Property damage caused by hail, flooding and wind can be very costly to repair – even a minimal amount of flooding or hail can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your house or car. Planning for the possibility of a storm before it happens is important to limiting potential repair costs.
Don’t Underestimate the Costs of Hail Damage
According to a recent news story by WSBTV.com, the average cost of repairing a Georgia home damaged by hail is more than $8,000. In 2011, a single storm resulted in more than 400 hail damage claims in Coweta County alone – the costs of these claims added to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In less than five minutes, hail can do thousands of dollars to siding, shingles, gutters and windows on your home or the body of your car. Standard home and auto insurance policies offer protection against the damages caused by hail storms, but it is important to be sure that your policy is up to the challenge of addressing all potential damage. It is also important to understand the process of filing a claim for hail damage, and what you may be able to expect from the process.
Flooding Can Be Incredibly Costly
Even minor flooding can result in thousands of dollars in damage – just a few inches of standing water can lead to electrical shortages, irreparable damage to flooring and ruined appliances. Many standard home insurance policies are limited in the coverage they offer against flooding, making it important to consider adding a flood rider to your coverage.
Interested in learning how much a flood could cost you? Use the flood damage cost estimator provided by Floodsmart.gov to estimate how much standing water could cost you.
Wind Storms Often Result in Hefty Repair Bills
According to homeadvisor.com, the average cost of wind damage is $4,572. While much of this damage is caused by downed trees, other destruction can stem from flying projectiles picked up by heavy winds. Parts of your home that are most susceptible to damage during a wind storm include siding, decking, roofing and windows.
To protect against avoidable wind damage, be sure to trim broken tree branches whenever possible, and consider boarding up windows and skylights in the event of severe weather.
Are You Protected?
With the potential costs of wind, hail or flood damage, it is important to be sure that your insurance policy provides the best possible protection against these potential events.
Does your insurance package provide compensation for these types of damage? If you aren’t sure, contact our Atlanta and Savannah agents to discuss your coverage options.
