Homeowners and business owners often wonder what types of insurance coverage they have as it pertains to certain weather events. One particular weather event that often causes confusion with homeowners is tornado events.
Most, and the emphasis here is on most, policies will cover homeowners and business owners for what are called wind events. Tornados are covered under the wind event listing. The best way to know for certain if you are covered for this is to look at your policy.
It is very important for those individuals who live in what is commonly called tornado alley to review their policies. Tornado alley is that part of the US that runs north from Texas through Nebraska and northeast to Indiana. There are other areas of the country, especially in the South, that also experience tornados on a frequent basis. The reason residents of these areas want to ensure they are covered is because many insurance companies are beginning to deny certain coverage levels to high risk areas of the country. This reduction in coverage is relatively new, which also makes it important to review your coverage when you renew or change your policy.
Those who live in hurricane prone areas will also want to check on their coverage as it pertains to wind damage and tornados. A tornado does not have the usual storm surge or the wide spread flooding that is a part of most hurricanes. All of this can become a problem when hurricanes do happen and certain homes and business are damaged by wind while the rest of the area has been damaged by other effects of the hurricane.
If your home or business does suffer tornado damage it is important to get with your insurance agent as quickly as possible. There are some policies that have time limits on reporting damage. This varies from one state to another.
You should also know that when tornados happen, insurance companies will often prioritize claims. Those who have suffered total loss of their home or business will be serviced first, followed by those with less damage.
If possible, you want to document your damage. This can be done by taking photos of the home and property. It is also a good idea to have an inventory list of personal items that were either damaged or destroyed. You can submit this list for compensation. Whenever you speak with an insurance representative, make sure you jot down the name and the topic of the conversation in case you need to refer back to that conversation later. Also, if you have to stay in a motel or hotel, keep all of your receipts, including those for meals.
It is unfortunate but true that predators often show up after a natural disaster. These people often come in as a construction or repair companies. It is important that you do not sign any home repair contracts until you have had a chance to look into the company that is offering to do the work. Many homeowners and business owners have lost a lot of money to fraud during natural disaster events.
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