Storm Season Readiness

To start with, if you have home insurance already, it’d be a good time to review your policy to see if you’ve got the kind of coverage you think you have. And it’s also a good idea to make sure the coverage is up to date. If you’ve made any improvements to the home, such as adding a new room, or replaced a roof, your agent needs to know so they can re-evaluate the value of the home so if a large claim happens, you’re not surprised by how much you receive.

Another good idea is to take photos of your belongings inside the home. That is a good rule of thumb regardless, but especially in storm season, when claims are more prevalent. Taking photos of your belongings insures that you have an accurate list of what is inside your home pre claim. A good example is photos and serial numbers of your appliances, photos of lamps, couches, etc.

Getting the outside of your home ready for bad weather is just as important as getting the inside ready. Cleaning up any debris around the perimeter will go a long way against projectiles causing damage to your siding, windows, etc. It’s also a good idea to make sure any low hanging or dead limbs surrounding your house are cut down and taken away.

In the event that your home or property is damaged, then there are a few things that you can do. First is make a claim with your insurance, if your agent isn’t available and you want to make a claim immediately, most insurance companies have 24 hour claim reporting numbers as well as the option to file your claim online. The next thing you would want to do is take photos of all the damage. That way if you need to make temporary repairs, the insurance company can see the damage as it was. It’s a good idea to not make permanent repairs until an adjuster can come out and look at the property, but temporary repairs, such as covering a hole, are fine. Any questions about your claim will then be directed to the adjuster assigned to it. Most of the time agents don’t have a lot of information on the status of a claim; the adjusters make the decisions, and are your go to for after a claim has been filed.

Navigating the insurance world, especially when your property has been damaged, can be a daunting task. But rest assured that your agent and adjuster are there to help you.

-Jordan Newcomer

Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent