{"id":107,"date":"2010-06-07T00:14:36","date_gmt":"2010-06-07T04:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/?p=107"},"modified":"2010-06-07T11:41:34","modified_gmt":"2010-06-07T15:41:34","slug":"home-insurance-claim-and-hurricane-damage-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/home-insurance-claim-and-hurricane-damage-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Insurance Claim And Hurricane Damage Myths"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hurricane<\/a>Expert\u00a0storm forecasters calling for a\u00a0high-grade 2010 Atlantic basin hurricane season, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) advises insureds on the the best ways to protect\u00a0their belongings\u00a0from hurricane claims<\/a>. However, the same is true for home insurance claims. Let us\u00a0take note of\u00a0the most\u00a0common misinformation about home insurance claims<\/a> and hurricane readiness.<\/p>\n

1. Always open windows on the least exposed side of the house to relieve air pressure
\n<\/strong>It is\u00a0down right impossible to know ahead of time which\u00a0 direction could be the leeward\u00a0wall \u2013 as strong winds can and often do change as a storm moves through. Attempting\u00a0to open and close the windows at the time of a hurricane puts you near window glass\u00a0that can break, increasing injury. In addition, as the hurricane direction changes, the open\u00a0windows can welcome wind-driven rains to flow within your home\u00a0or structure and damage contents. Common leaks of air around your windows\u00a0and doors\u00a0will tend to relieve wind related pressure in\u00a0a dwelling\u00a0 and lower\u00a0 the atmospheric pressure from\u00a0the event\u00a0outside. The greatest danger comes\u00a0when the very\u00a0large window or door fails\u00a0on a\u00a0wall facing the wind. The key is keeping all wind and rain out of the home with proper ventilation.<\/p>\n

2. Property Owners\u00a0should protect\u00a0the windows and doors\u00a0facing\u00a0the ocean or gulf sides
\n<\/strong>Being that\u00a0hurricanes are a blustery, spinning type\u00a0storm, wind loads\u00a0will\u00a0impact from any direction, which\u00a0can often change quickly,\u00a0all of a sudden\u00a0you\u00a0find yourself\u00a0in the eye of the storm. Your best bet is to protect windows and doors on all sides of your structure.<\/p>\n

3. Tape\u00a0big “X” on windows
\n<\/strong>Taping glass\u00a0doesn’t do anything\u00a0to secure or protect windows. Although duct tape does wonders for many around the house tasks, it cannot help to keep the window glass\u00a0in their frame and firmly fixed to the structure.<\/p>\n

4. Leaning or pushing up against\u00a0the window or doors that is being blown inward by the wind\u00a0pressure will help in securing\u00a0the window or door\u00a0from becoming damaged<\/strong>
\nThis clearly puts\u00a0you in harm’s way and increases the likelihood that you can become cut or incur bodily harm. Makes no difference\u00a0what kind of glass the home has, you should stay and keep\u00a0away\u00a0from any glass during severe\u00a0windstorm. Before a hurricane begins, be sure to inspect\u00a0the anchoring of your doors. With all\u00a0entry doors, you can\u00a0install more latches and\u00a0make sure that hinge points\u00a0are well-secured with at least 3″\u00a0screws that are secured\u00a0into the wall framing. Take\u00a0protective action before hand\u00a0to ensure you won’t be\u00a0tempted to try and keep doors secure by leaning on them. Shield yourself with\u00a0as many walls as you can\u00a0between you\u00a0and the windward elevation.<\/p>\n

5. I’ve had insurance with this company for 40 years. They will pay for all damages to my property<\/strong>
\nUnfortunately insurance agents sell policies and truly give a false sense of security to policyholders. Most people believe that when they have damage to their home they will be covered in the even of a disaster or when they suffer a loss. Well… not exactly. There are issues with larger storms that can result in damages that are simply not covered under certain policies. For instance, damages caused by flooding are not covered under homeowners or business insurance. In the event you suffer damages from a flood, you must have a flood policy on top of your homeowners or business policy.<\/p>\n

Hurricanes can also produce storm surge. Storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, like a hurricane or cyclone. Storm surge is caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean’s surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level. When the surge pounds the coast it causes severe damage to homes and buildings. This type of damage is not covered under ANY insurance policy.<\/p>\n

6. “You can’t fight city hall!” Or in this case Insurance Companies (BONUS Insurance Tip)<\/strong>
\n\"Home<\/a>Back in the day there was on old adage, “You can’t fight City Hall.” There is a similar perception when it comes to insurance companies. Many are under the impression that the insurance giants are untouchable and disagreeing with them will be a battle you just can’t win. See, that’s actually the biggest problem… trying to WIN! It shouldn’t be about winning or losing, it should be about the damage caused by the event and how much it costs. Winning and losing causes differences and disputes that usually have nothing to do with the damages or the settlement of the claim. It turns into a he said she said issue which accomplishes nothing.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Well, you may not be able to fight city hall… but\ufeff\ufeff, you can fight for your rights in an insurance claim.\u00a0If you do decide to dispute your claim with your insurance company you are actually protected by your policy. Almost all insurance policies for property damage have a little known clause called Appraisal. Appraisal allows disputes to be solved by\u00a0independent\ufeff \ufeffappraisers \ufeff\ufeffa\ufeffn\ufeffd\ufeff \ufeffa\ufeffn\ufeff \ufeffu\ufeffm\ufeffp\ufeffi\ufeffr\ufeffe\ufeff \ufeffa\ufeffs\ufeff opposed \ufefft\ufeffo\ufeff \ufefff\ufeffi\ufeffg\ufeffh\ufefft\ufeffi\ufeffn\ufeffg\ufeff \ufeffi\ufefft\ufeff \ufeffo\ufeffu\ufefft\ufeff \ufeffi\ufeffn\ufeff \ufeffc\ufeffo\ufeffu\ufeffr\ufefft\ufeff.<\/p>\n

\ufeff\ufeffT\ufeffh\ufeffe\ufeff \ufeff\ufeffa\ufeffp\ufeffp\ufeffr\ufeffa\ufeffi\ufeffs\ufeffa\ufeffl\ufeff process \ufeffa\ufeffl\ufeffl\ufeffo\ufeffw\ufeffs\ufeff \ufefff\ufeffo\ufeffr\ufeff home \ufeffi\ufeffn\ufeffs\ufeffu\ufeffr\ufeffa\ufeffc\ufeffn\ufeffc\ufeffe\ufeff \ufeffc\ufeffl\ufeffa\ufeffi\ufeffm\ufeff<\/a> \ufeffd\ufeffi\ufeffs\ufeffa\ufeffg\ufeffr\ufeffe\ufeffe\ufeffm\ufeffe\ufeffn\ufefft\ufeffs\ufeff \ufeffand disputes to \ufeffb\ufeffe\ufeff \ufeffr\ufeffe\ufeffs\ufeffo\ufeffl\ufeffv\ufeffe\ufeffd using a less costly and less time consuming process. Although the appraisal process and award (outcome) is binding, it is a less formal process that does not involve attorneys, judges, juries, or courtrooms. Find out the full details at Insurance Appraisal Process<\/a> .com<\/p>\n\r\n \r\n
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