Protect Your Home From Natural Disasters

Have you reviewed your homeowner’s insurance policy to know what is covered? We discuss how to protect your property from natural disasters.
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Staff Writer, @DooleyNotedLaw

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Homeowners insurance is for situations where damage is likely too expensive to cover out-of-pocket. However, a standard homeowners insurance policy will only cover problems such as theft or internal fire damage. But have you considered coverage to protect your home from natural disasters?

Natural disasters damage thousands of homes and devastate families’ livelihoods every day. However, natural disaster coverage for homeowners often requires additional coverage. This article discusses natural disaster coverage for homeowners and how to find out if your home is protected.

Understand Your Risk To Protect Your Home From Natural Disasters

In Texas, you will likely want to consider supplemental homeowners insurance policies to protect your home from natural disasters. Standard homeowners insurance policies generally do not cover these situations below, so you will likely need a separate policy for each. Texas homeowners should consider insurance policies to cover natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados (and other windstorms), hail, flooding, and even wildfires. 

Hurricane

Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30. Since 1980, hurricanes have caused more damage than any other weather-related event. In most cases, hurricane insurance is not a stand-alone policy but rather the proper combination of policies that cover you from a hurricane’s two most devastating elements: wind and water. It’s essential to understand if your current policy covers the full extent of any hurricane damage.

Tornadoes and Wind Storms

In certain places, wind insurance covers many wind-related natural disasters. In Texas, it’s common for homeowners to purchase separate wind policies for tornadoes and hurricanes. If you have a wind policy, check to make sure your policy’s wind coverage includes tornados and hurricanes, or you may want to look into an additional policy. It’s important to have wind insurance because these disasters can cause a lot of damage to your home.

Hail 

Hail is a common natural disaster in Texas. Hailstones the size of golf balls can cause significant damage to your home, especially your roof. If you live in an area where hail hits often, it’s essential to know the difference between a roof that needs repairs and a replacement. 

Many homeowners don’t realize that their insurance policy doesn’t generally cover hail damage to its full extent. Evaluate the age of your roof and review your policy to ensure you have protected your home from hail damage.

Flooding 

If your home is at risk of flooding, it’s essential to have a flood policy. A standard home insurance policy doesn’t include this type of coverage. Flood policies can help protect your home and belongings after a flood. If you have a home insurance policy, contact your agent or company to see if you need to purchase a separate flood policy.

Wildfires

The risk of wildfires in Texas increases during the dry season. Especially if you live near trees, it may be necessary to purchase supplemental insurance to protect your property. In the summer, the weather in Texas can get very dry, which increases the risk of a fire. If you live in an area with a chance of wildfires, talk to your insurance agent about what coverages and limits make sense. 

Is My Home Protected From Natural Disasters?

First, it’s essential to understand your risk so you can make plans to protect your home from a natural disaster. 

Second, it is essential to understand your homeowner’s insurance policy. Contact your insurance company if you have questions before a natural disaster hits. That way, you will know what is covered and what is not. If you wait until after you have damage, you may not be able to get the coverage you need.

Home insurance policies vary depending on the company. For example, some companies might cover storm damage but not floods, and other companies might cover damage from floods but not storms. Therefore, read your policy carefully to see what is not covered.

If you’re unsure what kind of coverage you have, contact your insurance company and ask them to explain it.

Further, if a natural disaster damages your property, you should wait to make permanent repairs. Wait until you have received an accurate quote from your insurance company. Additionally, you need to document the damage before repairing it. You can do this by taking photos or videos or hiring a professional to assess the damage.

Why Hire a Lawyer in Texas to Protect Your Property From a Natural Disaster

Finding the right coverage and understanding the full extent of your policy can be a complex process. Often, homeowners aren’t aware of their coverage based on the information given to them by their agent.

An attorney can help you review your current policy to find any potential risk areas in your insurance policy. They can advise and walk you through questions you might have about supplemental policies to protect your home from a natural disaster.

Additionally, an insurance dispute lawyer in Texas can assist you in communicating with your insurance company after the damage occurs. 

Ultimately, the Dooley Noted team has experience in Real Estate Law, Document and Contract Review, and Insurance Disputes. We can serve as your advocate before and after a natural disaster occurs. Schedule a free consultation with us today.

The contents of this post, and the posting and viewing of the information on this post, should not be construed as, and should not be relied upon for, legal advice in any particular circumstance or fact situation. An attorney should be contacted for advice on specific legal issues.

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