The weather can be unpredictable. And when it comes to your home, it can be downright devastating. From flooded basements to trees crushing your roof, weather can directly impact one of your greatest investments. Here’s what you should know when mother nature strikes at home.
Ensure safety
Before assessing the damage, make sure you and your family are safe. If there are any immediate dangers such as fallen power lines or structural instability, evacuate the premises and contact local emergency services.
Document everything
Take photographs or videos of the damage as evidence for insurance claims. This will help support your claim and ensure you receive proper compensation for the repairs.
The documentation should start before you ever need to make a claim. Take photos any time you update your home. Keep an inventory of the things you have in your home; it can be difficult to prove something is missing if there’s no record of it.
- Keep it organized
- Keep it up to date
- Keep it in multiple places
If you do those three things, you’ll have a leg up on any conversations you’re having with your insurance provider or landlord.
Mitigate damage
Once you’ve assessed and documented the damage, start to mitigate its effect on the rest of your home. A tree branch through the roof? Get a tarp over it. Seal up any windows that were damaged. Turn off power and water if necessary. Start pumping the water out of your basement.
Keep documenting everything while you work to stop, or at least slow, the damage being done. It might not be common—but it has happened—but insurance companies have denied claims saying the damage was caused by the homeowner. Be cautious about making the problem worse.
Make contact
Depending on what happened, start calling, emailing, texting, or posting on social media to get in contact with the right folks.
If there are power lines down or other utilities exacerbating the damage, contact the proper utilities and let them know. A tree branch through your front window is bad. The powerlines the branch brought down in your yard are worse. Chances are you won’t be able to address the branch without getting the power lines taken care of first.
Notify your insurance company about the damage as soon as possible. Provide them with all the necessary details and documentation to initiate the claims process. Follow their instructions and deadlines carefully.
Keep records of expenses
Keep track of any expenses you incur during the repair process. This includes costs for temporary accommodation, emergency repairs, and any additional living expenses you may have. These expenses may be covered by your insurance policy.
When you get to the repair stage, you’ll want to be on top of every receipt that you get from contractors. Get all quotes in writing. If you can, document when they start work and leave. Keep track of as much as possible.
Take steps to prevent future damage
Once the repairs are complete, consider taking preventive measures to minimize the risk of future weather-related damage. This may include reinforcing the structure, installing storm shutters, or maintaining proper drainage systems.
Don’t forget to breathe
Things happen. No matter how prepared you are, there is always something that can catch you off guard. And it’s your home, one of the costliest investments you’ll ever make. Having something go wrong can be devastating. Panicking and over-reacting are only going to make the situation worse. It never hurts to write out a plan of what to do when things go wrong ahead of time. Then when something does happen, you have a list to follow to help you direct your actions instead of having to improvise along the way.
If you’re looking for a home or home insurance, talking to your credit union is a good start. Even if your credit union doesn’t provide insurance, they probably have a few recommendations you could investigate.
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