When natural disasters strike, they may cause various forms of damage to homes and apartments. Items inside of a home or apartment may also be damaged or lost in the aftermath of a storm. A standard homeowners or renters insurance policy in the U.S. will likely cover the cost of repairing a home. It will also likely help individuals pay to repair or replace belongings damaged inside of the home, apartment or condo.
Tips for making storm damage insurance claims
The U.S. has been hit by an unusual number of severe thunderstorms this summer. For example, on Aug. 11, a hailstorm tore through Billings, Montana, shattering windows and punching holes in roofs. This sort of damage can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair, forcing many homeowners to file an insurance claim to recover their losses. Fortunately, there are several things they can do to make the claims process go more smoothly.
Texas is top state for hail damage insurance claims
Texas leads the nation in hail damage insurance claims, according to an analysis released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The analysis looked at claims data from Jan. 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2018.
Colorado hailstorms cause insurance costs to spike
Colorado homeowners may be concerned about their insurance premiums, especially as hailstorms are causing even more damage throughout the state. In 2018, Colorado suffered the greatest hail losses across the country.
Preparing for disaster
Natural disasters in the United States result in billions of dollars in property damage. However, not many people take the necessary precautions.
Hail damage losses have increased since 2008
Adjusted for inflation, losses caused by hail damage totaled $19 billion in 2008. In a typical year previously, losses caused by hail damage would have been $8 billion to $12 billion. The trend of increased damage continued for the next decade, but no one is sure what is to blame. However, one possible explanation is that people are moving farther from cities, which means that hail damage can occur in a larger area.
Hail damage on pace to hit all-time high in 2019
According to insurance experts, 2019 is shaping up to be the worst year on record for hail damage in the United States. As of mid-April, there have already been 664 hailstorms reported, which is more than were reported in all of 2018. In addition, April, May and June are typically when most hailstorms occur, so this year's total will almost certainly increase.
Who is responsible for storm repairs in a townhouse?
As summer rapidly approaches, we tend to think about shorts, barbeques and warm weather finally coming after a dreadful winter. However, a significant part of summer is the massive storms that happen all season long.
Hail damage may be covered by insurance
After a storm, damage to a home or building may not be evident right away. In May 2018, a hailstorm struck York County in Pennsylvania, and many buildings sustained damage. While the owners of these buildings may have insurance coverage, there is a deadline by which they must file an insurance claim. Generally speaking, the deadline is one year from the event that caused the damage to occur.
Insurance companies refuse payouts after hailstorms
Colorado homeowners are facing serious damages as a result of hailstorms throughout the state. However, when they file a claim with their homeowners' insurance policies for the storm damage, they are facing delays, denials and lowered estimates that could hinder their opportunity to recover from the damage caused by the hail. In the past decade, homeowners and businesspeople in the state have sustained over $3 billion in insured damages due to hail alone.
