Insurance Claims After a Disaster in Tippecanoe County

Last Updated: August 2026

If your home, vehicle or property was damaged by flooding, wind, hail, fallen trees or another disaster, contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Good documentation can make the claims process easier and may also be important if you later apply for state or federal disaster assistance.

Quick Answer

After storm or flood damage:

Take photos and video before cleanup or repairs.
Contact your insurance company promptly and report the damage.
Ask what you should do before making permanent repairs or throwing damaged items away.
Make temporary repairs when necessary to prevent additional damage.
Keep every receipt, estimate and claim document.

If you need help with an insurance question or complaint, contact the Indiana Department of Insurance.

→ Indiana Department of Insurance – Consumer Services

Document the Damage Before Cleanup

Before removing damaged materials or beginning permanent repairs, photograph and video the damage whenever it is safe.

Document:

Roof and siding damage
Broken windows and doors
Water or flood damage
Visible water lines
Walls, ceilings and flooring
Furniture and personal belongings
Appliances
Heating and cooling equipment
Garages, sheds and other structures
Fallen trees
Vehicles
Driveways and exterior property

Take wide photos showing the entire damaged area along with close-up photos of individual damage.

If conditions change or additional damage becomes visible later, take more photos.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Report the loss to your insurance company or agent promptly.

Have as much information available as possible, including:

Your policy number
Date the damage occurred
Description of what happened
Photos and video
List of damaged property
Contact information
Current address if you have temporarily relocated

Ask for your claim number and keep it with your disaster records.

Also ask how your insurer wants you to handle damaged property and repairs while the claim is being reviewed.

Make Temporary Repairs When Necessary

You generally shouldn’t wait to prevent additional damage to your property.

Temporary measures might include:

Covering a damaged roof
Boarding a broken window
Removing standing water
Protecting belongings from additional rain
Addressing an immediate safety problem

Don’t make unsafe repairs or climb onto a damaged roof.

Photograph the damage before making temporary repairs, and keep receipts for tarps, plywood, cleanup supplies, contractors and other expenses.

Avoid major permanent repairs until you’ve spoken with your insurer about the claim process.

Make a List of Damaged Belongings

Create an inventory of damaged or destroyed personal property.

Include as much information as you reasonably can:

Item description
Brand or manufacturer
Approximate age
Original purchase price if known
Estimated replacement cost
Photos of the item
Receipts or other proof of purchase if available

Old photos, emails, online purchase histories and credit card statements may help document items when original receipts are gone.

Don’t assume you can’t claim an item simply because you no longer have its receipt. Ask your insurer what other documentation it will accept.

Homeowners Insurance and Flood Damage

One of the most important things to understand after flooding is that standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flooding caused by rising or overflowing water.

Flood insurance is usually a separate policy.

However, homeowners coverage may apply to some types of water damage depending on how the water entered the home and what caused the damage.

Don’t assume damage is or isn’t covered. Report the loss and let your insurance company determine how your policy applies.

If you have a separate flood insurance policy, contact that insurer as well.

→ National Flood Insurance Program

Wind, Hail and Tree Damage

Homeowners insurance commonly includes coverage for certain types of wind and hail damage, but coverage, deductibles and exclusions vary by policy.

Damage from a fallen tree can also depend on what caused the tree to fall, what property was damaged and the terms of the policy.

If a tree falls on your home, garage, fence or another insured structure, document both the tree and the property damage before removal whenever safely possible.

If the tree involves a power line, stay away and contact the electric utility.

Vehicle Damage

Storm-related vehicle damage may be covered if you carry comprehensive auto insurance.

Examples can include:

Flood damage
Hail damage
Fallen trees or limbs
Wind-blown debris

Liability-only coverage generally doesn’t include this type of damage to your own vehicle.

Contact your auto insurer to determine what your policy covers.

If You Can’t Stay in Your Home

If covered damage makes your home unlivable, homeowners or renters insurance may include Loss of Use or Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage.

