Tropical storms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters often leave destruction in their paths. When a storm damages your home, it can leave you overwhelmed with questions and uncertainties about the next steps.
The aftermath of a storm often brings a mix of stress and confusion as you try to assess the damage and figure out how to move forward. Understanding what to do and where to begin is crucial to restoring your property and regaining peace of mind. A Boca Raton storm damage lawyer can help you handle insurance and get the full compensation you deserve.
What Steps Should You Take After a Storm Damages Your Home?
Below, we’ll walk you through nine essential steps to take after a storm damages your home. Additionally, we’ll address some common questions homeowners face in these situations, helping you navigate the recovery process with clarity and confidence.
Ensure That You and Your Family Are Safe
Before anything else, make sure that you, your family, and any pets, are safe. Avoid downed power lines and leave the house if there is substantial structural damage that may cause it to collapse.
Assess and Document the Damage
If it’s safe to do so, thoroughly examine your home (both outside and inside) to look for any damage. While there may be some areas of immediate concern, you should also look for more minor damage. Take notes and photographs. When photographing damage, take photos from several angles to best represent what has happened.
Make a list of any items that were damaged, especially if they were valuable. Any receipts you have for these items can be vital for your insurance claim.
Review Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
It’s essential to understand your policy and what kind of damage it covers. For example, if your home flooded due to a major storm or hurricane, your homeowners insurance policy may not cover flood damage as that is often a separate type of policy.
When reviewing your policy, you should also check that you have documentation of having paid your premiums and having met your deductible.
Before filing a claim, it can be helpful to consult with a Boca Raton property damage lawyer. They can build a case for your claim, communicate with the insurance company on your behalf, and ensure that paperwork is done correctly and filed on time.
Report the Damage to Your Insurance Company
One of the first things you should do is report damage to your insurance provider. Having documentation of the property damage, along with a timestamp of when it occurred, can be helpful for your claim. Try to be specific about the damage and provide evidence.
While you will want to file your claim as soon as possible, note that under Florida law, you do have up to one year to do so.
Under Florida Statute 627.7142, insurance companies must acknowledge your claim within 14 days of when you filed the claim. Additionally, they typically must either pay a settlement on your claim or deny it within 90 days after filing. If it fails to do either of these things, take note of it. An attorney can determine why the insurer isn’t meeting its obligations.
Recoverable losses will differ depending on your claim, but typically include aspects like repair of structural damage, replacement of lost house content (like furniture), and cleanup costs.
Do Temporary Repairs to Prevent Further Damage
Storm systems may stick around for days, and it’s essential to help prevent further water damage in your home. Cover any broken windows or holes with a tarp, tighten across the hole to the best of your ability, and secure it with nails or screws. Over the tarp, screw or nail down additional wood planks to hold it in place during strong winds.
Moisture damage can have some of the longest lasting negative effects on a home. Ensure any standing water has been mopped up and areas of wetness (such as around a leak) are thoroughly dried to prevent further water damage or mold growth. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold can grow in an area if it remains wet for 24 hours or more. If you are already seeing mold, it’s important to tackle it early, which may require professional help.
If you needed to purchase items to make these repairs, keep those receipts as many insurance policies will pay you back for supplies needed for temporary repairs.
Ask Your Insurance About Living Expenses
If storm damage has made your home unlivable until repairs occur, many policies have a provision that covers some or most living expenses in the meantime. If this is the case, keep all receipts related to those expenses.
Do a Walkthrough With Your Insurance Adjuster
When possible, you or your legal representative should be with the insurance adjuster when they do a walkthrough of your home. You should point out specific areas of damage to them to ensure nothing is missed.
Get an Estimate from a Contractor
From replacing shingles and broken windows to repairing more substantial structural issues or roof damage, storm damage can be extremely costly to repair. It’s essential to get an estimate of how much it will cost. Using a third party rather than your insurance company’s estimate can be helpful.
When choosing a third party for the estimate, look for a reputable contractor and show them all areas of damage you have for the most accurate estimate. Have them note down each individual cost, as well, instead of only providing a total estimate.
Wait for Approval Before Doing Repairs
Before you do any permanent repairs, you should wait for approval of your claim. If your claim is denied, you will not be compensated for this restoration process.
What Should You Do If Your Claim Is Denied?
If your claim is denied, it can be frustrating, but it’s important to stay calm and follow these steps:
- Carefully review the denial letter. The insurance will need to deny your claim in writing and give a specific reason as to why it was denied.
- Collect evidence that supports your claim is vital. This could be repair estimates, photographs, or any communication with your insurance adjuster. A property damage lawyer can also assist in gathering this evidence.
- Request a reevaluation of your claim from your insurer. This should be done in writing, and evidence should be included to address any reasons it denied your claim.
Contact a Boca Raton Property Damage Lawyer
Storms are stressful and damage from them can be financially devastating. One of our Boca Raton property damage attorneys at GED Lawyers can help you rebuild your life after a storm.
We know that everyone deserves fair compensation for the losses they’ve suffered, and we fight to get it for you. Our staff speaks English, Spanish, Arabic, Creole, Greek, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish; we can help you in whatever language you feel most comfortable.
Call us today for a free consultation about your case.
