Critical Steps to Take After a Hurricane
Hurricane Sally made landfall on the Gulf Coast just over a week ago, bringing record flooding and devastation to much of the coast. Many people lost their primary residence, condominiums, beach homes, boats, and other property. In the aftermath of a storm such as Sally, it is important to know the critical steps to take after a hurricane to ensure that your property is protected and that you are fairly compensated for damages sustained. In some cases, a Hurricane Claims Attorney can help.
Unfortunately, even with plenty of notice to protect one’s property from a storm, devastating events like hurricanes will likely end with some kind of damage. If your home, business, or other property was damaged in the storm, make sure you take the following steps and ensure your insurance claim is handled quickly and fairly by the insurance company:
1) Cover up, protect, and secure your damaged property.
If your property sustains any damage, cover it up with a tarp to prevent water intrusion or any other further damage. It is important to avoid further damage from rain or winds that are not part of the storm. The insurance company will use any reason it can to avoid paying you, and this may include blaming damages to your property on your inability to protect the property after the storm. If the insurance company claims your property became more damaged after the storm, this can allow them to give you less for your claim and ultimately cause you to lose money.
2) Keep accurate records and document the entire process.
Be sure to take plenty of photos of all property damaged during the storm. Get your entire house or property in each shot, and be sure to take many photos inside as well. Make sure to take photos of your entire yard, too. Start by taking wide shots of the yard, then move in closer to take shots with more detail. Inside, take photos of entire rooms, then of individual items. Record keeping is one of the most critical steps to take after a hurricane.
A complete photographic record is essential for proving losses if you need to file a claim. Keep a couple digital copies of these photos in case you lose a copy or the photos become corrupt. As you take photos, keep a mental and written inventory of all damaged personal items and property that was inside the home. This will also help bolster your claim by adding to the evidence that you can submit.
3) File your insurance claim quickly and get assistance if needed.
Insurance policies typically require you to file your claim quickly after a storm. Having a team with experience in your corner can help make filing your claim faster and easier. Insurance companies will be looking out for themselves, and you need someone who is there to look out for you.
Disaster Relief Claims at Greene & Phillips
At Greene & Phillips, we understand that dealing with the insurance company is difficult. Your next steps after a hurricane are some of the most important decisions you will make to protect your property and maximize your claim. We offer assistance handling hurricane claims and communicating with the insurance company. Our experienced team is ready to help.
Large insurance companies don’t play fair, and we want you to focus on recovery. Call our office at 1-888-510-1020, or walk through our front door at your convenience for a free, no-obligation, consultation. We are open and ready to help. Call today!
