Important Steps To Take If Your Home Is Damaged By A Storm

If a storm were to cause damage to your home, would you know what to do? When storms hit, the impact left behind can be devastating. Of course, your family’s safety is the top priority, but once you know everyone you love is safe and taken care of, what should you do about the property damage? What will it mean for your foreseeable future if a tree fell through your roof? 

Most home insurance will cover any damage that is caused by hail, wind, snow, or rain, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. But you’re going to want to check with your specific insurance provider to see what your agreement covers. Generally speaking, earthquakes, landslides, floods, and sewer backup aren’t covered with typical home insurance, according to the Government of Canada, so if you live in an area where those are a concern, you might want to investigate getting those added as additional coverage, if possible. 

The destruction of storms can be incredible. It’s essential to know the critical steps to take post-storm so that you can get things sorted and back to life as usual as soon as possible. Take a look at these important steps to take if a storm damages your home. 

Don’t Touch Anything–Yet! 

Think of your home like a crime scene. You want to make sure that you can prove to the insurance company that a storm “did it” and prove exactly what damage was done. So you’re going to want to not touch anything until you’ve taken the time to complete the next step. 

Of course, safety always comes first, so if damage has taken place but there is a safety concern present that requires you to move something ASAP, then always choose safety over anything else. 

Document EVERYTHING And Assemble

Before contacting your insurance representative, take extensive photos and photos of the damage to your home and property. Your insurance company is going to want to see those, so make sure you’re thorough in documenting everything. If you have receipts or warranties of anything that was damaged, then make sure to gather those things. Unless something is going to pose a health issue, keep any damaged items. 

Stop Anything That Might Be Causing More Issues

If anything is causing more damage or ongoing issues (such as a broken window letting rain in) and you’ve already documented everything, then it’s time to do what you can to stop the damages from worsening. Board up windows, pump water out of your home and do any of those immediate repairs that can prevent further problems.  

Search Everywhere

While the large damage has been obvious, you’re going to want to inspect your entire home and property to ensure that there isn’t smaller damage somewhere else that you haven’t noticed. 

Write Down The Details So That You Don’t Forget Anything

As you get ready to contact your insurance representative, take a moment to write down everything that happened, all of the damage, and the questions that you want to ask. You’ve gone through a stressful event and it’s very easy to forget things. Taking a moment to write down the details will help you feel more in control of the situation when you call your insurance company. 

Keep Track Of Your Expenses

After you’ve contacted your insurance representative and reported the damage, ask them about what expenses they’ll cover in terms of repairs and living situations. Don’t forget to ask them how long you have for those expenses. Any costs that you incur cleaning up, repairing damage, or living elsewhere will need to be documented, so keep receipts and invoices. Keep everything in one place so that you don’t lose anything. 

Contact Your Mortgage Lender 

Your mortgage lender might have payment relief options for you that won’t incur any penalties or hurt your credit, so you’re going to want to contact your mortgage lender to see what your options might be.