Hurricanes are a fact of life in the Sunshine State. Knowing what to do immediately after a storm strikes will faster restore your home to normal. Keep these tips in mind before the next storm makes landfall.
Document the Damage
Take a thorough inventory of the damage. To do this, you’ll need to be methodical because you don’t want to miss a thing before filing your claim. Here’s how:
Start outside: Once the storm has passed and it’s safe to go outside, inspect your home for exterior damage. Take video as well and narrate what you see. Most of the damage will be obvious but some things are easy to overlook, such as slight warping to the siding or chipped window frames.
Get up close to your home, taking pictures of both structural and cosmetic damage. Take pictures up close and at a distance. Start on one side of your house and work your way around. Carefully examine the condition of any appliances such as your HVAC unit, barbecue grills, and pool equipment.
Go room by room: Once inside, detail your findings room by room, staring in one corner and working your way to the next. Feel along the walls for moisture damage and warping. Take pictures of any personal property that may have been harmed as well.
Arm yourself with a legal pad and take plenty of notes. Be sure your handwriting is legible and your photos and videos are clear.
Stay Organized
Dealing with insurance companies can be stressful and overwhelming. Staying organized will help make sense of the calamity.
Maintain a binder: Use this to keep all important documents, receipts, and estimates, along with notes from discussions with insurance adjusters, contractors and anyone else related to the claim.
Make Your Claim
Visual evidence, along with estimates from contractors and documentation proving the value of the personal property will make a strong case with your insurer. This will make it difficult for the adjuster to deny your claim.
Bottom line: Recovering from storm damage can be hectic and stressful. But detailing damage and maintaining organized records will speed the claims process along. Restoring comfort to your home will also be a top priority. You can count on Global Cooling to get your HVAC system up and running again. To schedule an appointment, contact our team online or call (352) 449-4060.