Hurricane Ian: What To Do If Your Home Has Suffered Hurricane Damage

Written by admin on September 28, 2022 at 2:33 PM.

If you are a homeowner, Florida hurricane season is a stressful time. Strong winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding can all cause serious problems for homeowners. The entire West Coast of Florida is currently under hurricane warning, with several areas facing severe storm surge warning. If your home doesn’t weather Hurricane Ian as well as you hoped it would, we’ve got some tips to help you file hurricane damage insurance claims.

What you should know About Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian is a major hurricane threatening the west coast of Florida. This includes heavily populated areas like Tampa Bay, Fort Myers, Delray Beach, and Boca Raton.

Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall Wednesday, September 28 as a Category 4 Hurricane. This means hurricane force winds of 155 miles per hour according to Fox Weather. Florida Governor Ron Desantis has declared a state of emergency throughout the state. As the West coast is battered by strong winds, up to 15 feet of storm surge, and 15 inches of rain, the rest of the state will experience tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain.  

Evacuation efforts began Tuesday, September 27. There is a mandatory evacuation order in place for several counties including:

• Charlotte County
• Citrus County
• Collier County
• Hernando County
• Hillsborough County
• Lee County
• Levy County
• Manatee County
• Pasco County
• Pinellas County
• Putnam County
• Sarasota County

Hurricane Ian has already caused severe damage in Key West,  which has faced high sustained wind speeds, storm surge flooding, and more. As it hits the West Coast of Florida it is expected to further intensify over the warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico before hammering the Gulf Coast. 

If You Experience Hurricane Property Damage, Spring Into Action

• Rule # 1: Act Fast. Filing a claim with your insurance company for hurricane damage in a timely manner is important for a couple reasons. Most insurance policies have a time limit for filing a claim. It is imperative to contact your insurance carrier as quickly as possible. You’ll want to repair the damage before it gets worse, as well, so reporting your claim early is of the utmost importance.
  

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• Category 4 hurricanes like Ian are considered major storms. They are known to do major damage to homes because of the damaging winds, heavy rains, and storm surge flash flooding. You’re going to want to be prepared to report damages as quickly as possible, especially in the case of structural damage. 
  

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• It can not be stressed enough that this is an extremely dangerous storm, take heed of all state and county official orders. Evacuate if you must, and hunker down for a major storm if you’re riding it out at home. A category 4 hurricane has potential to level entire cities and cause severe flooding of coastal waters in shoreline areas. Wait for updates from the US National Hurricane Center and stay safe.

Take Photos and/or Videos to Document Damages

It is extremely important to document property damage to buildings and homes through photos and videos. This will help your insurance provider process your claim and determine how much they will reimburse you for the repairs.

Don’t start cleaning up until you’ve documented as much of the damage as is safe and wait to handle the big messes until after a claims adjuster has assessed the situation. This will help ensure that you get the reimbursement you deserve.

Review Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

If you don’t know what your homeowners policy covers, including your optional insurance coverages, you’ll have to figure it out. Your insurance agent can help discuss your current policy, what’s covered and your next steps. Every insurance policy is different.

Most standard policies will cover wind damage, but there may be coverage limits. For example, major hurricane damage is typically excluded from standard homeowners insurance policies. As a result, it’s essential to contact your insurance company after your home has been damaged by a major storm like Hurricane Ian.

You must always find out what additional coverages your insurance provider has. For example flood insurance may not be covered by your plan. When assessing physical damage from major storms, you should always be aware of the types of coverage provided by your private insurers.

Bring in The Professionals

A professional opinion will be thorough and may mean more to your insurance provider. A great resource is licensed contractors.

Once you’re safe and Hurricane Ian has passed, make sure to get estimates for the cost of repairs from them on all the property damages. if you can, get estimates from a few experts, so you’re careful to avoid extra costs.

Making Temporary Repairs to Your Property

After you’ve filed your hurricane damage claim, it’s important you don’t begin permanent repairs without clearance from the insurance company, no matter how long the insurance claim process takes. Don’t begin any repairs until after the adjuster has inspected your home.Schedule an appointment with an insurance adjuster.

That helps ensure you get a fair assessment and that damage isn’t overlooked. Meet with the insurance adjuster and make sure you get everything in order.

In the meantime, you can mitigate further damage to your home by making temporary repairs to your personal property. Cover any holes or cracks in the walls or roof with tarps. You should also secure loose roof tiles or shingles to prevent them from blowing away. Indoors, If there was water damage, it’s important to dry out the area as quickly as possible to prevent mold from growing. Patch up holes in drywall and replace damaged floorboards next. Temporary repairs after a severe storm can help prevent further damage and make it easier to make permanent repairs when ready.

 

Contact A Private Adjuster From Stellar Adjusting

After a destructive hurricane like Ian, consider hiring a Florida public adjuster from Stellar Public Adjusting. Our qualified adjusters are experienced in Florida home and business claims, and we don’t hire out our work to independent contractors. When your adjuster shows up to create your claim, you can rest assured that this is the same person who will be dealing with the insurance company on your behalf through this difficult time.

Public adjusters will protect you and your interests in claims against a loss with the Insurance Company. We work as an alternative to insurance adjusters who work for you, and not your insurance provider. We will ensure that you get what’s owed to you, because that’s what we do.

After catastrophic flooding damage and hurricane damage caused by extreme winds, you might find it harder to deal with your insurance company after the extensive damage is done to your home or business. It’s a difficult time for everyone, but we are here to help. 

Contact us today if you have been affected by Hurricane Ian and the dangerous weather that comes along with it. Call our office at 305-570-3519, Stellar Adjusting is open 24 hours-per-day, 7 days-per-week. We can help you through the claims process, and make sure you get the money you’re owed.