(This article comes courtesy of MissouriNet, via Marshall Griffin.)
Last Friday’s round of tornadoes hit several Missouri communities and the state agency that oversees insurance says it’s a good reminder for residents to review their homeowners’ policies.
Katy Linnenbrink is Acting Communications Director for the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI). She told Missourinet that some damage to homes might not be covered.
“Every policy is going to be different,” Linnenbrink said. “Most standard policies will cover damage caused by lightning, wind, hail — but wear, tear, deterioration, those types of things are not covered. So again, just knowing your coverage in advance can help avoid surprises and delays in the claims process.”
For example, most homeowner policies don’t include flood damage, which would be covered by separate flood insurance policies.
For Missouri residents whose homes were damaged by last week’s tornadoes, Linnenbrink said the first step is documenting any damage you may have.
“Take photos, keep receipts for any temporary fixes or repairs,” she said. “And depending on the severity of your loss, you may want to consider getting a damage estimate to determine, you know, whether it’s worth submitting a claim.”
Anyone needing help with a claim can contact the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance or go to insurance.mo.gov.
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