Hurricanes can cause devastating damage to homes, especially the roofs. After a hurricane, you should always check your roof for any signs of damage and repair or replace it depending on the condition. If you’re a homeowner in Indianapolis, your roof might be insured against hurricane damage.
According to Jackson Contracting, although most standard homeowners insurance policies usually cover damage from hurricanes, including roof damage, this coverage can vary based on several factors. Here’s what you should know.
Understanding Home Insurance Coverage
Most home insurance policies will help you out when your property is damaged. However, you must meet certain conditions for the insurance to apply. This is what you should consider when reviewing your policy:
Policy Type
See what type of policy you have as it will influence your coverage. Most standard policies might include provisions for wind and hail damage, but you must check if there are any exclusions or specific limits related to hurricanes.
Deductibles
If your policy covers hurricane damage, check the deductible amount applicable to it. Some insurers offer separate deductibles for wind and hail damage, which can be higher than standard deductibles.
Actual Cash vs Replacement Cost
It’s essential to note that insurance policies often differ in how they compensate you for your damages. In some instances, your policy will provide you with the actual cash value (ACV), which accounts for depreciation, to cover your costs.
In other types of policies, you will be offered replacement cost coverage, which pays for the full cost of repairing or replacing your roof—whichever fits your situation.
Additional Coverages
Although most insurance policies will help with associated hurricane damages such as wind or hail, you might also have some property damage due to flood. Flood insurance caused by heavy rains is not often part of standard hurricane damage coverage and is mostly available through additional coverage options.
Check your insurance policy for anything related to flood damage to see if you can benefit from the coverage. If you do not have flood insurance, consider getting it if you are in a flood zone.
Steps to Take After Hurricane Damage
If you have suffered damage to your property due to adverse weather caused by a hurricane in Indianapolis, you should take the following steps to validate your insurance claim:
Document the Damages
You should take various photos and notes of all the visible damage to your roof and home. Try to highlight the damage as much as possible. Keep in mind that if you intentionally aggravate the damage, it might invalidate your claim.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance provider and report the damage immediately so that the claims process will be initiated right away. Do not delay the report as it can harm your claim.
Get a Professional Assessment
One of the best ways to ensure that your damages will be covered is to work with professionals who can inspect your home and provide a detailed report on the damage. Consider speaking with a roofing contractor right away to get the process started sooner rather than later.
Keep Records
It’s essential to keep copies of all correspondence with your insurance company and any contractors involved in the damage assessment. This documentation will help you out if you face any scrutiny.
Speak With a Lawyer
If your insurance company will not pay for the damages despite being covered in your insurance policy, you should consult with a lawyer. A lawyer can help you understand your policy better and pursue a lawsuit if necessary.
Common Exclusions in Home Insurance Policies for Hurricane Damages You Should Be Aware Of
When it comes to hurricane damage, plenty of homeowners might find themselves in situations where certain types of damages will be excluded from their coverage. As mentioned earlier, flood damage is usually not covered by standard home insurance.
Homeowners must have a separate flood insurance policy. Still, there are other exclusions or challenges that you might face when pursuing your claim, such as:
Wear and Tear
Although an insurance policy will help you with damages from natural disasters if the damage resulted from normal wear and tear, or poor maintenance and a lack of repairs, you might not be able to recover damages.
It’s easy for a hurricane to expose pre-existing issues that were not addressed. If such is the case, you might not receive coverage.
Negligence
There are some instances where insurance companies will deny coverage to homeowners that showcased negligence. For example, if a homeowner knew that a storm was coming, but did not secure loose items or take other protective steps, an insurance company can refuse to pay for the damages.
Business Property
If you work from home and do not have separate business insurance you might not be able to use your homeowners policy to cover damages to business property.
Secondary Structures
Homeowners should be aware that their insurance might not cover damage to secondary structures such as fences, sheds, or detached garages. In some instances, you might have limited coverage, but everything depends on your insurance policy and the cause of the damage.
Loss of Use
A homeowners insurance policy will often cover additional living expenses if a homeowner can no longer live in their home due to the damage. However, some exclusions might apply based on the cause of the damage. This situation often occurs when homeowners do not have flood insurance and water damage prevents them from remaining in their homes.
Since there are so many exclusions that can prevent you from seeking coverage, it’s crucial to review your insurance policy attentively and understand your options, including which optional coverage you should purchase that might help you. Consider speaking with an insurance agent, lawyer, or other licensed professional if you need help. Contact a roofing company if you want a proper damage assessment that you can use to pursue coverage.
