IBHS News Releases

Hundreds of Floridians were left to pick up the pieces Monday after two tornadoes tore through the state on Christmas Day. As the recovery begins, the Institute for Business & Home Safety reminds residents they can go home again.

The IBHS guide “You Can Go Home Again—Returning Home After a Natural Disaster,” outlines several steps homeowners can use in the recovery process.

Protect yourself.  Always be careful when entering a damaged building and contact local officials before entering a building with serious structural damage.  Report downed power lines or gas leaks.  Keep electricity turned off if the house has been flooded.

Report the loss as soon as possible.  Contact your insurance agent or insurer as soon as you can.  Provide a general description of the damage and have your policy number handy if possible.  Write down the adjuster’s name, phone number and work schedule as soon as you have them.

Protect your property.  Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage.  This could mean boarding up windows and salvaging undamaged items.  Your insurance company can tell you what they will pay for regarding protection.

Prepare a list.  Keep damaged items or portions of them until the claim adjuster has visited your home, and consider photographing or videotaping the damage to document your claim.  Prepare a list of damaged or lost items for your adjuster.

Keep receipts.  If you need to relocate, keep records and receipts for all additional expenses.  Most insurance policies cover emergency living arrangements.

Return claim forms.  After your insurance company has been notified of your claim, it must send you the necessary claim forms within a certain number of days (time period varies by state).  Fill out and return the forms as soon as possible.  If you do not understand the process, be sure to ask questions and write down the explanation.

Build stronger next time.  As the rebuilding process begins, IBHS suggests asking the contractor about adding features that would increase the home’s disaster-resistance. 

For more information or to order copies of the guide, contact the Institute for Business & Home Safety at (813) 286-3400 or info@ibhs.org .