Hurricanes can be the cause of some of the most severe damage around the country. The wreckage left when Hurricane Harvey hit Rockport, Texas, was no exception. After the initial panic of the storm and its consequences left in its wake, many people may feel frightened and confused about what steps must be taken to get back to their normal lives. The team of lawyers at Carabin Shaw would like to help you understand what the first five steps for every Rockport Hurricane Harvey victim should be.
Contact your insurance provider. This may seem obvious, but it is still one of the first and most important things you need to do. Even if you haven’t been able to photograph or assess the damage, you need to contact your insurance provider as soon as possible. Many insurance claims, especially those dealing with large areas of weather damage, are taken care of on a first come–first serve basis. The sooner you speak with your insurance provider, the faster you will get compensated.
Another important reason to contact your insurance provider is to find out if you have flood or wind damage coverage in your policy. Many Rockport homeowners are not covered for flood damage by homeowner’s insurance. If your insurance provider informs you that you are one of these people, there are other government-funded programs you can reach out to for help. Our lawyers can assist you in finding the best program for you if you’re not sure where to look. Be sure to ask lots of questions and take down names of the people you talk to so that there is no confusion later on.
Take photos. It is imperative that you document all damage, from the smallest dent to the biggest hole on your property. This may be one of the most valuable of the first five steps for every Rockport Hurricane Harvey victim because every aspect of the damage comes into play when the insurance is deciding on monetary compensation. It is best to try to get as many photos as possible documenting the destruction. Try to get both full shots and close up pictures to show both details and a general sense of property damage and losses.
The insurance company should also come out to your property to assess and take pictures of their own. However, as Hurricane Harvey has done more damage than any other storm within Texas in a half a century, it may be awhile before your agent can come out to your property. Pictures taken as soon as possible will be more helpful than pictures taken months after the storm when it comes to filing your Rockport hurricane claim.
Keep records. As we said before, make sure you are getting the name of every person you talk to at the insurance company, and make sure to keep record of exactly what was said so that there is no confusion or misunderstanding. The more detailed you are, the less likely the insurance company will be able to get around paying you the full amount.
Be sure to keep every receipt from your hurricane-related purchases, whether it’s due to the damage of the storm, having to evacuate, or loss of property. All of these items may be covered under your insurance, and it is important to have documentation of every expense.
Refrain from cleaning. After a storm like this passes and victims goes back to their homes, the first thing they may want to do is clean up as much as they can in order to try to get everything back to the way it was as soon as possible. It is very important that you refrain from cleaning and throwing debris away. No matter how damaged, the insurance company needs to be aware of every aspect of the destruction. Cleaning the damage prematurely can give the insurance company a reason to deny compensation for those losses.
Even if you have taken several pictures, it is better to err on the side of caution and leave everything as is until your Rockport insurance agent or personal attorney can come out to your property to assess the damage.
Contact Carabin Shaw. Many insurance companies dealing with such a large scale of damage and destruction may see fit to try to conserve their losses by paying as little as possible to each victim of the hurricane. If you contact Carabin Shaw today, our lawyers in Rockport can fight for your rights and preserve your rightful amount of compensation.
Our attorneys can also help you step by step through the process of filing a claim and making sure you are compensated within a reasonable amount of time. We can show you many different options for getting help, including government-funded programs and grants that can be put to use immediately.
If you’ve followed these first five steps for every Rockport Hurricane Harvey victim, you already have a better start than most down the road to rebuilding. If you further need a hand, a Rockport hurricane insurance claims lawyer can start on your case immediately to quickly get you through this process with as little stress as possible. We will make sure detailed records and important evidence are diligently maintained on-hand so that you cannot be taken advantage of.
Our legal team in Rockport is experienced in keeping claims information detailed and organized, so our clients win the restitution they need that much faster. Contact one of our attorneys today in our Rockport office at 361.790.7788 or toll-free at 800-862-1260.