.”

The most difficult part of their nomadic relationship is having them both away from home at the same time, “there’s no one there to check the mail, water and cut the grass, and most importantly, take care of my beagles,” Brown says.

But they know they are meant to be together. “Tanya is the only girl I know who would swim and wade through storm surge water to retrieve instrumentation during a field project, so she is the girl for me!” Giammanco says.

The Impact

With all the good Brown and Giammanco hoped would come out of their studying of severe weather, love was not what they expected, but they’re glad it did. Even still, they remain dedicated and focused on their work, Brown says, “We definitely push each other to achieve success and fill in each other’s gaps, which makes us well-suited to tackling such a complex issue such as hail. We’re definitely looking forward to continuing our research partnership both in the field and in the lab, and look forward to making a huge impact in the coming years.”

The more successful the study is the better educated homeowners, insurance companies, and roofing manufacturers can be. With this knowledge and combined power, hailstorm damage can hopefully fall significantly.

2013 IBHS Hail Field Project Highlights from IBHS on Vimeo.