A property insurance policy usually covers direct physical damage from windstorm. If direct physical damage is obvious, like entire roofs & walls or portions of roofs & walls that are damaged or blown away, then a coverage determination becomes easy.
The major concern of the property owner becomes, "What is the cost of repair or replacement to make me whole again?"
Business will suffer loss of business and home owners may undergo a long road of frustration with their insurance company. Homeowners will want to know where they will live while their home is being repaired. For business owners, not only is the building loss a concern, but business inventory losses and personal property damage frequently become a major portion of the windstorm damage insurance claim.
There are instances where the damage from a covered peril is not so obvious.
Water damage resulting from a windstorm event requires us to look at specific policy language of this type of loss. Typically, if the windstorm event causes a break in the building or home like the roof or walls, and water comes into the property due to that break, then you have coverage.
This would include water damage to the building or home itself, such as drywall damage, particle board expansion, electrical damage, mold, etc. Water damage to contents would also typically be included as part of the loss. Wind driven rain can also be very problematic in a hurricane as many insurance companies will not pay unless there is a break or opening in a structure. Smart Claims Public Adjusting can help property insurance policyholders recover what they are owed.
Damage/loss from hurricanes, especially around the coastline areas have high exposure to both windstorm and flood damage. This creates the wind versus water controversies that fill our courtrooms following hurricane events.
Why?
The primary reason is that property insurance contracts that do cover windstorms normally exclude the peril of flood, and flood policies cover flood but not the peril of windstorm. So what happens when a hurricane damages properties, especially near our coastlines? Will the windstorm insurance carriers and the flood carriers point fingers at each other, and leave you, the policyholder, caught in the middle. Our experience is if you have a loss from wind and flood you need to be prepared to prove which caused what part of your damage.
If you can, record the events as they take place. Pictures and video certainly help, assuming you are taking every precaution necessary to ensure your safety.
Be prepared. Know your policy. Smart Claims Public Adjusting will be happy to review your policy and make recommendations to protect your business or home.
Contact us: support@smartclaimspa.com
281-607-0042