SAN ANTONIO – A reported tornado hit several areas on the Northwest Side on Wednesday, leaving behind a trail of damage.
It serves as a reminder that is closer to home: Nature can cause a lot of damage.
It’s a reality that has motivated many people to get insurance, so when homes and property are damaged, it can help things get back sooner.
Rich Johnson, communications director for the Insurance Council of Texas, said if you have a policy, be it a renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy, know where it is and whether it is up-to-date or not.
He said when it’s time to use it, the first thing you need to do is document or take pictures of any damage.
Johnson said renter’s insurance typically covers personal property that you bought. So, take pictures of damaged furniture, appliances, electronics and things of that nature.
He also said there is usually a section in the policy labeled “ALE,” which stands for additional living expenses.
In instances where policy holders cannot stay in their leased or rented homes or apartments because of safety issues or other specified circumstances, the policy may cover hotel stays and other expenses.
But Johnson said it depends on what is spelled out in people’s respective policies, because it may only cover the expense temporarily and according to restrictions.
“If you have that ALE coverage, which typical policies do, where you might get some expenses for whether it’s a hotel room, maybe it’s food, eating out, but that is going to have limits to it,” Johnson explained. “It’s going to probably have a dollar limit as well as a day limit of how much coverage you have. It just depends on what your policy says.”
Wednesday’s tornado and winds also tore off branches and uprooted trees.
Johnson stressed documenting or taking pictures of the trees and the actual damage they caused to homes and property.
He advised home and property owners to cover exposed areas created by falling trees and branches to prevent rain from getting in and causing even more damage.
Johnson said if a heavy tree or branches are resting on your home, get a contractor or removal service if possible to get that added weight off your home’s frame as soon as possible.
Johnson said to keep a record of expenses incurred to repair damage.
“If you make any of those temporary repairs, save all the receipts, save the cost to it, because you can be reimbursed by your insurance company,” he said.
Whether or not you were impacted by Wednesday’s weather, Johnson said to review all your insurance policies and key in on what your deductibles are.
He suggests people evaluate their current financial situation and determine if the deductible will create a hardship if they choose to file a claim.
“Make sure that you can afford that deductible if you do have something happen to your home, because you are going to be responsible to pay for that out of pocket,” Johnson said.
He emphasized that people should know and understand what is and is not included in their explanation of coverage.
If they do not, they need to talk to their insurance agent.
For anyone who is going to file a claim, he recommended not to wait, and to keep in mind they are not the only person making a claim and it could take some time.
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