OKC Hail-Season Roof Prep Checklist

Oklahoma is a Top-3 hail state and averages 6–10 hail events a year. The homeowners who come out ahead aren't lucky — they're ready before the storm. Do these seven things now and a future claim becomes simple instead of stressful.

Your before-the-storm checklist

• ✓Photograph your roof and exterior today. Walk the property and take date-stamped phone photos of the roof, gutters, vents, AC unit, and fence. An undamaged "before" photo is the single strongest piece of evidence in a hail claim.
• ✓Find your wind/hail deductible. It's on your homeowners declarations page (often a separate, percentage-based wind/hail deductible — e.g. 1–2% of the home's insured value). Knowing it now means no surprises later.
• ✓Write down your roof's age. Note the last replacement year and shingle type. Roofs over 8–15 years are far more likely to qualify after a storm.
• ✓Clear your gutters and check for grit. Granules collecting in the gutters are an early sign shingles are wearing — cheap to address now, expensive to ignore.
• ✓Save your claim info. Put your insurer's claim phone number in your phone. In Oklahoma you have 12 months from the storm date to file — but the sooner you document, the better.
• ✓Learn the early-wear signs. Dark patches, lifted or missing shingles, dented gutters/vents, and exposed roofing felt all warrant a closer look.
• ✓Keep a storm log. Jot the date any time hail hits your area. When you file, "hail on [date]" with matching photos makes the adjuster's job — and yours — easy.

The moment a storm hits

1. Stay off the roof — document from the ground with photos and video.
2. Note the date, time, and rough hail size (a coin for scale helps).
3. Get a free inspection from a licensed Oklahoma roofer to document damage before the filing window closes.
4. Have that roofer meet your insurance adjuster on-site so nothing gets missed.