Homeowner Insurance Claim Info

Rick Kinney
Property Claim Tips, LLC

Ice, snow and wind can have devastating effects on a home. According to the Insurance Information Institute, wind, hail, water damage and freezing account for 40-60% of homeowner insurance claims each year, with an average claim pay out of $6,600.00

There are simple steps homeowners should take now to prepare for winter and avoid costly damages. The most common problems include ice damming or snow melt leakage, roof and awning collapses, fallen trees and limbs, freezing pipes, and smoke – soot damage.

There are several things that homeowners can do to help protect their home from winter property damage such as:

Ice Damming
Clean out gutters. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming–a condition where water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.

There are only (2) homeowner policy types that cover against this sort of damage. The Special Form and Extended Form policy types work on an Open Peril Basis. Ice Damming is not a named peril. Ask your insurance agent if they sell a endorsement that could possibly add coverage.

Install gutter guards. Available in most hardware and home stores, gutter guards prevent debris from entering the gutter and diverting the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.

Add extra insulation to attics. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause ice damming or snow and ice to melt on the roof. Water can then refreeze, causing more snow and ice to build up. This can result in a collapsed roof, and can contribute to major exterior sidewalls.

You do not want a mold problem to develop. This can become a major problem if not corrected immediately. Ideally, the attic should be five to 10 degrees warmer than the outside air.

Wind
Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause weak trees or branches to break, causing damage to your home, as well as injury to people on your property.

When a fallen tree or branches damage your roof or siding then you will need to understand the claim process and arguments that develop for this type of claim when seeking recovery from your insurance company. Our Fallen Tree Claim Kit can help you through the claim process by understanding the (9) steps for submitting a homeowner insurance claim. Typical problems that exist with matching and full replacement.

Freezing of plumbing pipes
Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect against the increased pressure caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.

Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations and be sure to add extra insulation to basements and crawl spaces. You may also consider insulating unfinished rooms such as garages to keep pipes from freezing.

Use caulking and pipe insulation wrap to protect water pipes to drafty areas. When temperatures fall below freezing with high wind speeds this is when plumbing pipes are susceptible to freeze and then burst.

There are only (3) policy types that cover against frozen pipes and some have restrictions and limitations that you really need to understand. After all, it’s your money and property we are speaking about right! A frozen water supply line rupture can literally produce thousands and thousands of gallons of water. Water extraction and drying out techniques need to be performed immediately. Understand why you need to follow your duties and responsibilities after a loss occurs.

Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat for at least 65 degrees, since the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are located, is substantially colder–a lower temperature will not keep the pipes from freezing.

Smoke – Soot
Have the heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.

Oil fired furnaces can puff back causing an enormous amount of soot damage. Watch out for this type of damage because insurance companies much rather clean damaged property then replacing it. Soot from an oil fired furnace usually requires replacement of damaged property. Dwelling and or Contents.

Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly. Residential fires increase in the winter, so it is important to protect your family with working alarm systems. Also, consider installing a carbon dioxide detector, since a well sealed home can trap this toxic gas.

Rick Kinney Your Advocate in Homeowner Insurance Claims!