Living in North Texas means living in "Tornado Alley". Although your chances of personally getting hit by a tornado are relatively slim, it could happen. The best thing you can do for you and your family is to have a plan and part of that plan should be knowing exactly what to do if your home gets hit with storm damage.
Here are some after storm tips to help get you started.
1. Know how to quickly and easily access your insurance policy and get familiar with what is and isn’t covered.
2. Call the police and /or fire department, if necessary, then contact your insurance agent immediately. Have all the details about what happened and your policy number handy.
3. File the claim with your agent and make sure you note in detail what was damaged and how it was damaged. You should also make a video of everything that was damaged and make several copies. One for you and one for your insurance agent. It’s important that you don’t move anything or have anything repaired until you’ve taken your video of the damage. That’s why it’s important to take your video immediately after the storm.
4. You should secure your home and make any temporary repairs necessary to make it livable. If it’s not livable, secure your home and find temporary housing. Keep all receipts for any temporary housing as you’ll need to turn those in for reimbursement.
5. Contact a roofer and any other contractor that may be necessary to properly secure your home and to have the damage assessed. Your insurance agent will be able to provide you with reputable referrals.
6. Stay in close communication with your insurance agent and keep detailed notes about each person you talk to about your claim. You’ll need to notate the name of the person you spoke with, the date, the time and exactly what was discussed. Additionally, you should make sure you are available to your insurance agent at all times should he have any questions or need further information from you. Otherwise your claim could be delayed.
If you would like a free homeowners insurance quote or comparison, please contact Pierce Insurance Group in McKinney, Texas. We have partnered with 29 of the top insurance carriers in Texas and can therefore shop the best rates for you and your unique situation.