TORNADO DAMAGE
Getting started with a tornado claims process can be a difficult task. You are dealing with a possible catastrophic loss of property and business which is hard to bounce back from. Make sure you have a good public adjuster by your side to help you navigate the process and get what you need to make a full recovery.
Be mindful to get a payment from the insurance company directly and don’t sign over your payment to a 3rd party contractor. You can also ask for an advanced payment to help start the process sooner.
Keep an eye out for the “damage repair report” from the insurance company and request one right away if they haven’t given you one in a timely manner.
Don’t get confused by the “10 by 10” terminology that referrers to the standard 10% extra for overhead and another 10% extra for the contractor’s profit that can be written in to the policy and is sometimes paid as part of the claim. This can be a tricky area of the claims process and its best to get a professional opinion on how to handle this area.
Understanding depreciation calculations from the insurance company will help you figure out what the “Actual Cash Value” is and what the insurance company may pay out. Older homes and property may get smacked with a 50%-70% deprecation value which will cut into the final payout significantly.
Be prepared for figuring out what the real cost of repair materials may be since during a disaster the cost of materials will natural rise as the demand increases. Get the full amount up front from your policy so you don’t have to request another visit from the adjuster since that could take weeks and the possibility that the original adjuster you had is not available is a big risk.
TYPES OF TORNADO’S
Supercell – These tornados come from supercell thunderstorms and are the most common and often the most dangerous.
Non-supercell – These tornados are circulations that form from a vertically spinning parcel of air that is already near the ground like a Gustnado, Landspout, or Waterspout.