TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – As severe storms are forecast to roll through the state today, some Floridians are taking steps to prepare for the pending weather. If you’re not one of these residents, you may be wondering what steps to take to protect your family and your home.
Lucky for you, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has offered storm recovery advice to help homeowners in North and Central Florida weather the storm.
“With a threat of severe weather on the horizon, it is important for Floridians to keep their insurance information for their insurers handy in the event that storm damage is sustained,” said Logan McFaddin, regional manager of state government relations for PCI. “If storm damage occurs, the first step is to contact your insurance company or agent immediately to begin the claims process and adjusters will be available to help Florida homeowners and renters begin rebuilding.”
They’ve provided the following tips to help homeowners better protect themselves:
- Be sure to secure property from further damage or theft
- Report any damage to your insurance agent or company representative as soon as possible.
- Be sure to photograph damage and inventory losses for your insurance adjusters and save all receipts for any repairs made
- Business owners should keep detailed records of business activity that’s negatively impacted by the storm and keep a list of extra expenses during the interruption. They should also prepare records to show the income from the business before and after the loss
- A number of insurance policies for renters and homeowners provide reimbursement for additional living expenses when the property is determined to be uninhabitable due to damage, helping homeowners pay for extra expenses like temporary housing and food and sometimes overnight parking and laundry services. You may want to check and see what your policy will cover.
- Watch out for exploitative contractors following a natural disaster. You should contact your insurer, agent or local business bureau for references on potential contractors and ask for certificates of liability and workers compensation before signing contracts.
The majority of severe weather-related events like hail and tornadoes should be covered under either a homeowners, renters or commercial insurance police. Damage from windstorms and hails are typically covered by the comprehensive coverage in an auto insurance policy.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON-
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