SAN ANTONIO — Texas is number one in the country when it comes to claims for wind, hail, and lightning damage according to an Allstate study. Bexar County gets hit hard. It ranks number five in the state for severe weather claims. Now is the time to review your insurance coverage to make sure you are protected.
“A lot of people have done upgrades and everything during the whole pandemic, and studies have shown that they haven’t updated their agent,” said Brian Parker, a Texas Allstate agent.
“The cost of homes and also construction to do repairs has just really skyrocketed over the past few years,” said Ben Gonzalez from the Texas Department of Insurance. “You just want to make sure that you have enough coverage to rebuild because that’s basically what your insurance is there for, that worst-case scenario if you have to rebuild your home. So just make sure your policy is keeping up with that.”
You may need to raise your coverage if the cost of your home increased or you made improvements to it.
Also, check your deductibles, which are your out-of-pocket costs, to make sure you can afford them.
“Know what your deductible is in a dollar amount,” Gonzalez said. “Don’t say oh, it’s a 2% deductible. I’ll handle that. But 2% of a home is a lot of money.”
Know that flooding is not covered under a typical homeowner’s policy and needs to be purchased separately.
“You do need to get that 30 days before you make a claim,” said Richard Johnson from the Insurance Council of Texas.
It can be purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program through FEMA.
Plus, make an inventory of your home to make claims easier.
“That can just be walking to each room with your phone cam and taking pictures or video and opening all the closets and drawers so you have some kind of documentation of things you had,” Gonzalez said.
This should include all your high-dollar items such as electronics, computers, jewelry, and any kind of family heirlooms. Also, get videos or pictures of the outside of your home. Email a copy to yourself or keep a copy in the Cloud so you can easily access it.
You will need comprehensive insurance for your car to cover hail or fallen tree branch damage, so double-check if it is in your policy.
“A lot of people drop comprehensive coverage to save a few dollars a month, but it’s really important to look into that,” Johnson said.
Also, sign up for KENS 5 weather alerts now so you know when severe weather is on the way. That way you will have a warning so you can get yourself to safety.
“Hail or strong winds, those are the things you want to be aware of because they’ll cause the most damage,” Johnson said.
Johnson recommends putting together an emergency kit before severe weather strikes. It should include enough water for several days for each family member, non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, medicines, pet food, insurance documents, cash, and extra batteries.