Depending on your policy, this may help with certain additional costs such as:

Hotel stays
Temporary rental housing
Additional meal expenses
Other necessary increases in living expenses

Keep all receipts.

Ask your insurer specifically about Loss of Use or Additional Living Expenses coverage.

→ Temporary Housing & Emergency Shelter

Keep a Claim File

Create one folder for everything connected to the claim.

Keep:

Claim number
Photos and videos
Damage inventory
Insurance emails and letters
Adjuster information
Contractor estimates
Repair invoices
Cleanup expenses
Hotel receipts
Meal receipts
Receipts for emergency supplies
Copies of forms you submit
Notes from phone conversations

When you speak with the insurance company, write down the date, who you spoke with and what was discussed.

If Your Claim Is Denied or You Disagree

If your insurer denies part or all of the claim, ask for the decision and explanation in writing.

Review the explanation against your policy and keep the denial letter with your records.

If you still have questions or believe there is a problem with the way your claim is being handled, the Indiana Department of Insurance Consumer Services Division can provide assistance and accepts consumer complaints.

→ Indiana Department of Insurance – File a Complaint

→ Indiana Department of Insurance – Consumer Services

Insurance and Disaster Assistance

Filing an insurance claim is separate from reporting storm damage to emergency management or applying for disaster assistance.

If state or federal assistance becomes available, you may be asked for information about:

Your insurance coverage
Your insurance claim
Payments you received
Damage that insurance did not cover
Deductibles or other remaining losses

Government disaster assistance generally cannot duplicate benefits already provided by insurance for the same loss.

This is another reason to keep all insurance paperwork.

→ Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund

→ FEMA Disaster Assistance

Be Careful After Major Storms

Storms can bring door-to-door contractors and people offering to handle insurance claims or repairs.

Be cautious about:

Pressure to sign immediately
Large upfront payments
Contractors who appear without being contacted
Promises that repairs will be “free”
Requests to sign over insurance payments
Documents you don’t fully understand

Get written estimates and verify businesses before agreeing to major work.

→ Indiana INBiz Business Search

→ Indiana Attorney General – Consumer Protection

Local Tip

Take more pictures than you think you’ll need.

Once damaged belongings are removed or repairs begin, it may be difficult to show exactly what the property looked like immediately after the storm.

Also keep receipts for even relatively small disaster expenses. Several smaller costs can add up quickly, and documentation may be useful for your insurance claim or another assistance program.

Report Storm & Flood Damage
Learn where to report storm and flood damage in Tippecanoe County.
→ Report Storm & Flood Damage

Storm Damage Help
Find information about storm damage, fallen trees, repairs and recovery resources.
→ Storm Damage Help

Flood Damage Help
Find safety, cleanup and recovery information after flooding.
→ Flood Damage Help

Disaster Relief & Financial Assistance
Find state and federal disaster assistance that may be available for uninsured or underinsured losses.
→ Disaster Relief & Financial Assistance

Official Resources

Indiana Department of Insurance – Consumer Services
Insurance information and assistance for Indiana consumers.
→ Indiana Department of Insurance

Indiana Department of Insurance – Consumer Complaints
File a complaint or request help with an insurance problem.
→ File an Insurance Complaint

National Flood Insurance Program
Information about federal flood insurance and flood claims.
→ FloodSmart.gov

Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
Information about state disaster assistance and insurance requirements.
→ Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund

FEMA Disaster Assistance
Check federal disaster assistance availability and apply when eligible.
→ DisasterAssistance.gov

Summary

After storm or flood damage in Tippecanoe County, document everything and contact your insurance company promptly.

Take photos before cleanup, keep damaged property when practical until your insurer tells you how to proceed, save receipts for temporary repairs and living expenses, and maintain a file containing all claim paperwork.

If your insurance doesn’t cover the entire loss, keep the insurer’s decision and payment information. Those records may be important if state, FEMA or other disaster assistance becomes available.

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