Disasters can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. You might ask, what to do after disaster strikes your home? As a homeowner, knowing how to recover from a natural disaster is important. It makes a huge difference when you are able to rebuild your life and get back to normalcy.
It is essential to be prepared for disaster strikes. Unfortunately, many people wait until after a disaster happens before they try to figure out what to do. This can lead to chaos and confusion and may make the situation worse.
After disaster strikes your home, here are a few things you should do.
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The first thing you need to do is assess the damage.
This means looking around your property and determining what has been damaged and to what extent. If possible, take pictures or videos of the damage. This will be important later on when you are making your insurance claim.
However, do not assume that just because something looks damaged that your insurance policy covers it. Many insurance policies have very specific language about what is considered to be “damages” and what is not.
For example, if your home was flooded, but there was no physical damage to the structure of your home, your policy may not cover the cost of repairing any water damage that occurred.
Remember that insufficient proof of damage is one of the most common reasons why insurance claims are denied, so it is important to be as thorough as possible when assessing the damage to your property.
The second thing you need to do is contact your insurance company.
You will need to file a claim with your insurance company to get reimbursed for any damages covered by your policy. The claims process can be confusing and complicated, so it is important to have all the necessary documentation before starting.
Your insurance company will likely require proof of damage, so make sure you have pictures or video from step one. You will also need a copy of your insurance policy and any other paperwork that your specific policy may require.
If possible, contacting your agent directly is always a good idea rather than going through the 800 number. Your agent will be familiar with your policy and will be able to help you through the process more quickly.
The third thing you need to do is start making repairs.
If your home is uninhabitable, you will need to find a place to stay while the repairs are being made. Many insurance policies will reimburse you for the cost of a hotel or other temporary housing.
You will also need to hire contractors to make the necessary repairs. Again, be sure to get multiple estimates and be sure that the contractors you hire are licensed and insured.
Your insurance company may have a list of preferred vendors, but you are not required to use them. It would help if you always got multiple bids regardless of whether or not your insurance company has a list of preferred vendors.
After a disaster strikes your home there are three main things you should do: assess the damage, contact your insurance company, and start making repairs. By following these steps you will be on your way to getting your home back to normal.
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Remember, Safety first
If your place is vulnerable to natural disasters, it is essential to know how to recover from them quickly. And while doing so, remember to prioritize your safety and your loved ones. Have an emergency kit for everyone.
The fact is, disasters are unexpected and the only thing you can do is to prepare for them. Not just by preparing emergency kits but by mental preparation too. Know where to focus your efforts.
Great tips, but I hope I will never have to apply them
Knowing where to focus is so important to all life, especially in this situation. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Hopefully it will help support people 🙂
thank you for these reminders as it is very easy to panic and forget the basics during such times..
very helpful post. It is very easy to have panic and many nerves over things to do when the disaster strickes and you have to have plans changes and things to do. I think it’s very hard not to be emotional. Even a simple “generally speaking advise” is much appreciated.
Thanks Lyosha for reading. Its true, we cant help to get emotional when disaster strikes our home