Hurricane Aftermath: What Do I Do Now?

Hurricanes can leave a devastating, deadly, and destructive impact. That's why knowing how to handle yourself right after a hurricane passes can help you get on the fast track to returning to normal life. Having the right protection in place before the storm hits is just one essential preparation step to take.

An independent insurance agent can help you get equipped with the right homeowners insurance to help you recover after a hurricane. Your agent will also help you find additional coverage that may be necessary to protect against damage from the storm. But first, check out this list of essential action steps to take after a hurricane.

First Things First: Prepare Wisely

From an insurance perspective, there are several actions you should take to make sure you are ready for hurricane season. Preparing a detailed home inventory and being familiar with your insurance coverage ahead of time will save you a lot of time and frustration later. And you certainly don't want to be preoccupied with documenting your belongings while you're trying to get to a safe space or evacuate. 

Preparing a home inventory is the best thing to do to ensure you are properly reimbursed for your belongings if you have a loss. If you have a home inventory, you will be able to verify your losses for tax purposes, and your claim will likely be settled faster with less red tape. 

You can put together your inventory on your own, or you can hire a professional or use specialty software. You can also create a handwritten list or a spreadsheet on your computer. Many insurance companies offer software or apps that help with inventory preparation.

When your inventory is completed, make several copies and be sure to keep at least one set away from your home in a secure location. Remember to update your inventory every year before hurricane season. This is also a great time to renew your homeowners insurance coverage with your independent insurance agent. 

8 Steps to Take After a Hurricane

Right after a hurricane passes is not the time to think about your most prized possessions. Your top priority must be your and your family's safety. Make sure to locate all family members, including pets, and move everyone to a safe location ASAP. 

Step 1: Make safety your top priority

Here are some ways to stay safe immediately after the storm and during cleanup:

• Stay connected to your local news station for updates and to find out when it's declared safe to return home.
• Wear protective clothing during the cleanup of your property. Face coverings should be worn to protect against mold spores that may not be visible and to protect you against the spread of disease from other people.
• Turn off your home's breaker box while performing a cleanup. Especially if you're in standing water, be sure not to touch electrical equipment or wires.
• Avoid wading through floodwaters, since they can be full of diseases, debris, chemicals, or wildlife like snakes. The water could also have been electrically charged from underground or downed power lines. 
• Stay in touch with friends, neighbors, and extended family as much as possible, but also work to conserve your phone's battery life.
• Document all visible property damage to your home and surrounding areas through photographs and videos.

Once your family members are all safe and accounted for, you can move on to making repairs and filing an insurance claim.

Step 2: Make temporary repairs 

You can start making temporary repairs to your home that are vital to your family's safety or that will stop the damage from getting worse, such as:

• Look for branches that could snap and fall at any minute, and cut them down. 
• Clear access to breaker boxes in and around your home. 
• Where safe and possible, patch any holes that you can for the moment to avoid additional wind or water damage.

Anything that you can do to keep your family protected from the elements for the immediate future is ideal, but don't go overboard on home repairs until you've spoken to your insurance company.

Step 3: Inventory any structural damage

Assess and document the extent of the damage and destruction to your home’s structure. Be sure to include detached structures like sheds, garages, and pools, as well. Your list should include minor damage like wall cracks, major destruction like shattered windows or missing sections of the home, and everything in between.

You may also want to get your plumbing and electrical systems inspected. Your home insurance policy will probably reimburse you for this process. If you're unsure, you can ask your independent insurance agent to review your coverage for you and advise accordingly.

Step 4: Find your home inventory 

You'll need the inventory of your personal possessions to expedite your insurance claim. Having a premade list of your damaged and destroyed property to give to the insurance company will help speed up the process of getting your home repaired and receiving reimbursement. 

Don’t clean out or throw away any damaged and destroyed items before the insurance company's claims adjuster visits your home. Further documenting your damaged and destroyed property by taking pictures or videos to include with your inventory list can also expedite the process.

Step 5: File a homeowners insurance claim

Next, you’ll want to talk to your independent insurance agent, who can help you file a home insurance claim immediately and walk you through the rest of the journey. Your agent will help answer any questions you may have about the process and keep you moving in the right direction. They can also keep you informed with schedules, timelines, and expectations for every step of the process. 

Step 6: Secure estimates from licensed, reputable contractors

Once you’ve identified the damage, you’ll want to get professional estimates for the necessary repairs to your home. Having itemized estimates from licensed contractors to send to your insurance company will speed up the claims and reimbursement process. 

Your independent insurance agent can help advise on which aspects of your property you need to secure professional estimates for.

Step 7: Make copies of all important documents

You’ll be sharing a lot of important paperwork with your insurance company, but you’ll want to keep copies for yourself, too, as they will be useful after the claims process is complete. Keep a folder of copies of all receipts, estimates, inventory lists, etc., to help the process run as smoothly as possible. Then you can compare your documentation to your insurance company's final decision about your claim and any reimbursement to make sure everything adds up.

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Step 8: Make adjustments for the future

One of the most important things you can do after a hurricane is to assess the lessons you've learned and make adjustments for the future. Some important questions to ask yourself include whether you had the right amount of insurance coverage, or whether you needed more or less. Also ask yourself if you were properly prepared for every phase of the disaster, or if there's something else you could have done that would've been useful.

If you live in an area that experiences hurricanes, it's likely you'll be touched by another storm in the future. 

Reviewing your homeowners insurance is something you should do every year with the help of an independent insurance agent. If you live in a hurricane zone, it is even more important to know what is covered, what is not, and what you need to do to ensure your claims are handled properly. 

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover All of My Hurricane Damage? 

Though your homeowners insurance includes coverage for wind damage from a hurricane, it won't cover water damage caused by the natural flooding that tends to come with these storms. You'd need to add flood insurance, which is a separate policy, to ensure that your home would be protected against flood damage caused by heavy rainfall and flooding from hurricanes.

How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help With Hurricane Coverage?

Your independent insurance agent can help you review your homeowners insurance policy, understand your coverage and your deductibles, and can even help you prepare a home inventory before the storm hits. A local agent understands your community and how to help before and after a hurricane hits. 

When you're buying homeowners insurance, independent agents can simplify the process by shopping and comparing insurance quotes for you. Not only that, but they’ll also cut through the jargon and clarify the fine print so you'll know exactly what you’re getting.

Independent insurance agents also have access to multiple insurance companies, ultimately finding you the best home insurance coverage, accessibility, and competitive pricing while working for you.