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Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tips

Strong wind, hurricane, storm... All these manifestations of natural elements can become real "Conan the Destroyer" coming to your house and ruining it. Detached houses suffer from them especially strongly. Moreover, even if you live in a newly-built, durable mansion, wind damage is still possible.

Most often, such damage affects roofs, windows and doors. Also, the terrace or balcony of your house can be severely damaged by gusts of wind. And, of course, it can easily damage power lines or pipelines if they are laid outside the house.

Wind damage can be both direct, when a property suffers directly from the strength and speed of air currents, and indirect. In the latter case, objects raised by gusts of wind or destroyed by it become the source of damage. We mean branches, foliage or gravel, which can be lifted into the air by a strong wind and hurled with the force which can be enough to cause broken glass, tiles, shingles, etc. Moreover, in case of straight-line winds and tornadoes, more significant objects are lifted into the air, for example, damaged slate sheets, garden chairs, lightweight tools left in the garden. If the wind is strong enough and its speed exceeds 50 miles per hour, such objects can damage not only the roof and windows, but also the integrity of the walls.

In any case, whether it is a light wind that has damaged a couple of roof tiles, or a straight-line wind that has knocked the doors off their hinges, the damage caused by such a natural phenomenon can be compensated by the insurance company. Of course, if you have a homeowners insurance policy.

But here, too, there are some peculiarities. Those who have come across the US insurance system at least once know that it can be difficult to get good compensation. The reasons can be different, e.g. incorrectly filled papers when applying for compensation, failure to comply with the deadlines or procedures for registering an insured event, misunderstanding regarding the type of damage to the house. These are just some of the obstacles to getting a good compensation. But, the money you get from an insurance company can be vital if you have to rebuild your home after the wind damage.

We have collected some useful ideas for those whose home has been damaged by the wind and who is going to contact the insurance company for compensation.

Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tip 1: Do Not Try to Fix the Damage Yourself

Even if you see that the damage can be repaired with your own hands, do not rush to fix it right away. If you remove all the consequences before contacting the insurance company, the insurance adjuster will not be able to record the fact of damage. And any insurance company is unlikely to take your word for it.

Therefore, as soon as you notice that the wind has damaged your home, do not grab the tools. Instead of this, do the following:

Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tip 2: Make Sure Your Homeowners Policy Covers Wind Damage

In some cases, insurance companies deny their clients wind damage compensation simply because their insurance policy does not cover such damage. In the most states, insurance companies include wind damage on their homeowners insurance policy. But, there are also some exceptions. For example, you may be refused if the damage has been caused not to the house itself but to the surrounding area. For example, if the wind has damaged a fence or a tree fell on it, the insurance company may refuse to compensate for this particular issue.

Therefore, read the terms and conditions of the insurance policy carefully so that you know exactly what you can count on in the event of wind damage. By the way, if tornadoes, hurricanes or strong winds are frequent occurrences in the area where you live, it may be worth taking out an additional insurance policy covering the respective cases of damage.

Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tip 3: Invite an Insurance Adjuster ASAP

We have already mentioned the need to call an insurance adjuster. This specialist is directly involved in determining the amount of damage. When the damage is related to some property, the role of the insurance adjuster is to make a visit and assess the damage, then report it to the insurance company and decide on a settlement.

In particular, the work of the insurance adjuster includes the following:

The sooner you call an insurance adjuster, the better. But, remember that they work in the best interests of the insurance company, not yours. So, in order to get objective assessment of the damage, you may need the help of a similar specialist representing your interests, i.e. a public adjuster.

Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tip 4: Hire a Public Adjuster

Who is a public adjuster? It is an independent expert who you can hire to deal with your insurance company. They have a special license, so all their activity is absolutely legal and recognized by insurers. You can extend your opportunities with the help of a public adjuster. These professionals do the following:

The services provided by a public adjuster cost on average 10-12% of the compensation you get, yet the nerve cells and the time you save with his/her help are priceless.

Wind Damage Insurance Claim Tip 5: If You Have Been Refused, It's Not the End Yet!

Even if you are denied the right to get compensated by the insurance company or its amount is ridiculous, you should not fall into despair. In the US, there are hundreds and thousands of precedents every year when the insured sue insurance companies for their wrongful actions. Don't give up, hire a lawyer, set a task for the public insurer, and, if the damage has really been estimated at a lower rate, you can prove it.