Harsh winds and heavy rain. Thunder and lightning that just won’t stop. It’s summer storm season in the Fishers, IN area. Is your home prepared?
Preparing for Wicked Summer Weather
Of course, summers are full of sunny days and heat waves, but occasionally, a storm hits that’s so bad, it causes widespread damage. Residents must know how to prepare for such weather in order to prevent catastrophic damage.
They also must know how to act accordingly during the aftermath. Things like insurance and the hiring of a proper construction team must be considered.
The best way to prepare your home for possible serious storm damage is to know what your insurance policy will cover. If you have a strong understanding of your policy limits and coverages, you’ll be better prepared in the event that you have severe damage to your home.
For the most part, home insurance policies take care of things like wind damage, but most standard policies won’t cover flooding. Still, every policy is different. If you have questions about your coverage, be sure to schedule a meeting with your agent to discuss your policy in detail.
Contracting Out Damage Repair
In some rare cases, certain homeowners may be able to fix their own homes after serious storm damage. However, this is generally only the case if you happen to be a builder or contractor yourself. For the rest of homeowners, damage repair should be contracted out to an experienced team of building experts.
In fact, when hiring a contractor to repair damage to your home, it’s critically important to choose the right contracting team. Unfortunately, after serious weather events, there are many unscrupulous contractors out there (called “storm chasers”) who would love to take advantage of your need for home repairs.
“Storm Chasers” will be at once noticeable to you because they’ll be contractors who are not from the area. Instead, they’ll travel to a place where a large storm has recently occurred and try to find homeowners who desperately need home repairs right away and for a great price. Working with these so-called professionals never turns out well for the homeowner as they often move on to the next town quickly after (or even before) doing subpar work on your home.
To avoid scenarios in which you are swindled by “storm chasers,” you simply need to choose a contractor with a good reputation from your area. They should have their home base or headquarters in the Fishers locale and have good references.
When you meet with any potential contractors to get an estimate on your repairs, make sure you ask to see proof of their liability insurance (as well as how much insurance they have coverage for). You should also ask to see proof of their licensing. If you’re completely unsure who to choose as your contractor, you can always talk to your insurance agent.
First Actions After Storm Damage
While it’s always important to contact your insurance agent as soon as possible after severe damage to your home (so you can start making your claim), you should also take steps to ensure your own safety and to prevent further damages to your home.
Once you’ve ensured that you and your family are safe, make sure to plug up holes, stop leaks (or contact local authorities for dangerous leaks or down power lines), and generally stop any damage from getting worse on your property. This is your responsibility as an insurance policyholder.
Butler Insurance offers homeowners insurance policies with coverage that meets your needs. Talk to us today about our policy options or if you have questions concerning your coverage.
