Inclement weather can cause catastrophic damage to your home and personal property. Whether it’s wind, rain, flooding or powerful hurricanes and tornadoes, there are simple steps you can take to make sure your home is prepared for storm season. Follow along with our step-by-step guide on preparing your home and find out what you should do if the worst happens.
Texas Storm Statistics
Storms in Texas are big business for insurance companies. Through the years, Texas has had its fair share of inclement weather illustrated by these facts:
- More than 9,500 tornadoes have been reported in Texas since 1950
- There are an average of 132 tornadoes in Texas every year
- More tornadoes are reported along the Texas Gulf Coast than in Texas’ Tornado Alley
- More than 50 hurricanes have made landfall in Texas since 1850
- 109 tropical systems have made landfall in Texas since 1850
- 2023 was the world’s warmest year on record
What these statistics show is that having and maintaining homeowner’s and other insurance policies is paramount to protecting your property during Texas’ volatile storm season.
Protect Property
In some cases, you will have advance warning of when a storm will hit. If it is safe to do so, you can take steps to protect your property from the worst of the storm’s damage. Easy steps that have a big impact include:
- Moving all vehicles to inside a garage or away from trees
- Covering windows with storm shutters or plywood
- Moving outdoor items inside or under a covering, including grills and porch furniture
- Clearing debris from gutters and downspouts
- Trim surrounding tree branches and remove damaged limbs
- Move valuables and important documents to a secure place, such as a safe
You can minimize or even prevent damage to your property by ensuring that outdoor objects are secure, windows are stormproof and your important items are safe.
Create a Home Inventory
If you are unfortunate enough to have sustained damage in a storm, you will need specific information to provide to the insurance company about the things you own. The best way to be prepared for possible storm damage to your personal property is to create a home inventory. This document will include an itemized list of your possessions including the price, description, model number, bar code and any other identifying information.
A good plan when creating a home inventory is to go from room to room of your house, photographing each item while noting its specifics. Don’t forget often overlooked items like clothing, lawn equipment and items in the basement or attic. The next step is to find receipts for your most valuable items and put them in a safe place, preferably with one copy online. To make sure that no items are missed when reporting loss to the insurance company, consider grouping your belongings according to what room of the house they are in.
Review Your Insurance Policies
When a big storm comes, making sure that your insurance is sufficient is critical. Now is the time to review all of your insurance policy documents. Consider purchasing additional coverage if necessary. It’s also important to make sure your policy is paid up-to-date as a lapse in coverage could leave you vulnerable.
Gather Emergency Supplies
Having emergency supplies ready and on hand is crucial to your safety and comfort. Consider storing the following in a safe and easy-to-access place:
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Bottled water
- Food
- Toiletries
- Emergency radio
- Backup cell phone battery
- Matches
- Candles
- First aid kit
- Medications
- Blankets
- Change of clothes
Any item that you use daily should also be included. Having these items readily accessible ensures that you are ready to either shelter in place or go to a safe place at a moment’s notice.
Steps to Take When Your Home is Damaged
Now that we’ve discussed how to prepare your home for a storm, let’s consider what happens if your home is damaged in a storm and what steps to take:
- Get photos or videos of the damage
- Secure your belongings against further damage
- Contact your insurance company
Because claims are often denied due to lack of documentation or proof of single occurrence, make sure that you have sufficiently photographed or created video of the damage your home has sustained. When contacting the insurance company, have your insurance policy information ready, as well as a copy of your home inventory and any supporting documentation you have collected.
Claim Denial or Underpayment
But what do you do if, after doing all of the above, your claim is denied or underpaid?
Sometimes, even valid claims are denied. Here are some common reasons claims are denied:
- Nonpayment of premiums
- Late filing
- Lack of proof that the damage was all caused by a single occurrence
- Insufficient documentation
- Failure to prevent additional damage
- Exclusions
- Damage is less than the deductible
When a claim denial or underpayment happens, you may be able to file a lawsuit in civil court to pay for your damages. In Texas, you have four years from the date of the storm to file a civil lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit can result in being awarded for damages that more accurately reflect your losses.
Get A Full Case Evaluation For Your Storm Damage Claim With Colby Lewis
Texans know they can trust the experienced storm damage lawyers at the Law Offices of Colby Lewis to help them recoup their losses. We stand up to insurance companies who try to deny or shortchange claims and will fight zealously on your behalf. Don’t take a claim denial or underpayment without contacting the knowledgeable Texas storm damage attorneys at the Law Offices of Colby Lewis. We’ve helped clients just like you get the full value of their property – contact us today!
