InsuranceSpecialists Blog » wind coverage http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog your source for insurance information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:01:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Tornado After-care? http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/2011/04/19/tornado-after-care/ http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/2011/04/19/tornado-after-care/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:25:45 +0000 Iris http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/?p=716 If you live in the mid- or southwest, you’ve probably heard tornado sirens once too often. In fact, as I’m writing this, we’re under a tornado warning here in Texas. We’re not likely to see any damage in my neighborhood, but all across the country people have died in tornadoes in the last week. It’s pretty awful.

As with hurricanes, most of the damage from tornadoes is covered by your existing homeowners, condo, or rental insurance policies, and fall into the “windstorm” peril listed within. Hail is also specified in some policies, generally in regions where hailstorms are common. In addition wind and hail damage to your car is covered if you have a “comprehensive” policy.

So what should you do if you’re affected by such a storm? The Property Casualty Insurers of America (PCI) has this advice:

  • Call your insurance agent or insurance company immediately.
  • As soon as it’s safe to do so, inspect your home and cars for any damage.
  • Make a list of any missing or damaged items, and take pictures of damaged structures, vehicles or possessions. If you still have the original receipts for those items, find them.
  • Take steps to prevent further damage to your property, or to ward off possible thieves.
  • When dealing with repair contractors, run background checks. If necessary, you can ask your insurer for a recommendation.
  • Keep detailed records of anything you spend – from repair costs to emergency housing – until your home and/or auto are restored to normal conditions.
]]> http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/2011/04/19/tornado-after-care/feed/ 0 Safeco, Republic Write New Homeowners Policies in Coastal Mississippi http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/2010/03/03/safeco-republic-write-new-homeowners-policies-in-coastal-mississippi/ http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/2010/03/03/safeco-republic-write-new-homeowners-policies-in-coastal-mississippi/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:03:34 +0000 admin http://www.insurancespecialists.com/blog/?p=88 Mississippi state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney announced recently that Safeco Insurance has plans to offer homeowners insurance, including wind coverage, in southern part of his state. Beginning in mid-March, Chaney says, the company will offer between 500-1,000 homeowners policies with wind coverage.

For homeowners who live in places frequently hit by hurricanes, wind coverage is on an equal par with flood insurance as a key form of coverage, but many insurers have restricted wind coverage in Mississippi, or even stopped offering it completely to new or nonrenewed policyholders who are also coastal residents.

Mr. Chaney believes Safeco will also offer discounts to customers who want to strengthen their homes, in order to minimize hurricane damage, though that will be sometime in the future.

Safeco is not the only new player on the Mississippi coast, however. Chaney said that another major company, Republic Insurance Group, is also writing new homeowner policies for clients with property near the shore, and those policies also include wind coverage.

A lingering effect of Hurricane Katrina is that many policyholders with coastal property have been forced into the state-run wind pool. This pool maintains rates higher than the private market.

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