Weather-related insurance claims & how to help prevent them

Taking the steps to protect and maintain your home can help ward off potential losses caused by weather-related events. The following are some ways you can reduce the risk of some preventable claims.

Maintaining your home to be sure it is always in good condition can help prevent unexpected losses including, regularly checking your roof for damage, weatherproofing by sealing windows and doors, and checking for any gaps or cracks in the foundation.

All homes are susceptible to damage from severe weather events. Inspecting your roof for damaged, loose, or missing shingles or other material, and fixing anything not in good working order promptly, can help. Be sure to check tree branches for anything touching the roof or that have the potential to land on your roof during a storm.

Strong winds can bring hail, branches, and other debris crashing into your windows. Installing storm shutters or impact-resistant glass can help protect your windows from damage. Care should also be taken to reinforce doors, to keep them from potentially blowing open during a storm with high winds.

All items outside your home that are not attached in some form, should be brought inside or secured down before bad weather. Loose items such as outdoor furniture, grills, and planters can become projectiles to your or your neighbor's property.

Keeping your gutters clean and free of leaves, sticks and other debris, and keeping them directed away from the house can keep water from backing up and causing issues with your foundation or roof.

Consider installing a sub pump in your basement or crawl space to quickly divert water away from your home and interior. It would also be wise to keep a battery backup or other type of backup system in the event of a power loss to ensure your system continues to keep that water out of your basement.

Be sure to keep bushes and branches and other landscaping away from your homes roof and siding. Ensure there is proper drainage so it moves away from your foundation and prevents water accumulation. Trees should be carefully maintained, moved, or planted away from the structure where they could potentially fall and cause damage to your home or the people inside.

Lightning can cause major damage to your home and electrical systems. Installing a lightning protection system can redirect lightning strikes further away from your homes structure and electrical systems.

Investing in a home security system that is monitored by a central agency can warn you of weather related possibilities including fire, flooding, or even intruders. It can also give you a discount on your homeowners insurance policy.

Make sure you read your homeowners insurance policy to make sure you have adequate coverage in the event that you do end up having a weather-related loss. Review your policy on a regular basis to make sure it is up-to-date and adequate. Make sure you understand your policy and any exclusions or limits. You may need to add coverage options to your base policy.

Implementing these tasks can provide preventative measures and decrease your risk for a claim or catastrophic loss. Keep in mind there may still be damages sustained in a storm or weather-related event but they can minimize your risk and help keep weather out of your home.