Questions and answers about your storm damage claim

Questions and answers about

your storm damage claim

Introduction-

The Insurance Information Institute, (III) recently reported that the total dollar value of damages from the storms that have hit this country can be set at $66 billion dollars, while only $50 billion of that amount is subject to insurance coverage. In this article we will examine what happens when a Homeowners Claim is submitted for wind damage to the insured’s property.

Early Contact-

The first thing that a Homeowner with damage from a storm needs to do is to   contact either their Insurance Agent in order to file a claim, or the Company’s claims office for assistance in presenting your claim as soon as possible. Each state a stated time limit for the insured to contact their insurance company. Also, each state has a time limit indicated for the Insurance Company to respond to their insured’s claim report.

Correct Information-

One of the bits of information your Insurance Company will want to confirm with you is your correct address, and in addition they will need the name of your current Mortgagee on the damaged property. You have no idea of the problems this issue can cause if the claims payment check is issued with the wrong lending institution indicated. So please, have this information confirmed and available to tell your Insurer.

The Wind Damage Claim-

The first claim example we will look at will be the home which experienced wind damage to the roof with no interior damage. I have no doubt this type of claim exist due to the fact that high winds hit where I currently live.

Investigation-

Your roof should be examined and photographed for evidence of direct physical loss from the high winds, or some other related cause of loss such as a tree being blown over onto your roof. If you have opportunity, and if it is safe, you should try to obtain photos of the damage, but do not endanger yourself. You should also attempt to place a covering over the damage to the roof or walls of your home in order to prevent further damage from taking place.   

Evaluation-

If your roof has more than one layer of shingles, the Homeowner’s Policy is supposed to only pay for the top layer which was damaged. If you have experienced a tree being blown over and onto your roof, the Homeowner’s Policy will have a stated limit such as $500.00 or $1,000.00 for the purpose of removing the tree from the roof and that’s all of the coverage available for the tree. If it is an exceptionally older and large tree the cost could run several thousands of dollars. If the tree has damaged the roof, you Adjuster could include in the cost for the repair of the roof what the cost would be to remove the tree from the roof.     

Wind and Rain Damage-

You may be in a situation in which you experienced both wind damage to the roof and exterior walls of your home, and as a result of an accompanying rainstorm you also have interior water damage to the ceiling, walls or flooring.

In this type of claim your Insurance Adjuster will be providing an estimate for the repair of the roof, and or, exterior walls, as well as for the interior damage.   

Please be aware that if damage can be found that occurred from a previous storm that previous damage could be excluded from coverage for the current claim.  

Conclusion-

There is much more that I could write about involving storm losses and I will do so in future articles.  

Respectfully,

Norman Lambe

nwlambe@gmail.com