What Should I Do Right after a Hurricane in New Jersey?

New Jersey is not typically a direct target for hurricanes, but several have passed through or near the state throughout history. Since you never know when a disaster will strike, especially when it comes to weather, understanding how to stay safe and your New Jersey home insurance can help you be prepared.

Finding the right insurance starts with a New Jersey independent insurance agent. Agents understand a homeowner's risk and can secure coverage that will protect against hurricanes and all the damage they can bring. If a hurricane impacted you and your home, here's what you would do immediately after, including the first steps in filing a claim.

Find Safety: The First Thing You Do after a Hurricane

When it all comes down to it, nothing is more important than your life and the life of those who live with you. As soon as you're aware that a hurricane is near, the preparation stage is over, and it's time to put safety first. Here are a few safety tips to follow:

Once you're confident that you and your family are safe and the hurricane has passed, you can begin to worry about the next steps. 

6 Most Important Steps to Take After a Hurricane

1. Make necessary temporary repairs to stay safe: Safety after a hurricane is just as important as during. Assuming it is safe to stay in your home and inspect the damage, do a quick walk through the house and make immediate and temporary repairs that help maintain your safety. This might include picking up broken glass or turning off gas lines.
2. Take inventory of any structural damage: While you're inspecting the home, you can begin to write down a list of any structural damage you see. This should include any damage to your personal property and include detached structures like sheds, garages, and pools. Don't be afraid to list everything from minor damage like a broken lamp to significant destruction. If you file a claim, this will go to your insurance company, so you want to be as thorough as possible. 
3. Create your personal inventory list: If you didn't have a list of your personal property before the event, now's the time to put together a list. The insurance company will send an adjuster out to inspect the property when you file a claim. The more info you can give them about what was in the home, the more accurate their report will be. Photos and videos can be helpful during this step as well. 
4. Make copies of all important documents: Keep copies of any important paperwork you have to sign or present to your insurance company. This includes receipts, estimates, inventory lists, and so on. 
5. Secure estimates from licensed contractors: You can begin to get estimates for damage repair before you file a claim with insurance. Estimates can speed up the claims and reimbursement process. 
6. File a claim: Last but certainly not least, you'll want to work with your New Jersey independent insurance agent to file a claim and begin the rest of the claim process.

How to File a Hurricane Damage Claim

If your home has significant damage from the hurricane and you want to file a claim, you can follow these steps.

1. Contact your independent insurance agent: The first call should be to your independent insurance agent or directly to your insurance company. You'll let them know that you want to file a claim.
2. Document your losses: Now is the time if you haven't documented your losses yet. Your insurance company will ask for this information, including a list of all the personal items you had in your home. This will help them determine how much money they owe you. 
3. Understand how your policy handles repairs and hurricane claims: Before you jump the gun on beginning to repair your home, you'll want to make sure you understand what your insurance requires you to do. It's best not to throw away or touch anything until the insurance company has given you the green light. 
4. Promptly fill out all the insurance forms: Your insurance company will have a lot of forms for you to fill out. The quicker this gets done, the quicker your claim will go through the process. 
5. Meet with the adjuster: Be prepared for the adjuster to visit your home with your inventory list, photos and videos of the damage, and any other information that can help them determine the cost of the damage to your home and your personal property.
6. Wait for reimbursement: In most cases, you will be reimbursed for covered damage by your insurance company. If you have any questions about when you can begin to rebuild or when you'll be reimbursed, you can reach out to your insurance agent.

What If I Don’t Have Hurricane Insurance? Am I Still Protected?

Hurricane coverage is tucked into most standard insurance policies, but there are still some exclusions regarding precisely what is covered. Here's how coverage for hurricanes fits into the most common policies.

• Homeowners insurance: Covers your property and possessions if damaged by high wind. Homeowners insurance will not cover damage from flooding caused by a hurricane or storm surges. 
• Car insurance: Hurricane damage is included in comprehensive car insurance. This policy is not required by law in New Jersey, so you want to make sure to purchase it separately.
• Business insurance: Similar to homeowners insurance, your business would be protected from damage from high wind related to a hurricane. If there were flood or storm surge damage, you'd need a flood insurance policy.

As you see, you'll get a decent amount of coverage from standard homeowners insurance. Still, you may need to add some endorsements or additional coverages to your standard policies to be fully protected. 

What Exactly Does Hurricane Insurance Cover?

Hurricane insurance will help pay for damage to the structure of your home, your vehicle, your business, and your personal property. Here are a few scenarios where hurricane insurance would step in.

• If all of the windows in your home broke from a hurricane and your roof blew off, the hurricane coverage in your homeowners insurance would pay to repair the windows and roof.
• If a tree from your front yard blew onto your vehicle, your comprehensive car insurance would help pay to repair your vehicle.
• If a hurricane caused a power line to fall into your business and started a fire, your business insurance would pay for the damage.
• If you had to temporarily relocate while your home was being repaired, the hurricane coverage in your homeowners insurance would pay for temporary living costs.

You would be responsible for your deductible in all of these scenarios before your insurance would kick in. New Jersey is one of 19 states with a hurricane deductible, a specific deductible you pay if you were filing a claim for hurricane damage. If your policy has a hurricane deductible, it will be listed on the Declarations Page. 

Do I Need Flood Insurance for Hurricanes?

Hurricanes tend to bring heavy rain, storm surges, and flooding. Unfortunately, home insurance does not cover damage from these events, so it's a smart idea to look into flood insurance.

An independent insurance agent can help you secure flood insurance. Flood policies are typically purchased through private insurers or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance provides the following protections:

• Damage to/loss of your home: Including the foundation of the structure, electrical systems, indoor plumbing, built-in appliances, and other flooring installed - such as carpeting.
• Damage to/loss of your stuff: Including furniture (built-in and free-standing), smaller/not built-in appliances, some food, valuables, and clothing.

Owners of homes located in high-risk flood zones or on the Atlantic coast are especially encouraged to look into a flood insurance policy.

How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help?

Preparing for a hurricane and knowing what to do right after a hurricane includes understanding how your insurance can help you. Whether it's your homeowners insurance or car insurance, you can get relief with the right policies.

A New Jersey independent insurance agent will work with you to make sure you have hurricane coverage. After speaking with you, free of charge, they'll pull quotes from several companies and review policy options with you. Get set up with the right coverage today.