High winds from thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tropical storms can cause extensive damage to residential homes and commercial buildings. These damages can financially devastate homeowners who don't adequately document damages before submitting claims. Documenting wind damage for insurance claims is vital to recovering losses when your property suffers damage from a storm.
Contact a wind damage insurance claims attorney to ensure a smooth process in recovering maximum damages in your claim. They work for contingency and only get paid if you do. You don’t have to navigate this process alone.
Steps to Properly Documenting Wind Damage for Insurance Claims
Adequate documentation of damages is mandatory for recovering financial compensation for your losses. The steps to properly documenting wind damages for insurance claims are as follows:
Ensure Safety First
Before you document any damage, always ensure your safety and the safety of others. Scan your surroundings for potential dangers, such as standing water, unstable structures or trees, exposed nails, broken glass, downed power lines, and dangerous debris.
If you identify safety hazards, evacuate the grounds and hire professional help before documenting wind damages for insurance claims. A property insurance lawyer will ensure a safe environment before assessing damages.
Document the Date and Time
Accuracy is crucial when filing insurance claims for wind damage. Document the date and time when the damages occurred. If plausible, ensure your photos and video footage are timestamped. Alternatively, you can document those details in a written record.
Take Clear Photos and Video
Visual evidence is critical in capturing the extent of your property's wind damage. Blurred photos or videos captured by shaky hands that don't accurately show details of your damages won't bode well for your claim. Take clear, high-resolution images with a digital camera or a cell phone with a high-quality camera.
Ensure suitable lighting before taking photographs and video footage from multiple angles, including wide shots and close-up views. This ensures a comprehensive look at the overall wind damage to your property. An attorney will complete this step for you.
Pay Attention to Details
Be careful to capture the details of your property’s wind damage. While filming, zoom into areas that show visible signs of structural issues, exposed wires, water intrusion, or mold growth. Visually documenting these details provides comprehensive evidence for your wind damage insurance claim.
Take a Written Inventory of Damaged Property
To assess your wind damages accurately, you must take a written inventory of any items on or within your property damaged by the storm. Include item descriptions and estimated values. Your inventory list can include personal belongings, furniture, electronics, appliances, media, decor, and any other damaged items.
If you have receipts to prove their exact costs, ensure you include copies or photos of them. Document your lost sentimental items, such as family heirlooms and pictures. Unfortunately, despite their irreplaceable sentiment in your heart, you will likely only receive market value for those losses—unless you carry sentimental insurance.
Don’t Throw Away Damaged Items Prematurely
As tempting as it may be to dispose of damaged items, wait to toss anything until your insurance company gives you the green light. It is vital evidence in your wind damage insurance claim. They may want to inspect or collect it.
If you must dispose of damaged items due to health and safety concerns, keep a record of them and the reason for their removal. Ensure you video and photograph the items before disposal.
Preserve Evidence of Any Temporary Repairs
After sustaining wind damage in a storm, temporary repairs may be necessary to ensure your property's safety or prevent further damage. You must accurately document these temporary repairs with before and after pictures. This measure will demonstrate that you took immediate action to prevent further damage and costs, and that you need to be reimbursed for those repair costs.
Keep Receipts
Keep receipts for any out-of-pocket costs you incur due to the wind damage—for example, receipts for supplies needed for temporary repairs. If you paid someone to remove dangerous debris for your immediate safety, you'll want to provide invoices for that service for reimbursement.
Hire a Reputable Wind Damage Insurance Claim Lawyer
Hire an experienced wind damage insurance claims lawyer to handle your claim. They frequently handle claims like yours and know how to secure a fair settlement. Trust an experienced attorney to review your insurance policy and get maximum compensation for your claim.
Why You Need an Insurance Claims Attorney for Wind Damage Insurance Claims
Property owners with minimal damages and a comprehensive understanding of their insurance policy can probably navigate their claim without an insurance claims attorney. However, those suffering substantial damages and are unclear about their policies should immediately consult one.
Reasons why you need a lawyer for wind damage insurance claims include coverage disagreements, damage disagreements, claim denials, and if an insurance company is acting in bad faith.
Coverage Disagreements
Coverage disagreements are a significant concern when documenting wind damages for insurance claims. You may believe certain damages are covered under your policy, but your insurer disagrees. You may believe that your roof needs to be replaced due to wind damage, and your insurance company may argue that it only needs repairs.
These frequent situations make having an insurance claims lawyer review your claim invaluable. They are knowledgeable and experienced with coverage issues and insurance practices and how to navigate them for optimal results.
Damage Disagreements
Insurance companies are notorious for suggesting some damages existed and were not caused by the storm. It helps minimize their company's cost to undervalue your claim. If you disagree with the insurance company's assessment of the wind damage to your home, it's helpful to have an attorney who argues on your behalf.
Insurance Claim Denials
Insurers deny wind damage claims for various reasons. However, that doesn't mean you must accept having your claim denied if you don't understand why or agree with their reasoning. If your wind damage insurance claim has been denied, speak to an insurance claims attorney to determine a strategy for appeal.
Bad Faith Insurance Tactics
When an insurance company acts in bad faith, it will undervalue, delay, and deny claims without reason. An experienced attorney won't allow these tactics to prevent you from recovering the fair compensation you deserve for damages sustained.
Consult a Wind Damage Insurance Claims Lawyer
Schedule a free consultation with an experienced wind damage claims attorney to discuss your claim. They will ensure proper documentation of wind damages before filing your insurance claim.