Atlantic Property AdjustersHow to Safely Survive a Tornado and Plan Your Property Claim

Tornadoes can cause severe damage and destruction when they occur. A tornado is an extreme rotation of unstable air resulting from thunderstorm downwards to the ground. In the United States, tornadoes are estimated to be as big as 500 feet across and can travel on the ground on an average of 8km.

Tornadoes can be extremely destructive and can cause massive loss of lives and property. They can bring down buildings, destroy cars and have trees uprooted along the way. The signs include thunderstorms, torrential rains, and floods.

When a tornado is imminent, the control measures you put in place can save your life and ensure a smooth process to claim your property.

Here are measures to take when faced with a tornado to ensure your safety and that of others.

Seek a shelter

At the very sign of an oncoming tornado or a warning has been issued, seek an underground shelter immediately. A basement, in this case, is the safest place to be during a tornado.

In places where tornados are common, underground tornado shelters are available in most buildings. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings and identify the shelters or the safe places in that particular building.

It’s advisable that you stay away from windows if your basement has them; cover yourself with a cushion or mattress to shield yourself from flying objects. Alternatively, you can seek shelter in the furthest room or a stairwell where an underground shelter is not available.

After the tornado has passed, you can follow the following steps to claim loss of property;

  1. Call your insurance

After the tornado has passed, call your insurance company immediately and provide details of your insurance cover and give details of property destroyed.

  1. Documentation

It’s crucial to keep all receipts of expenses that you incurred during and after the storm as some policy reimburse on costs incurred.

It’s important also to document information relating to the damages caused by the storm to your property to prove your losses to your insurance company. You can take pictures or videotape the damage.

Have a well-documented list of items that were destroyed during the storm to enable you to make your claim procedure easy.

  1. Protect your property from further damage

After the storm, it’s your responsibility to make sure that no further damage occurs to your property to avoid denial or rejection of your claims. You can have your property safeguarded by hiring security guards to protect it.

Tornado effects can be destructive and devastating to a property owner. Trying to prepare a tornado claim by your self can be challenging and a complex task. You may need the services of a claim adjuster to interpret your policy coverage and ensure a high settlement on your claim.

The wind can destroy your vehicle and tear off your rooftops and affect the overall structure of your building. Floods can then cause damage through the openings left, and you might be having the hard task of proving that the water damage was a result of the destruction posed by the tornado. The claim adjuster comes in handy to help with such difficult situations.