Are You Ready for Tornado Season?
Tornadoes can happen anytime in Texas, but tornado season in this state is in the spring: April, May, and June. If a tornado damages your property in this state, and if your insurance company denies your damage claim, get in touch with a Texas tornado damage lawyer immediately.
Texas experiences more tornadoes than any other state in the nation. We average approximately 136 tornadoes a year. In 2022, however, more than 150 tornadoes were reported. Tornadoes caused significant wind damage in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and other large cities throughout the state.
Experts are predicting another above-average tornado season in Texas for the spring of 2024.
How Should You Prepare for Tornado Season?
Before the Texas tornado season each year, make sure that your family is prepared by planning in advance. Here are some tips that you may find helpful:
- Get your home ready for tornado season. Remove any dead trees on your property and trim any limbs that are near your roof. Consider installing stormproof shutters and upgrading to an impact-resistant Class 4 roof.
- Write down your important emergency phone numbers. Keep that list on the refrigerator, and program those numbers into your phone.
- Have an emergency and first aid supply kit prepared.
- Identify the nearest shelter and the different routes you can take there from your home.
- Pet owners should pre-locate a pet-friendly shelter, hotel, motel, or an out-of-town relative or friend who can take your pets if an evacuation is ordered.
What Are the Signs of an Approaching Tornado?
If you live in a high-risk area of Texas, you should know the signs of an approaching tornado. Look for funnel-shaped, rotating clouds, hail, a dark green or dark gray sky, and a roar that sounds like a train. All of these are signs that a tornado may be approaching.
To receive severe weather alerts by text, phone, or email, sign up at the National Weather Service website (https://www.weather.gov/enterprise/).
Additionally, many Texas cities have outdoor siren warning systems that warn residents to shelter indoors if a tornado is approaching.
Do You Have Supplies for a Tornado Emergency?
During and after a tornado, you may need additional supplies for your family. A tornado may mean no electricity or water for hours – or days – and you may be unable to drive because roads may be blocked or flooded.
That’s why you must be prepared. Stock up now on everything you may need including emergency food, water, and medical supplies. You’ll need emergency power sources like candles and flashlights (do not forget extra batteries), and you should also have a fire extinguisher.
Copy and secure your important personal documents, legal documents, wills, passports, medical documents, and personal identification – your driver’s license, ATM card, and voter registration, for example. Know where to find these documents if a tornado strikes.
Does Your Homeowners Insurance Cover Tornado Damage?
Homeowners insurance in this state usually covers tornado damage, including the wind and hail damage that accompanies tornadoes. However, water damage probably is not covered by your standard homeowners policy. For water damage, you may need a separate flood insurance policy.
However, if you live in a region of Texas that is a high-risk area for wind damage, your homeowners policy may also exclude hail and wind damage, and you’ll need to purchase a separate wind-only policy for hail and wind damage.
Hail and wind policies are available through private insurance firms and also through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). The TWIA provides wind and hail coverage to homeowners who’ve been rejected for that coverage by at least one private insurance company.
What Other Steps Should a Homeowner Take?
A homeowners insurance policy usually requires quick action after your property suffers tornado damage. Take photographs of the damages, submit your damage claim before the deadline, and keep a record of your conversations, letters, texts, and emails with the insurance company.
Particularly after a catastrophic tornado event, thousands of claims may be filed, and insurance companies may look for ways to reduce payouts. Homeowners in these circumstances should anticipate “lowball” settlement offers, and in some cases, tornado damage claims are denied.
If your claim for property damage is rejected, or if the insurance company fails to offer you a sufficient payout amount, it may be difficult or impossible to repair your property after a tornado. If this happens to you, immediately contact a Texas tornado damage attorney.
How Will an Attorney Help You?
Sometimes, a letter from your property damage attorney is all it takes to generate the response you need from your homeowners insurance company, but in other cases, a homeowner may be compelled to file a lawsuit.
If you file a lawsuit, your Texas tornado damage lawyer will try to negotiate with the insurance company, but if the company will not negotiate, your lawyer will ask a Texas court to order the insurance company to pay off your tornado damage claim.
When a damage claim is rejected, a homeowner has two years from the date of that rejection to file a lawsuit. Of course, if your home needs repairs, you’ll need to consult a Texas tornado damage attorney about your legal rights and options as quickly as possible.
Meet the Attorneys at Stormlex Law Group
The storm damage attorneys at Stormlex Law Group – formerly Flores & Pelaez-Prada – routinely prevail on behalf of Texas homeowners. We offer personalized legal advice about your property damage claim and your homeowners insurance.
If your tornado damage claim has been wrongly denied, Stormlex Law Group will bring the matter to its best possible resolution. We specifically focus on helping homeowners who are dealing with a homeowners insurance company.
If your claim for tornado damage has been denied or if that happens in the future, find out more about your rights – or begin the legal process – and call Stormlex Law Group (formerly Flores & Pelaez-Prada) at 877-890-6372 to schedule a no-cost review of your case.
Disclaimer: The blog posts shared on stormlex.com are intended for general informational purposes and may not apply to your specific situation. For personalized legal advice concerning your policy or claim, contact our office directly at 877-890-6372.
