5 Signs Your Home May Have Storm Damage
When skies turn ominous and severe storm warnings pop up on our smartphones and TV screens, it can be a scary time for most people. The moments when we need to take cover in a basement, bathroom, or closet can fill us with dread and anxiety. Often, the stress continues after the storm when your home doesn’t make it through unscathed.
Storm damage poses significant risk to all real estate property. Every year most homeowner insurance claims are caused by wind, hail, lightning, fire, water and freezing. Damages related to wind or hail are the most frequent, with about 1 in 40 insured homes having these claims each year, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
While having homeowners insurance coverage can give you some peace of mind, so can preparing yourself for what to do after a storm. We have gathered some tips for how to determine if your home might have storm damage, and if so, what to do next.
First and foremost, these are suggestions that you can do safely. If it was a tornado or other catastrophic event - seek help from first responders immediately!
However, if you are not in any immediate danger, these tips are things that you can do to check for damage without climbing on a roof or otherwise putting yourself in harm’s way.
Assessing storm damage to your home:
After a major storm with high winds and/or hail, when the skies have cleared and it's safe to go outside, check for these five signs of storm damage:
1. Broken tree branches and any down or loose power lines. Call 911 for down power lines. If power or other utilities are knocked out, call your service providers too.
2. Hail on the ground. Get a tape measure, golf ball, tennis ball or baseball and place it on the ground next to the hailstones. Take photos to document the hail size.
3. Broken roof shingles lying on the ground. In addition, can you see any missing shingles just looking at the roof from the ground?
4. Broken windows or signs of hail damage. For example, do you see any small round dents from hail on your window frames, door frames, downspouts, house siding, or air conditioning unit?
5. Signs of rain water leaks on the ceiling or walls inside your home. Look in all of the bedrooms, closets, bathrooms and also any areas you don’t frequently use. Keep an eye out for interior leaks during the weeks following a storm because they may not be immediately apparent.
What to do next if your home has storm damage:
1. Collect evidence immediately after the storm:
Write down the date and time of the storm.
Take photos of any hail stones before they melt.
Take pictures of any storm damage that you see from the list above.
2. Contact a licensed public adjuster or a restoration contractor. A public adjuster works for you - not for any insurance company. They can do a more thorough inspection and help you file a storm damage claim. Most PAs will offer a free inspection. A PA will also help you throughout the life of your claim. They can communicate with insurance on your behalf and discuss policy issues, necessary storm repair work, and negotiate a fair payout.
3. In the weeks following the storm, do you see several of your neighbors getting work done on their roof or siding? It is likely that these were storm damages. Your house probably has damage too, even if you didn’t see anything obvious. Ask your neighbors what contractors they are working with for storm repairs. They might also have a public adjuster that they can recommend too.
4. Contact restoration contractors. Most contractors, such as roofers or general contractors, will provide free inspections and estimates for storm repairs. Check reviews on Google, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), and Better Business Bureau for any contractors you are considering.
5. File a claim with your insurance company. Provide your photos and other documentation to insurance. They will give you a claim number and schedule an inspection date. Also have your public adjuster or contractor come to the insurance inspection to raise any concerns you might have that day.
When the insurance company decides how much they will pay for damages, they will issue you a scope of loss with line items for everything that is approved. Have your public adjuster and contractor review these items. If anything is denied, missing, or just doesn’t look fair, your PA can address any disputes with your insurance.
With a great team by your side, your weather-damaged home can be made whole again with qualified restoration contractors. A licensed public adjuster can also help to make sure the insurance coverage that you pay for is fairly being applied to the storm damage repairs.
Are you struggling with what to do after a recent storm? Did you have a storm claim denied by insurance? We would be happy to talk with you about what to do next. Contact CSP today for help!
