After the Storm, What’s First?

This area of the country goes through some stormy weather year-round, but the spring is the worse when it comes to homes being damaged, even demolished.  When you see it on television, it’s upsetting but when it happens to you, it turns your life upside down. It is mind numbing and overwhelming. It can be hard to know which way to turn or what to do first. 

Here we are going to offer some suggestions toward making plans before it happens, so you can get things back to normal as quick as possible.

First: Safety

Regardless what kind of damage your home has received, flood, lightening, wind, etc., the first thing you need to do is make sure everyone is safe. The aftermath can create some very serious dangers such as downed power lines that are live, debris and parts of structure falling. There is also the risk of mold
forming and spreading as time goes by.

Leave your home until officials have advised you it is safe to return. Make arrangements to stay indefinitely and when you can go back to your home, get enough belongings to make do. Safety should
be the first and foremost concern and then evaluating the aftermath.

Second: Federal Assistance

The government agency that is in charge of helping people have who have lost their homes or homes that have been damaged is FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). They provide different types of assistance such as temporary housing, meals and if your home can be repaired, they can find assistance with that, as well. They will also help you with your homeowners or renters insurance claims getting filed. 

Third: Document the Damage

If you haven’t gone back to your home yet, you’ll need to in time so that you can document the damage your home as received. You will want to take notes and take pictures. Even if the insurance company has sent an adjuster, or have one on the way, take your own notes and pictures. It doesn’t hurt to take
pictures before a storm and have on file for comparison if you should ever have this to deal with.

Fourth: Insurance Claims

Contact your home owner’s insurance company and advise them of what has happened. You will be assigned a claim representative who will assign an adjuster to you.  They will come out to take notes and pictures and make their recommendations to your case representative who will work with you to get repairs done. This process can often take months and your deductible will be subtracted from the amount they determine to be paid. The majority of homeowner insurance policies do not have flood damage coverage. If you have taken flood coverage separately and the damage is from a flood, you’ll need to contact them.  Your insurance representative will recommend a disaster clean-up company to begin the process of post-flood clean-up. If they don’t recommend one, ask for a recommendation.