Your homeowner’s insurance is a vital part of dealing with the aftermath of a tornado that is often overlooked by many homeowners. The coverage for your personal property is damaged by a tornado is straightforward and can be easily explained to you by your agent. You need to sit down with your insurer each year and go over your policy to make sure you have adequate coverage. This is very important if you have purchased new items or have done recent renovations to your home, which may require additional insurance to repair or replace.
People that live in the area designated as “Tornado Alley” are those that need to keep on top of their insurance the most. This can include individuals living in such states as Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Kansas. These areas ever greater chance of seeing tornadic thunderstorms, but homeowners in other states can be affected as well.
If a tornado does strike and your home is damaged, you must contact your insurer as quickly as you can after the event occurs. Insurance companies set a limited period of time that you have to turn in a claim for storm damages. The amount of time you have can be different depending on what state you live in. When you contact your insurer, you need to give them an idea of how bad your house and property are damaged. If, for example, your house is completely wrecked your claim will be given higher priority than someone’s home which has only sustained minor damage.
Keep a camera and extra batteries in your emergency kit so you can take photographs of any damage to your property after the tornado. This will make your claim easier to file and will give you ample evidence of your losses for your insurer. If you have an agent that comes out to your home or if anyone else speaks with you regarding your claim or your property damages, write down when, where and what was said in the conversation.
Once your claim has been filed with your insurance company, you may get immediate assistance or possibly have to wait a period of time before it is resolved. Be prepared to wait at least six months if your property sustained less serious damage. This is why having pictures of all of your personal items, copies of warranties and serial numbers along with your important documents in a safe place is so important. These will help to speed up the process and allow your insurance company to make a more accurate assessment of your loss.
If repairs need to be done to your home, you need to be wary of who you hire to do the work. After a major storm or other disaster, some individuals try to take advantage of those who have suffered personal property damage. Before you commit to having someone do any repairs or sign any paperwork, get their contact information, ask for references and request a price quote in writing. You want to know the reputation of the contractor and the quality of work they have done in the past.
By reviewing your policy, doing early preparation and being organized you will be able to make the best use of your homeowners insurance policy after a tornado.