What The Hail?! How To Prepare For and Navigate Hail Season in Billings, MT

If there’s one thing about Montana, it’s that she’s ✨diverse ✨ with her weather. One day it could be sunny and 75, the next it could be snowing with freezing temperatures, and the next it could be stormy with a side of hail. Sometimes this could happen all in the same 24 hours! 

After living in Billings for a while now, I’ve grown used to these weather changes, but if you’re new to the area and come from somewhere that’s pretty consistent, you might be like umm… what the HAIL?! Where did I move?! 🧐

And I get it – it really can be frustrating, but like all things in life, I believe that the BEST way to handle unexpected (and sometimes quick) changes like this is by preparing for them.

Which is why in this blog post, I’ll be diving into how you can prepare for hail season specifically if you live in Billings, Montana. Hail season is something that a lot of people aren’t aware of and it can take you by surprise if you don’t know what to expect or how to navigate it once it’s here. 

And if you don’t know what to expect or what to do when hail season strikes, you could be left in an absolute nightmare afterwards kindaaaa like we were when disaster struck in Florida last summer. 

Last year, we bought a vacation home in Florida to serve as a little escape from the crazy Billings weather every now and then. Because let’s be real – your girl loves herself some sunshine. 

But coming from Montana, we aren’t entirely used to the weather in Florida and even though we knew that hurricanes were a possibility, we weren’t fully equipped with how to properly prepare for them and definitely didn’t know how to navigate the situation afterwards. 

Talk about a freaking nightmare! 😩 It was honestly such a stressful time and as I’m writing this in May of 2024, we’re just now getting the house back in order and ready to enjoy again. 

THAT my friend is what I want to help you avoid, so if you live in Billings or other areas where hail season is prominent, this blog post will guide you through what to expect and how to properly prepare ahead of time!

When Is Hail Season in Billings, Montana?

First things first, it’s important to know when hail season even is! In Billings, Montana specifically, hail season typically occurs during the late spring and summer months, spanning from May through September.

This period aligns with our region's warmer temperatures and frequent thunderstorms, which can cause the perfect atmosphere conditions to produce hail.

It can sometimes be hard to know if hail is going to happen, but generally speaking, you can trust that hail will accompany your typical thunderstorm paired with heavy rain, lighting, and strong winds.

When a hailstorm starts, it’s important to know that the storm can vary in intensity. Hailstones can range in size from small pellets to large chunks, causing damage to vehicles, homes, and other property.

And that’s where your preparation comes into play! As a Billings resident, you’ll want to take precautions to protect your vehicles, homes, and outdoor belongings from potential hail damage.

How To Prepare For Hail Season In Billings, Montana

Now that you know when hail season is, it’s time to take the necessary steps to prepare for it!

And like all things in life, this starts by staying informed. As simple as it may sound, if you know that the weather is changing and there’s a chance of thunderstorms, be sure to monitor local weather forecasts regularly and stay updated on any severe weather alerts or warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

Knowing that a hail storm is potentially coming can at least put you in a little bit of control and allow you to take the necessary precautions for your home, vehicles, and other outdoor belongings. 

Speaking of your belongings, let’s start with vehicles. 🚘

In Billings, I’m a big advocate for homes with garages or some sort of covered area where you can park your vehicles and shield them from hail damage. If you don’t have a garage, I suggest stocking up on car covers or even tarps to use during hailstorms.

Next, let’s talk about your home. 🏡

While small items, such as outdoor furniture, equipment, or decor can be protected in various ways, I’d rather you shift your focus to the larger and more expensive parts of your home, because furniture, decor, garbage cans, and even outdoor toys can typically be more easily replaced with no stress.

But your windows and roofing? That’s another story!

In Billings, it’s SO important for you to conduct regular inspections of your home's roof and windows to identify any existing vulnerabilities or areas that may need reinforcement. During these inspections, you’ll want to ensure that roofing materials are in good condition and windows are properly sealed.

Additionally, it’s wise to install impact-resistant roofing materials and windows if feasible to provide extra protection against hail damage.

From there, I also encourage you to review your homeowner's insurance policy to understand what coverage is provided for hail damage and consider adding or adjusting coverage if necessary to ensure adequate protection.

All of these things put you in a place of being PROACTIVE versus reactive and can ease a lot of the stress or worry that can come after a hailstorm hits. 

How To Navigate Insurance Claims After a Hailstorm in Billings, MT

Now, even with all of the preparation in the world, there’s a chance that you’ll likely experience some type of damage caused by a hailstorm at some point in your life when you live in Billings, so it’s important to know HOW to navigate that process. 

Because let’s be real – dealing with any kind of insurance typically sends everyone into a panic. 

Who do I call? What do I do? What kind of paperwork or documents do I need?

I’ve got you!

Navigating insurance claims after a hailstorm in Billings, MT, involves several important steps to ensure a smooth process and maximize coverage for any damage incurred and it all starts with documenting the damage. 

After a hailstorm, it’s crucial that you thoroughly document any damage to your property. Take photos and videos of the affected areas, including damage to vehicles, roofs, windows, siding, and any other structures or belongings. This detailed documentation will help support your insurance claim!

Hopefully you’ve already done this beforehand, but if not, this is when you would review your homeowner's insurance policy to understand what coverage is provided for hail damage and be aware of what deductibles, coverage limits, and any exclusions that may apply.

From there, it’s time to contact your insurance company to report the hail damage and provide them with a detailed description of the damage and any documentation you’ve gathered.

❗️Fair Warning❗️Be prepared to answer LOTS of questions about the extent of the damage and how it occurred. Chances are this process won’t be a one phone call type of thing. Set the expectation now, so that you aren't caught off guard when the time comes. 

After reporting the damage to your insurance company, they will likely schedule an inspection of the property to assess the damage. After that, you’ll be guided to obtain repair estimates from reputable contractors or professionals to provide to your insurance company.

⭐️And don’t worry – if you’re reading this thinking, what contractors should I even call, I have a handy dandy list of trusted professionals in the Billings area that I 100% recommend so that you can save your Google searches! CLICK HERE to get the list. 

Next, you’ll complete the necessary paperwork to file your insurance claim for the damage and again provide all requested documentation, including photos, videos, repair estimates, and any other relevant information.

Then, as you likely know when it comes to insurance, it becomes a waiting game. ⏰ Once your insurance company has processed your claim, it’s important to review the settlement offer carefully and make sure you understand what is covered and the amount of compensation being offered for the hail damage.

If you believe the settlement offer is insufficient to cover the full cost of repairs, you have the right to negotiate with your insurance company for a higher settlement. 💸 Once you’ve reached a satisfactory settlement with your insurance company, you’ll officially be able to proceed with the damage repairs and get your home back into tip top shape!

Additional Homeowner Resources for Billings, Montana 

Overall, by following these tips to prepare for hail season and knowing exactly how to navigate insurance claims when or if hail season hits ya, you’ll be able to live your life mostly stress free and trust that you know what to do when the time comes.

In the meantime, if you’re in search of other homeowner resources for the Billings, Montana area, I’ve got you covered HERE. 

And if you want to make sure that you’re staying on top of your home maintenance for ALL seasons, go ahead and download the full seasonal checklist to make things easy peasy for you during all four seasons. ❄️🌸☀️🍂