Property insurance claims and lessons learned from Tropical Storm Isaias

You never know exactly when you need to be prepared for the damage that comes with a storm or other natural disaster, and Tropical Storm Isaias proved this to be a fact when it hit us this summer. Isaias had an unexpectedly dramatic impact on Connecticut, causing damages to many business and residential properties across the state. MHA Property Loss Advisors is a team of expert public insurance adjusters, and we are here to help people like you with your property insurance claims from Isaias and future storms. We want you to learn from Isaias, prepare for the future, and get the help you deserve for the next time you need to file a property insurance claim.

What was Tropical Storm Isaias?

Isaias began off the coast of Africa around July 24, 2020. On July 30, Isaias had grown in strength and was labeled a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center. As it traveled toward the Americas, it wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and eventually, the United States. Though Isaias did not cause much damage in Florida, it was named a hurricane by the time it reached North Carolina, where it produced quite a bit of wind and rainfall. The Northeast then received winds, rain, and flooding as well, and though downgraded to a tropical storm, Isaias still caused considerable damage in Connecticut.

In Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, most people did not expect Isaias to be a major issue, but this storm resulted in far more damage than usual when it arrived on August 4. Isaias brought winds of 35-40 mph, and though there was less rain than predicted, the National Weather Service concluded that a small tornado came with the storm and added to the damage. Isaias destroyed enough people’s properties that Connecticut was granted a federally approved state of emergency. Thousands of Connecticut homes and businesses were affected by structural damage, rain damage, tree removal, mold issues, and relocation expenses.

More than 720,000 people across the state lost power because of the storm, some for as long as a week. According to Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot, this was Connecticut’s third-worst weather event in history. It exceeded all outage prediction models from the Eversource Energy Center, meaning that few people were prepared for the power loss. Especially because so many people were working from home or even battling cases of COVID-19 this summer, this power shortage disrupted people’s lives significantly. Imagine having a work deadline or a call with a client when your wifi connection is not working, your laptop is dead, and many of your belongings have just been destroyed. The stakes are higher now that your home is also your place of work, which is why it is so important to be prepared and prevent as much damage and power loss as possible.

Issues such as weak tree root systems, recent droughts, and moths contributed to thousands of trees falling down during Tropical Storm Isaias. They were already in a weakened state, and many of them fell on power lines and people’s homes. Even if they did not notice at first, many Connecticut residents faced physical damages to their residential and commercial properties in addition to the power loss. The trees that fell on roofs and the windows that were blown out were obvious, but other types of damage below the surface, such as mold growth, were not so noticeable. It did not take much for damage expenses to exceed $10,000, requiring a property insurance claim.

Tropical Storm Isaias taught Connecticut residents, as well as many people across the Americas, that they should never underestimate the damage that a storm can cause. Few people expected Isaias to cause this much damage, which is why storm preparation is so important no matter what the predictions suggest. In the future, property owners should remember this storm as a warning for why insurance is a necessary investment and why it is so important to receive the full deserved settlement after a property insurance claim. There are several ways you can start preparing for the next storm, and even if you do not live on the coast, as we learned from Isaias, it is still imperative that you take precautions and do your best to limit the issues that it could cause you and your property.

How to be prepared for storms in the future

Tropical Storm Isaias’s impact on Connecticut proved that it is always important to be prepared. Firstly, you should make a storm plan in case another natural disaster hits. You can purchase nonperishable food, water bottles, and flashlights well ahead of time so that you do not get to the store only to find that everything you need is out of stock. Additionally, it is very important that you purchase a generator and hook it up to necessities such as the water heater and refrigerator. If you’re handy with basic electrical know-how, a portable unit may suffice. If not, consider having a fixed unit professionally installed that can be activated with a switch. The next time you lose power for a week, you’ll still be able to function in your home and avoid loss of food and relocation expenses.

Connecticut also offers its residents many different resources during and after hurricanes. Be sure to pay attention to local news broadcasts to hear about weather updates and state evacuation orders from local first responders and government officials. After the storm has finished, city and town utility services should take care of fixing most public damages such as electrical wires knocked down by heavy winds, and your local health department can advise you on whether or not it is safe to drink water from public drinking systems or private wells. This way, you can focus on issues in your home such as covering the structure with tarps, throwing away food that may have gone bad, moving damaged items to the curb, and assessing the mold and water damage. You can learn more about the state’s storm policies and resources at Connecticut’s official Hurricane Season Preparedness website, as well as at State Senator Kevin Kelly’s Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Resources website.

