Are you ready?
Spring and summer bring severe weather to Missouri with little warning. Tornadoes, hail, high winds, and heavy rain can cause serious damage to your home in a matter of minutes. But surviving the storm is only half the battle. What comes next — filing an insurance claim and actually getting paid fairly — can be just as challenging.
Here’s what every Missouri homeowner should do now, before the first storm of the season arrives.
Step 1: Document Your Property Before Any Damage Occurs
The single most important thing you can do before storm season is to create a thorough record of your home’s current condition. Walk through every room with your phone and record a video. Open closets, document appliances, capture your roof, siding, windows, fencing, and outbuildings. Store that video somewhere off your property — a cloud service, an email to yourself, or a USB drive kept at work.
Why does this matter? When you file a storm damage claim, your insurance company’s adjuster will look for reasons to minimize the payout. Pre-
existing conditions, prior damage, and normal wear and tear are common reasons claims get reduced. A time stamped video taken before the storm removes all doubt about what your property looked like beforehand.
Step 2: Know Your Policy Before You Need It
Most homeowners have never read their insurance policy. That’s understandable — they’re long, complicated documents written in language that’s hard to follow. But there are a few things worth knowing right now, before a storm forces you to figure it out under pressure:
- What is your deductible? Many Missouri policies have a separate, higher deductible specifically for wind and hail damage. It may be a percentage of your home’s insured value rather than a flat dollar amount.
- Do you have Replacement Cost Value (RCV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV) coverage? RCV pays to replace damaged items at today’s prices. ACV deducts for depreciation — meaning you may receive far less than it costs to actually repair or rebuild.
- Are there any exclusions that apply to your property? Flood damage, for example, is almost never covered under a standard homeowner’s policy.
If you’re not sure what your policy says, call your agent now and ask them to explain it in plain language. Better to understand it today than to be surprised after a loss.
Step 3: After the Storm — Take Your Own Documentation Seriously
If your property is damaged, document everything before any cleanup or repairs begin. Photograph and video every area of damage. Don’t throw anything away. Keep all receipts for emergency repairs, such as tarping a damaged roof.
Contact your insurance company promptly to report the claim, but understand that the adjuster they send works for — or on behalf of — your insurance company. Their job is to evaluate the claim. Your job is to make sure the evaluation is accurate and fair.
Step 4: Don’t Accept the First Number Without Scrutiny
Insurance companies handle thousands of claims after a major storm event. Under that kind of volume, mistakes happen — and they rarely happen in the policyholder’s favor. Damage gets missed. Repair costs get underestimated. Depreciation gets applied in ways that aren’t justified by your policy.
Before you sign anything or accept a settlement, make sure you understand exactly what it covers and whether it’s enough to restore your property to its pre-storm condition. If the numbers don’t add up, or if your claim has been denied outright, you don’t have to accept the insurance company’s first — or final — word.
You Have the Right to Representation
Just as the insurance company has adjusters working for them, you have the right to have a licensed professional working for you. A public adjuster represents you — not the insurance company — in the claims process. We review your policy, document your damage, and negotiate on your behalf to make sure you receive what you’re owed under your coverage.
I offer a free review of any storm damage claim. If I don’t recover more than the insurance company has offered, you owe me nothing.
Missouri storm season doesn’t wait. The best time to prepare is now — before the damage is done and the clock is ticking on your claim.
James H. Bushart, Licensed Missouri Public Adjuster — MO License #8207067
314-803-2167 | missouripublicadjuster.org
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