So a hurricane hit our home... now what?

Thread with Advice

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My parents live in Port Lavaca. We have windstorm insurance, but not flood. What is the situation we need to face here? Is FEMA application the main thing? Or our personal insurance?

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how much rising water came inside?

From what I heard on local tv news, wind damage will be covered by home owner's insurance, and they said water damage will not. But yesterday I heard a conflicting report on the radio that an official (with some government agency, sorry didn't catch his name or title) saying that water damage from flooding may also be covered by home owner's insurance. So I would make a claim with insurance also. Best of luck with your parents home.

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Not a lot from what they stated. Seems more like wind damaged roof which caused rain to come inside instead of a flood

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If this is definitely the case then it should be covered under homeowners. The insurance company is going to try to do all they can NOT to pay it though. Stay on them.

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nsurance company is going to try to do all they can NOT to pay it though

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May be urban legend but I heard stories of people having their roofs damaged during Katrina and rainwater pooled inside their homes causing a waterline. The homeowners insurance refused to pay claiming their homes flooded but their neighborhood was never flooded.

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wickowick

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Of course not all will do as I said. But they're all in the business of limiting their losses. So anyone dealing with their insurance companies needs to proceed with caution and be there, side by side, as the adjusters are doing their inspections.

That being said, I just came across this on Facebook and it's pretty spot on for ANYONE dealing with the flood.

For my Texas family, friends and neighbors, more helpful tips....
Someone posted this just thought I'd pass it along

1) File for everything now. FEMA, Red Cross, Insurance, SBA loans if they are opened up. All of it. If you end up not needing it, give it back or donate it. Some people will be out of work for a while and everything will help.
2) If your refrigerator had food in it, and no power for 10 days or more, don't open it. Just tape it shut and bring it outside. Don't. Open. It.
3) If you eat an MRE (military meal ready to eat/emergency rations), know those are VERY high in calories and if you eat three a day you will put on a lot of weight very quickly. A month after Katrina everyone was confused why they had gain 20 lbs.
3b) MRE gum makes you poop.
4) Work with your neighbors to scope out stores and gas stations that are open when the water goes down. Find out about HEB and Army water and ice supply areas. Be prepared for very long lines and limited selection at stores. AND KEEP A RADIO ON.
5) Keep your coolers clean.
6) Be liberal in the gutting of your house if you got water. Black mold is a nightmare health-wise.
7) Flood insurance (for Katrina) covered the first four feet of damage, then homeowners cover everything after that.
8> Have an inventory of your property loss for your insurance company.
9) Argue with your insurance company, but in a nice way.
10) A lot has been lost, but there are also huge opportunities opening up for work and businesses. Haulers, or anyone with a trailer and truck, will be able to make a lot of money in the clean up. Some places will be scrambling for temporary workers like insurance adjusters. So will FEMA.
11) Be aware of scam laws post storm. Some people have no morals and will try to cheat you when you are in need.
12) Mentally and emotionally prepare for out of state people coming in to capitalize on rebuilding and gutting. Lots of people will flood the area looking for work.
13) Seriously -- contractors, roofers, and general construction work will be in high demand. Prices will spike. Scammers will come in. Never pay for everything up front in full, demand to see plans for what they will do, and know if they are licensed and bonded.
14) It is just stuff. It doesn't feel like that right now, but if your family is okay and you can get back to your life quickly, it will not be that bad.
15) Squatters might be a thing you have to deal with. If you have your paperwork, great, if you don't it will be much harder. I am sending you love if this happens to you.
16) This is hitting you now and it is hard and it sucks. You will most likely move into "fix it" mode" and things will feel okay for a while. Then it is going to hit you again. That is okay. Your world has been turned upside down. It is normal for you to react to that emotionally. If you need help, get it. Yes, everyone is going through it. That does not lessen what you are going through.
17) Depending on how much you lost, this is going to change you and how you view certain things. I *need* to have reliable transportation all the time now. A weird sound in my car make me panic. Why? Having a car is the only reason we got out of Katrina. People died because they didn't. So this is a thing I do now. Whatever happens to you -- it is okay. Things happen and you change. That is normal.
18) Take it one day and one thing at a time. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You will not be able to fix everything all at once and that is okay.
19) It may seem like people far away don't understand or care. The TV makes things feel less real. It doesn't mean you are alone. Lots of people are sending help and love.
20) You will get through this. I did go thru Katrina and I can tell you this is all TRUE, ESPECIALLY demands not met from groceries to scammers that prey on you. DO NOT DO NOT pay for work upfront, they will take your money and you will NEVER see them again.

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Not a lot from what they stated. Seems more like wind damaged roof which caused rain to come inside instead of a flood

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Wind policy should cover the damage above the water line. Everything from the water line and below is going to be flood damage that's excluded under homeowners/wind insurance. Apply for FEMA aid. FEMA won't be enough for everything, but it should help pay for somethings to help make the house at least inhabitable. Probably going to need to look into an SBA disaster assistance loan to cover most of the flood damage repairs though

If you had damage to your roof that allowed water in, you can argue that the damage was caused due to the wind damage. There is pretty much no way they can prove when the damage first occured.

Bottom line is, set up your account with FEMA. You will be able to get some assistance from them regardless, such as reimbursement for temp housing. File a claim with your homeowners/wind damage insurance immediately. And go ahead and set up an account with SBA. You have to go in for a meeting/interview before anything is official for a loan anyway so if you don't need that assistance, you can simply deny it.

Update,


Small business we own have no wind storm insurance (our property owner just told us to sign for insurance but didnt include the key items)

Insurance says since no wind insurance, all the damage cant be covered. What should I do? My parents are devastated