It’s an unspoken secret among homeowners that hurricane damage in Florida is inevitable. It’s not a question of “if”. It’s a question of “how long before it happens to me?” So before this year’s storm season kicks off, it’s a good idea to educate yourself on the hurricane damage claim process. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to navigate these waters when disaster strikes.
In this post, we’ll talk about different types of hurricane damage claims, what you can expect from your insurance company, and how to get help from a professional claims adjuster.
COMMON TYPES OF HURRICANE DAMAGE CLAIMS
The most common types of damage after a hurricane is damage to your windows from flying debris. This is almost inevitable, but it’s important to document the condition of your windows before the storm.
As a matter of fact, this advice applies to all types of damage. Take pictures before the storm. They can be your only way to prove that the damage happened due to the hurricane, and not weeks or months beforehand.
Siding, roofing, and doors are also frequently damaged in hurricanes. Again, this is due to high winds and flying debris or falling trees, so this kind of damage can happen many miles inland.
Another common type of damage is fires. It’s counterintuitive to think about fire damage when there’s rain falling down like God’s pouring buckets out of the sky, but it’s a real risk. Power surges and outages can cause appliances to malfunction, while leaks and flooding can cause short circuits and electrical fires.