Washington DC Storm Damage
Get the Insurance Settlement You Deserve
High winds, hail, and flash flooding hit Washington DC property hard—and your insurance company may not pay what your policy owes. Storm damage claims get delayed, underpaid, and denied every single day across the entire District. A licensed DC Public Adjuster works only for you, documenting your loss and negotiating with your carrier so you can recover what you're actually owed.
Help With Washington DC Storm Damage
Nor'easters, summer derechos, and hurricane remnants pushing up the Potomac—Washington DC storm damage arrives fast and gets expensive. Hurricane Hazel still holds the District's wind record with a 98 mph gust at National Airport, and severe thunderstorm season brings damaging wind and hail nearly every year. Meanwhile, an average of 42% of homeowners insurance claims filed with U.S. insurance carriers are closed without payment, sticking policyholders with the bill.
What Storm Damage Does Your DC Policy Cover?
Most standard DC homeowners and condo policies cover wind, hail, lightning, and falling trees. Asphalt shingles, flat roof membranes, rowhouse parapets, gutters, siding, skylights, and rooftop HVAC units all take a beating in a severe storm. Interior water damage is typically covered when wind or hail created the opening that let the rain in.
Flooding is different. Rising water is excluded from standard property policies—that requires separate flood coverage through the NFIP or a private carrier. Along Rock Creek, the Anacostia, and DC's older stormwater infrastructure, that distinction decides a lot of claims.
Document the Damage Right Away
Before repairs begin, photograph and video everything—roof, ceilings, walls, and damaged belongings. Save receipts for tarps, board-up work, and hotel stays. Prior photos, purchase receipts, and maintenance records showing the condition of your property before the storm can make the difference between a paid claim and a denied one. Your insurer will ask for proof; vague estimates invite low offers.
DC Public Adjuster Laws You Should Know
The District regulates Public Adjusters closely, and those rules exist to protect you:
● Licensed and bonded. No one may act as a public insurance adjuster in DC without a license from the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking and a $20,000 surety bond.
● Fees capped at 10%. Under D.C. Code § 31-1631.08, a licensee cannot charge more than 10% of your total insurance recovery—among the lowest caps in the nation.
● Written contract required. The agreement must be in writing, on a form approved by the Commissioner, and executed in duplicate.
● Three-day right to cancel. You may cancel the contract until midnight on the third business day after signing.
● No storm-chasing. Adjusters may not solicit you while the loss-producing event is still in progress.
Your Insurance Company Has Rules, Too
Under D.C. Code § 31-2231.17, carriers may not misrepresent policy provisions, refuse to pay a claim without a reasonable investigation, or fail to promptly explain the basis for a denial. When a claim stalls, a Public Adjuster answers with documentation your carrier can't brush aside.
The Best Public Adjuster: Washington DC
Tiger Adjusters®, the largest Public Adjusting franchise in the country, connects District policyholders with licensed local Public Adjusters. They will inspect your property, review your policy, compile a detailed damage estimate, and negotiate on your behalf. Don't settle for the first offer on your Washington DC storm damage claim.
Storm damage claim underpaid? A licensed DC Public Adjuster works for you, not your insurance company.
They inspect your property, document every element of the loss, and build a detailed damage estimate.
In the District, a Public Adjuster's fee is capped at 10% of your total insurance recovery.
Mitch Malasky
Owner Operator & Public Adjuster
Washington, D.C.
DC #3004142110
(202) 988-3791
m_malasky@tigeradjusters.com