Wind Damage Ranks #1 for Most Filed Type of Claim
This category includes the destruction caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, and the wind associated with thunderstorms, no wonder why it comes in first for frequency. When windstorms roll in, they often cause enough damage that repairs are greater than an insurance deductible, which makes sense to claim on a policy.
What to do After the Storm
- Take care of your family. Check in with everyone to make sure they’re okay. Let extended family and friends know what happened as this is a traumatic experience and you will need support through this process. There are also crisis centers you can contact for support as well. The Red Cross and Salvation Army can help find you temporary housing, food, clothing, and medicine.
- Contact your insurance. You’ll want to open a claim immediately and request a cash advance for your essential needs and request temporary housing. As the insured, you are required to report the damage and protect the property from further damages by boarding up broken windows and tarping the roof if possible. Do not move or throw anything away as this is evidence to support your claim
- Request a copy of your insurance policy. It’s best to educate yourself in the claims process and what you and your insurance company are required to do after a loss.
- Get your finances in order. Call the utility companies, mortgage, landlord, and tax office and explain to them what happened and what their process is for property owners after a fire.
- Replacing valuable documents and money. If money is partially burnt, handle it with care and place the bills into a plastic bag as you can take it to your regional Federal Reserve bank to get it replaced. You’ll also want to start the process with replacing driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, etc.… You can visit FEMA for more details.
- Start getting organized. You’ll want to start creating an inventory of your personal property. You can use old photos, receipts, or bank statements to help support your list. Most stores keep purchases on file for up to five years to which you can request copies. You’ll want to list the item’s description, place of purchase, the cost of purchase, and the condition or age of the item purchased. This can be very difficult and time-consuming and we at Disaster Recovery Adjusters LLC have the tools and resources to help properly document and organize your list to expedite the recovery process, so you’ll be able to restore your property and get back to normal life as quickly as possible. We also help property owners’ pre-loss document their property in case of a catastrophic event occurs in the future.
- Communicating with your insurance company. Keep track of all communications with your insurance company. Be sure to follow up with the adjuster in an email about phone conversations or onsite visits to ensure what the adjuster said is documented and accurate or write it down and time stamp it.
- Determine your property’s damage by receiving repair estimates. Whether you use a Public Adjuster or contractor be sure to do your due diligence. Ask for referrals and references, check licensing, make sure they are bonded and carry insurance, and they specialize in your type of project. Contractors are not licensed to represent an insured or negotiate with the insurer by law, with harsh punishments to the extent of serious jail time and thousands of dollars in fines. They are allowed to provide scopes of repairs only.
- It is always a good idea to schedule a roofing inspection following a windstorm. Not all damage can be seen from the ground. Look for shingles in your lawn or that have discoloration, tearing holes, or any leaks on the ceilings. These can all be signs that your roof has been damaged. Window frame damage or broken windows can occur in a strong windstorm. Be sure to look at you’re siding and AC unit for damage as well. If your home has sustained roof storm damage, download the Owens Corning roof storm damage checklist.
- You may want to consider hiring a Public Adjuster. We at Disaster Recovery Adjusters LLC will prepare detailed scope and cost estimates to prove the loss to the insurance company, following a disaster. We’re experts in the details and language of insurance policies, as well as filing and adjusting claims. Disaster Recovery Adjusters use sophisticated software to undergo an independent evaluation of a client’s property loss. We aren’t just better equipped to estimate the costs incurred from a property loss — we know exactly how to log and submit initial and supplemental claims for the policyholder. We have the resources and expertise to determine all coverages available, document the damages, estimate replacement cost, inventory personal or business property, calculate living expenses, and business interruption to negotiate and obtain a fair settlement from the insurance company. We are licensed professionals who work for individuals and businesses, not insurance companies!
Storm Damage
Wind Claim
Hurricane-force winds, 74 mph or greater, or gale-force winds, which are between 39-54 mph, can easily damage your home or business’s roof. High winds can remove or tear shingles, leaving the roof components exposed to the elements.
During less severe storms, sudden, sharp gusts can lift and break the watertight seals on your shingles. Once broken this could allow wind-driven rain to enter the property.
Roof Hail Damage
Hailstorms can cause serious damage to a roof. The impact from a hailstone can bruise or crack roofing shingles, potentially leading to water damage in your home. You need to take action to repair or replace your damaged roof as quickly as possible or install an emergency tarp to prevent further damage from occurring.
Hailstones can leave dents or pockmarks in shingles and knock shingle granules loose ruining the appearance of your roof’s surface. The granules help protect your roof against rain and sun damage.
