Hurricanes are inevitable, and they occur yearly. This year, hurricane season is starting early and that means it’s time to prepare.
Like most homeowners in Florida, you probably have homeowner’s insurance for hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. Making a claim is time-consuming and something you would rather avoid if you can. Fortunately, preparing can help limit the damage to your home, so any claim you do make moves more smoothly.
1. Prepare Your Trees
The first thing that you need to consider is the impact of flying debris. Outdoor plants like trees, shrubs, and bushes all have the potential to break free in high winds. The branches and greenery have the potential to break windows or impact your home. This causes damage you need to claim for.
2. Prepare the Outside of Your Home
There are many parts of your home that could come loose and fly away or cause damage during a hurricane. For example, you may have gutters that need to be tied down, lawn furniture on a patio that should be secured or even items like diving boards or pool ladders that need to be put away before a storm strikes.
You should also cover windows with plywood or other storm covers to protect the glass. That way, if they are impacted, no debris comes into your home.
3. Get Ready to Lose Power
It’s likely that the storm will knock out the power to your home, so it’s a good idea to install a generator. Generators may run on gas or be battery-powered, depending on your preferences. Remember to secure them and keep them at least 20 feet away from the doors or windows of your home to prevent injury from fumes.
4. Create a Dam
The last thing you want to deal with is flooding in your home. There are a number of structures you can purchase to help prevent water from entering your home. For example, piling up bags of sand helps keep water from entering your property. Some pop-up water barriers expand when filled with air and provide a taller, lightweight barrier around a home.
Taking precautions like these can prevent injuries and damage to your home. Your attorney can help you file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance carrier after the hurricane passes, so you can receive compensation for anything that was damaged in the storm.
Has Your Home Insurance Company Denied Or Undervalued Your Property Damage Claim In Florida?
If your insurance company is dragging their feet regarding your property damage claim you should speak with an experienced insurance claim lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Tampa, Florida law office directly at 800.451.6786 to schedule your free consultation. We help Florida residents just like you fight the big insurance companies who fail to abide by their own policies. Remember, we work on a contingent basis, meaning you don't pay us anything until we win your case.
