Severe Weather Damage Help

William L. Snyder II, owner of B&B Enterprises,
sweeps the sidewalk outside his auto business
after Hurricane Rita. He owns several businesses
in Orange, Texas and was not fully insured.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• Safety First!
Find a low location with protection. Ideally it is a designated safe area with reinforced cement or cinder-block walls. At the minimum, it should be on the ground floor and surrounded by interior walls with no windows or glass doors.
During the storm, stay away from windows, broken glass, loose objects such as firewood or lumber.

• Account for everyone in the household – including all pets.

• Protect yourself. During wind damage events, nails and other sharp objects are often scattered throughout neighborhoods. Wear proper shoes, work gloves, and step carefully to avoid puncture wounds. Wear long pants to avoid insulation and chemical burns.

• Make photos of the cause (hail, flood, etc.) and effects (actual damage) of the weather event. If it was hail damage, try to locate a few larger hail stones. All cell phones and digital cameras automatically record the date the photo was made. This will be important for insurance claims.

Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• Depending on damage, turn off all power at the main breaker. If there is a plumbing break, turn off the water supply to the house. Ask for help with gas leaks.

• Let someone outside of the disaster area know your immediate emergency needs. Let them know you are safe or explain what specific help you need. Communications are often spotty after a disaster. Contact one person who can let others know your status and how to help.

• Hopefully, all insurance and warranty information documents are in one location inside waterproof/fireproof bags. Collect those and place them somewhere safe.

• Collect short-term belongings: all personal identification, small valuables, medicine, glasses, clothes for a few days, credit cards, insurance and warranty documents, pet food, tax and income documents (for insurance claims), etc...

• Secure waterproof tarps over windows and holes in the structure to prevent additional water and wind damage. If no tarps are available, use plastic painter drop cloths or tape trash bags over the holes if it’s the only option. Only make temporary repairs. Don’t make permanent repairs until after the insurance adjusters have seen the damage. Make photos of your damage prevention attempts.

Anita Murchison, owner of The Frame & Art Co. in Bridge
City (right) and her daughter Kim Long (left) dig through the
wreckage at the shop in Bridge City after Hurricane Rita tore
through Southeast Texas in 2005.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• When it is safe, photograph both the interior and exterior. Include photos of damage to outside objects such as air conditioner units, roof, fences, siding, autos, damaged lawn furniture, paint damage, destroyed shrubs and other plants, pool damage, cement damage (driveways, decks, etc.) and more.

• Contact your insurance agent. Get in line fast because there will be plenty of claims.

• Contact the Red Cross for overnight shelter assistance. They have funds and prearrangements with hotels for this specific need.
Insurance companies often will not pay for hotel rooms if the property is habitable but doesn’t have electricity or water. Insurance policies often will pay hotel fees if the house is inhabitable but pays on receipt at settlement rather than in advance. Call your agent for specifics.

Chris Grantham with A-1 Tree Service of Memphis, Tenn.
eats a beef enchilada MRE at a campground in Vidor in 2005.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• Make a photo of the refrigerator and freezer contents. Most residential insurance policies pay up to $500 or more for spoiled food resulting from power outages. Often, there is not a deductible if this is the only claim.

• If the damage was too large for you to fix, hire a competent contractor for short term “emergent” situations. Fraud is common after natural disasters. Don’t hire “storm chasers” or anyone with a truck who knocks on your door. Here are some reliable construction options: t.ly/9VWL

• If the house is not in an emergency condition, contact reliable vendors quickly to be at the front of the line. I've collected a list of reliable vendors on one of my blogs at DFWreferral.blogspot.com.
Here are some roofers (t.ly/xOZ8), window repair professionals (t.ly/pokz) and general construction contractors (t.ly/9VWL). Most reputable roofing companies provide free inspections and estimates.
If there is flooding or fire damage, hire restoration specialist quickly (t.ly/XjhQ). If trees have fallen, hire a tree service that includes haul away (t.ly/UfVN). However, the haul away often isn’t covered by the insurance company.

• Determine the deductible. An insurance claim often has a high deductible and will raise the insurance rate on a home. If the repair cost is less than the deductible and insurance difference for a year, it may be best to absorb the repair cost.

A mobile home remains crushed under a tree after
Hurricane Rita hit in Vidor.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• If the repair cost is significant, file a claim with the insurance company. In Texas, the insurance company must acknowledge a claim within 15 business days of receiving the claim. They must then accept or reject the claim within 15 business more days (about 38-day maximum time from initial claim).
Arrange for any chosen contractors to have a representative there while the appraiser is on property. This ensures they come to an agreement on the expected cost to get your property back up to standard at current market expenses.

• Keep all receipts. Primarily, this is preventative measures and actual repairs, but this sometimes includes any hotels, fuel and food away from the house. It’s better to have the receipts and not need them.

• Call the car insurance company if it is different than the house.

A sport utility vehicle with Louisiana license plates remains
 crushed under a sign in Beaumont after Hurricane Rita.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• Make photos of all car damage – yes, each scratch, chipped window and hail strike that needs to be repaired.

• If the homeowner has a wind damage policy, fences should be covered. However, expect the company to deduct depreciation.

• Once you agree to a settlement amount, the insurance company has five business days to pay the claim. If the house has a mortgage, the insurance company often sends the check to the mortgage company. The homeowner must then cooperate with the mortgage company to get the money released for repairs. The house must be repaired with the proceeds. Don’t attempt to sell a house with an insurance payout that was not completed. It will be far more expensive.

• The mortgage company has 10 business days to contact the homeowner after they get the insurance check. After the mortgage company’s requirements are met, they have 10 additional business days to send a check to the homeowner for the repairs.

• For additional specific questions about insurance coverage, please read “FAQ: Homeowners Insurance and Disaster Claims” (t.ly/eckh) by the Texas Department of Insurance or call 800-252-3439.

Crews pile tree debris on a stack at an airport in Beaumont.
Trees, limbs and other organic material disposal is an
environmental problem after natural disasters.
Mark M. Hancock / The Beaumont Enterprise

• File for FEMA aid. FEMA may cover items not covered by traditional homeowners, wind or flood insurance. If there is a significant loss, it’s worth a try.

• If the final check is less than expected or less than required, don’t sign it. Some insurance companies consider the claim “settled” once the check is endorsed and deposited.

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com

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