Standing Water
Roofs without proper drainage can experience standing water after a big rainstorm, especially flat commercial roofs. This allows moisture to penetrate the roof deck. If gutters are clogged the water can also back up under the shingles.
Debris
Depending on how severe the storm was, debris can end up on the top of your roof, such as branches to larger tree limbs. These objects can dent or impact the surface of the roof, allowing moisture intrusion to damage the sheathing, insulation, or drywall. The shingles may never re-seal if debris is caught underneath. Once the seal is broken the shingles wind resistance is compromised and will need to be replaced.
Down Trees & Tree Removal
If a tree falls on your house after a windstorm or other weather event, you should evacuate and if it’s safe try to prevent further damage to your home and property by hiring a professional to tarp the roof or walls and remove the tree off of the property. Make sure to take lots of photos or videos to document what happened. Call your insurance company to file a claim and request an advance and temporary housing if needed.
Roof Claim Policy
Some insurance policies state you have a time limit to report such damage from the date of the storm event. You also may have a separate deductible for wind. Under a replacement cost policy, insurers must replace the damaged property with “like, kind, and quality” that will result in a “reasonably comparable appearance”. Unfortunately, insurers do not seem to agree on this.
Most policies have limits on what is covered for tree debris removal and you should contact your local public adjuster to review your policy. You can be held responsible for damage to your neighbor’s house or property if your tree falls due to your neglect. If you see signs of a distressed tree such as dead limbs, cracks in the trunk, leaning to one side, or rot you should contact your local arborist. If the tree belongs to your neighbor, you should put them on notice by sending them the arborist’s report by certified mail.
Emergency services are required per your insurance policy to prevent further damage from occurring failing to do so can result in your claim being denied. We will make sure that you are compliant so that your claim does not get denied!
Businesses need to start documenting their business interruption and gather their financials to file a claim for business income loss or business interruption.
Homeowners may want to get a fair rental value of their property to determine their additional living expenses during the restoration period. Disaster Recovery Adjusters can help you calculate and document these damages to expedite the recovery process.
Matching issues for roofing and siding claim
When roof shingles or siding are blown off one of the issues, we run into is that the material is no longer available. Another issue is that insurers like to pay for patchwork and the material currently installed has been weathered over time causing the new material to stand out like a checkerboard.
The insurer may also partially deny your claim for the undamaged areas even though they are located on the same slope or elevation. In some instances, your roofer may not be able to patch an area without causing damage to the surrounding shingles due to their age and brittleness which is considered “consequential physical damages” and is your insurer’s responsibility.
Tornado and Hail Damage Public Adjusters in Kentucky
Roofers and repair companies are slammed with work after a Tornado or hailstorm and may try to compete for your business by offering discounts or deals. They often offer to pay your deductible which is fraudulent. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You have an insurance policy with a reputable company. You’ve always paid your premiums on time. Now that you have a claim, you just want what you’re due. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Minimizing claims increases profits.
We’ll organize and manage your claim and help minimize the time you need to spend dealing with all the issues that may arise during this complex process, helping you reduce the time you must spend on it. Insurance policies can be difficult to comprehend, and without adequate knowledge, it can be easily misinterpreted, and in the process, you may give out the wrong information. We understand the insurance techniques inside and out that will prevent miscommunication between you and your insurance company and will also let you know if your rights as a policyholder are being neglected. It also gives you a third-party resource who can act as a witness in case more aggressive action is required to obtain a just recovery.
You need experience in reading insurance policies and knowledge about construction and building codes. The insurance company is looking out for itself. You want an expert on your side protecting your best interests and the Public Insurance Claims Adjusters at Disaster Recovery Adjusters has you covered!
Contact US
If the insurance company refuses to replace your entire roof and siding to maintain a uniform look or the repairs are severely noticeable you may need a Tornado or Hail insurance claims Public Adjuster in Kentucky, don’t wait. Call us at 814-882-7797 or email [email protected] as soon as possible. We’ll help you get the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
We handle residential or commercial property damage claims in Kentucky from such disasters as tree damage, water damage, roof claim, roof storm damage, tornado, hail, and windstorms. We cover the current Kentucky cities: Mayfield, Bowling Green, Lexington, Benton, Eddyville, Princeton, Madisonville, Greenville, Central City, Beaver Dam, Murray, Owensboro, Hardinsburg, Hartford, Axtel, Glen Dean, Falls of Rough, Louisville, just to name a few.
Public Adjuster Licensing in: KY #1178711