This post is an adaptation from https://www.bereadylexington.com/ and https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Documents/beforeafterstorm071817.pdf . Not an original blog.
Weather Damage to Your Home? What Should You Do?
After recent weather events, many people in Kentucky have experienced Weather Damages to their homes. If you have never experienced weather damage to your home, here are some tips to keep in mind when assessing the damage.
- Do not repair or clean up anything until you file an insurance claim and have an adjuster come look at your home to assess the damage. If it is necessary to clean up, then take many pictures, videos, and notes of what was damaged.
- Meet with your insurance company adjuster first before signing anything with contractors, lawyers or public adjusters.
- Make sure your address is visible from the street.
- Create a detailed list of what is damaged and what you would like to show to your adjuster. When the adjuster arrives, make sure to ask for identification, their business card and information to reach them at. Ask any questions if you don’t understand while talking about the damage and next steps.
- Keep all receipts of items purchased to secure your property after cleaning the damage. This can include items like tarps, shop/wet-vacs, etc. Also record the time you spent on securing your property.
- Keep a record of conversations with insurance personnel and other officials – including the person’s name, the time, date, and a summary of what you talked about.
- Once you are ready for repairs to begin, be sure to find reputable licensed, and insured contractors. Ask people you trust for recommendations.
- Do not deal with “fly-by-night” roofers or remodelers who go door-to-door, especially those not known in your community or those who offer greatly reduced prices because they say they just completed work nearby and claim to have materials left over.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for identification, especially if money is changing hands, and proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
- Don’t spend a lot of money on temporary repairs. Remember that payments for temporary repairs are part of the total settlement. If you pay a contractor a large sum for a temporary repair job, you may not have enough money for permanent repairs.
- Insist on a written contract that includes a description of the work, total cost and completion date.
For more information and a checklist of what you should do when reporting and repairing weather damages, go to https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Documents/beforeafterstorm071817.pdf