A final major way you can prepare for a storm is by maintaining a good property insurance plan and understanding its policies well. You never know how much damage a storm could cause, and it does not take much for a storm to create a sizable property insurance claim. Normally, any damage that costs more than your deductible justifies a property insurance claim, but you should always consider your specific plan and the possibility of higher premiums when making this decision. It is also important to note that there may be damage that is not obvious. Sometimes, unseen structural damage can occur as a result of a storm or fire, such as the weakening of an older roof or a growing mold problem. Though the problem is not obvious during or right after the storm, the damage can be costly down the road. If your roof gives out months later, your insurance company may say that this issue is not connected to the storm, even though that was the root cause. MHA Property Loss Advisors knows to look out for this.

Overall, whether or not you file a property insurance claim will depend on the details of your policy, so you should maintain coverages appropriate for your home or business. The investment you make when purchasing property insurance and enduring the claim process will be well worth it when you receive settlement payout for the destruction that has been done by a storm.

What to do if you need to file a property insurance claim

Whether caused by a hurricane or tropical storm like Isaias, a fire, or a flood, if you have sizable damage to your home or business, then it is important that you get the property insurance money you deserve. This will help you transition back to your normal life as smoothly as possible. Make sure you reach out to your insurance company within the time requirement, and then an adjuster working for the company’s best interest will assess the damage that has been done to your property. You will file a property insurance claim, using this assessment and photos of your home, as well as an inventory list of all items destroyed, damaged, or missing because of the storm. You can typically do this online, over the phone, or at a mobile claims center. If there are critical repairs you need to make to your home, be sure to discuss this with the adjuster and be sure to save all receipts. If your insurance plan includes a deductible, then you will have to pay that amount, and eventually, you should receive the money the insurance company decides you need to repair the damages.

This sounds simple enough, but unfortunately, many insurance companies do not give their customers sufficient funds and seek to minimize their payout. If you need help maximizing your insurance policy and receiving the money you need to repair the damages, then expert public insurance adjusters are here to help you. When there are issues below the surface, insurance companies may not notice them or may not give you the money to fix it because they assume you will not realize it. For example, though they offer you $50,000 to fix your roof and wall damage, this may be nowhere close to the $150,000 you actually need to restore these issues in addition to the water and wind damage that may not be as obvious. In order to avoid losing out on the full scope of your policy, you should get an unbiased opinion about the cost of the damages. It never hurts to have a free introductory call to learn about your next steps and options following a loss.

How MHA Property Loss Advisors can help

In order to protect you, an expert public insurance adjuster from MHA Property Loss Advisors can work with home improvement contractors and make sure that you are not taken advantage of by large companies. We offer an independent, unbiased assessment of the damages done to your home and our goal is to make sure that property owners receive the compensation and repairs they deserve. The MHA team is made up of wind damage and fire loss insurance claim experts, so we are here to help with whatever property loss consulting you need and will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Dealing with an insurance claim is similar to a business negotiation, and we can help put you on a level playing field with your insurance carrier.

If you experienced damages from Tropical Storm Isaias or another natural disaster and want to maximize your property insurance claim settlement, then MHA Property Loss Advisors is ready to help you. The MHA Promise consists of prompt communication, highest integrity, and best industry practices. Our proven five-step process helps give our clients the representation and protection they need to avoid getting taken advantage of by insurance companies. You can give us a call today, or whenever you need us, and we will recommend the next basic action based on your damages and review of your insurance policy. There is no commitment necessary; we just want to make sure that you get the help you need.

You are entitled to a safe home and work environment, and even if your properties have been damaged by a storm, fire, or other natural cause, we will strive to get you back to life as normal with the insurance money that you have a right to. We cannot predict the future, but our team of expert public insurance adjusters will do our best to minimize your financial risk of being affected by wind, fire, and water. MHA Property Loss Advisors wants Connecticut residents to prepare well for storms, and if the time comes that you need help, we will be ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.