Texans, Can Your Home Insurance Help?

It would be difficult to find an event that has happened in the past year that would shock many people. The world has been overwhelmed with unforeseen health and financial struggles beyond imagination. But just as COVID vaccinations are rolling out, a massive storm has threatened the lives of millions in the Texas area. Residents of the state of Texas are experiencing extreme cold weather conditions accompanied by ice storms, heavy snowfall, and relentless freezing temperatures.

Some areas of the state have not seen snowfall since the year 1951, like San Angelo, Texas. These cities are not built to survive such conditions and the people of Texas are not prepared to handle them. Millions of people in Texas are without power and basic necessities, like running water and heat. Over the past 5 days there have been several phenomena that have occurred that your insurance may be able to help with. Read on to learn about how your insurance could relieve some of the stress that will continue long after the snow melts. Homeowners Insurance Many homeowners in the state of Texas are facing the unfortunate reality of frozen pipes and no power or heat source to mitigate the issue. Many homeowners have already seen what can happen when pipes freeze and expand beyond the space they occupy... they burst. Bursting pipes are fairly common but often addressed before they are able to cause too much damage. However, in Texas, there are not enough resources to fix the problem in a timely manner. Because of this, pipes are bursting on multi-level homes, causing extreme flooding and water damage to the home.

So, will your homeowners insurance policy cover the cost of the damage? Yes, in some cases your policy will apply to any burst pipe within the home. Most homeowners policies will cover this event if it is unforeseen or due to an environmental or unpredictable event. If your pipes were to burst due to regular wear and tear, then you may not be in luck. This is great news for Texas residents. If you have experienced this in your home, be diligent in making your claim and research your policy! What Should You Do Next? Your home has flooded and you are not sure of the correct next steps. First and foremost, assess if it is safe to remain in the home. Consider other shelter options that might be available to you. Once the damage has been done, the most essential step will be to document the damage thoroughly in photos and videos. Describe in detail the timeline in which the events occurred and any additional damage details that may help the insurance company when assessing the claim. If you need to purchase any supplies to replace or fix the problem in the meantime, make sure to keep all receipts for your insurance claim. If you hire any labor to fix the pipes or flooding damage to the home, keep a record of all the expenses. Your insurance will use this information to process your claim and make sure they can help as much as possible with your expenses.

The Takeaway The current situation in Texas has caused people to be displaced from their homes and lose all of their belongings. Home Insurance companies are working extremely hard to provide timely information in moments of struggle. At Insuravita, we recommend that you contact your insurance company and ask about your policy coverage in detail. This could help you now or in the future when it comes to unexpected weather conditions or disasters in your area. If you have not yet purchased home insurance, make sure that you use Inusravita to find the best policy that fits your current and future needs.