IBHS News Releases

Tampa – Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by this week’s tornadoes will want to consider the following seven steps toward recovery, outlined by the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Protect yourself.  Always be careful when entering a damaged building.  If the building looks unstable, do not enter.  Report downed power lines or gas leaks.  Do not turn electricity on until you know it is safe to do so.  Protect yourself from breathing lingering smoke or ash.

Report the loss as soon as possible.  Contact your insurance agent or insurer as soon as you can.  Provide a general description of the damage and have your policy number handy if possible.  Write down the adjuster’s name, phone number and work schedule as soon as you have them.

Protect your property.  Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage.  This could mean boarding up windows and salvaging undamaged items.  Your insurance company can tell you what they will pay for regarding protection.

Prepare a list.  If possible, keep damaged items or portions of them until the claim adjuster has visited your home, and consider photographing or videotaping the damage to document your claim.  Prepare a list of damaged or lost items for your adjuster.

Keep receipts.  If you need to relocate, keep records and receipts for all additional expenses.  Most insurance policies cover emergency living arrangements.

Return claim forms.  After your insurance company has been notified of your claim, it must send you the necessary claim forms within a certain number of days (time period varies by state).  Fill out and return the forms as soon as possible.  If you do not understand the process, be sure to ask questions and write down the explanation.

Carefully consider how to rebuild.  Homes can be built to better-withstand high wind.  Tell your contractor to pay particular attention to the windows, doors, roofing and gables. Weaknesses in these parts make the house more vulnerable to significant damage.  And ask for connections (roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation) that go beyond what is required by code. 

This information is from the IBHS brochure, You Can Go Home Again.  For a free single copy, call toll free 1 (866) 657-IBHS (4247) or click here.