It’s 3 o’clock in the morning, and the storm is showing no signs of easing up. Suddenly, you hear a deafening thud followed by a sickening crunch. Just like that, the hickory tree that once grew in your front lawn is now embedded in your roof.
Thankfully, no one in your family was injured. Better yet, you have homeowners insurance – and it covers storm damage. But what should you do now?
Relax. Filing a home insurance claim is so simple that approximately 3.5 million American homeowners do it every year. Just do the following and rest assured that your home will be restored soon!
Assess the Damage
As soon as you can safely do so, inspect your home and its immediate surroundings for all signs of storm damage. Make certain to include your roof during that inspection. If you’re uncomfortable ascending a ladder, then a pair of binoculars can give you a close enough look.
Not all storm damage is as obvious as a fallen hickory. For example, even a severe hailstorm may inflict barely perceptible damage to asphalt shingles. You aren’t expected to compile an exhaustive inventory of all the damage to your home. That responsibility will ultimately fall on your storm damage contractor. Even so, any information you can gather will prove useful during your next step.
Contact Your Insurance Agent
Hopefully you purchased your homeowners policy from a local insurance company like The Hoffman Agency, as that will greatly accelerate the second step to filing your claim.
Contacting your insurance agent right away won’t just ensure that you don’t miss the deadline to file a claim. It will help you receive compensation for any added living expenses you incur as a result of the storm damage, such as a hotel stay or restaurant meals (make sure to keep close track of every expense you would like your policy to cover). It will also help you engage a contractor sooner rather than later, which can only help to minimize the damage your home ultimately suffers.
Make DIY Repairs
You aren’t expected to repair all the damage to your home on your own. You are expected to perform any reasonable repairs that can help to ward off even more extensive damage.
For example, if any of your windows have blown out, then you may be advised to cover them with plywood. If your plumbing was damaged and is now leaking water, then you may be advised to close the shut-off valve. If you don’t feel comfortable doing chores like these yourself, then it is imperative to hire a contractor or handyman to do them for you.
Meet With the Adjuster
Your insurance agent will send an adjuster to your property. It’s their job to confirm that there is indeed storm damage, as well as the extent to which it has occurred.
It will be helpful if you prepare a list of any personal property that was damaged during the storm: vehicles, artwork, tools, jewelry, firearms, musical instruments, and anything else of significant value. We advise keeping a list of all your valuable possessions, complete with photographs, for this reason. You never know when a disaster can cost you all your material possessions.
Once these steps are complete, it will only be a matter of time before your insurance provider makes your home whole again.
Would you like to learn more about how The Hoffman Agency can keep your home protected? Then we welcome you to contact us today! We have served the great state of Iowa for over 60 years, and we are always available when our clients most need us.