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Hurricane or Tropical Storm: What to Do After a Hurricane?

Hurricanes are very damaging in some parts of the world. Storms cause damage to the building, threatening for life and destructive to trees. The safety of families is very important in such situations. After the hurricane, rebuilding is the first thing that everyone wants. However, most people pay attention to roofs and other prominent structures for repair. Some important things go unattended and cause trouble in the long run. It is very important to discuss the actions which must be taken after a storm. During a hurricane, most of the damage is caused by flooding and winds. If a hurricane has caused damage to your property, you have to consider the following things before you start repair.

Evaluate the lose

Once the storm is over, the first thing you need to do is to evaluate the loss. As the first step, no expert opinion is required, all you need to do is to inspect the property yourself. It’s not just the exterior, but interior inspection is also important. You can see debris falling at different places, be careful and don’t allow it to damage you. Broken branches, ripped shingles on the roof and broken power lines are commonly seen as damages. Avoid touching and moving power lines, even if there is no current. Call the concerned electric company for power restoration and take care of those fallen lines. You can easily remove debris in the yard. Tree twinges can also be removed, but if there is more damage you need to call a professional removal company to remove it. However, before calling any removal company keeps a record of the damage. You can record videos or take pictures of the damage. You need to carefully evaluate the damage caused to the roof, particularly the shingles and gutter. Shades and pools can also get affected during a storm. Before removing debris and cleaning roofs and yards take photos for reference, you may need them later.

Claim appropriate Insurance

After the evaluation of damage, the next step is to look up the property insurance information. There can be severe damage or very little damage, or no damage at all, whatever the case is, check your current insurance policy. Find out what kind of coverage you have. It’s very important to know. Whom you should call to get your claim and the deductible charges? Deductibles for a hurricane are different from the non hurricane. Hurricane deductible covers all kinds of storms, including tropical storms. Hurricane deductibles are higher than non-hurricane ones. It is very important to understand the difference and how it affects your policy. Most insurance policies do not cover flood damage and in a hurricane, you may need flood insurance. So, you may need a separate policy for that. People in some states, like Florida, where hurricanes are common, must have flood insurance policies.

If you see damage to the home, you need to file an insurance claim as soon as possible. In case of water damage, you need to file a flood insurance claim. If damage is caused by wind, a general property insurance policy will cover the damage. The general process to claim policy is usually the same. You can contact the insurance company online or call the claim department of a company. Almost all Insurance companies have websites, where clients can easily claim insurance. After a storm, a hundred people suffer storm damage, so insurance companies are very busy. The officials may be too busy to attend calls, so sending an email is the better solution if you need any information. You are applying for the claim on the website and waiting for your turn.

When you file for a claim, the representative of the insurance company will come for an inspection. He will inspect the site according to your claim and document the damage. In storm damage, sometimes you need to repair the damage immediately for the safety of your property and home. This can be the case particularly if the roof is damaged. If you have repaired it before the inspection by the insurance representative, you need to prove the damage. For this purpose, take pictures and make videos before starting repair work. Document the complete procedure and keep records and receipts of the material used. Keep everything that proves damage and repair. Gives copies of these documents to the insurance company. It will help you to get the money you need.

Hire a reliable contractor for Repairs

After evaluation and documentation of damage, you need to consult your insurance company. After the settlement of the claim, it’s time to repair the damage. Depending on the extent of the damage, you can manage it yourself or call the contractor for this job. If you need to hire a contractor, you must take care of a few things.

  • Hire a local contractor, who has a good reputation. See the website and have a look at the reviews of their clients to see the quality of the service.
  • Get information about the experience of the contractor.
  • The contractor you hire must be licensed by the governing agency.
  • He must offer insured services.

It is very important to take care of these things. During hurricane season, many scams also show up. They submit advance payment and either vanish within a few days or do very low-quality repairs. So, hiring a reliable contractor is very important. Another thing you need to understand is about the repair time. If you want good quality work, you need to wait for the contractor, as he will be very busy in the storm season. So, it can take a longer time than your expectations, but the wait will be useful for your property. You can ask for the estimation from various contractors, as most contractors offer free estimation. It will help you to decide the budget and you will have the liberty to choose an economical option. However, don’t choose the contractor who asks for the lowest price, as he will be using low-quality material to save money.

 

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