What to do after a hurricane hits

This is one of the most terrible things any family can experience. I was able to witness this closely when hurricane Sandy hit the north east. Although my personal damages to my home were an inconvenience was relatively minor compared to my neighbors I can honestly say I had no idea what steps I needed to take to make myself and my family whole again after damages.

So it start with reporting your damages to your insurance company. If you have flood insurance make sure you have a copy of your policy. You want to be familiar with all areas of the policy which are covered. One area we tend to forget is the deductible so there is an upfront cost to the insurer before the policy takes effect. They normally use a percentage of your homes value. When you are advised to evacuate or a pending hurricane is about to strike take pictures of inside your home so you can have a before and after comparison for your insurance company.

After the hurricane you should take pictures of all the damages and make a list of damages as well. If repairs are needed only make emergency repairs so you are able to secure your home or prevent further damage to your home. Once your have completed your list and photos contact the insurance company immediately. If your are unable to stay in your home because of extensive damage then you will have to make arrangements for lodging it so keep all records of your stay. When a large disaster hits in most cases insurance companies will work on a first come first serve bases. So you want to be first and organized when you make contact with your insurance company.

I hope this information is helpful as always please leave a comment

Mark Carbajal