What does a Hurricane Storm Damage Public Adjuster do? by SWAT Public Adjusters
What does a Hurricane Storm Damage Public Adjuster do? by SWAT Public Adjusters – Thanks for reading this article. We want to ensure your property storm damage insurance claim is handled properly the first time.
SWAT Public Adjusters work for you no the insurance company and we want to help you get all the money you are entitled to. The SWAT Public Adjusting firm has been proudly serving the Lousiana area for a long time. We want to share simple ways to help you plan, prepare and get ready for a hurricane claim to your storm-damaged Louisiana property.
First off it is important to understand that hurricanes are one of the most destructive events on earth. These events tax the insurance industry as a whole to provide claim assistance and resolution to so many people in such a short time.
What does a Hurricane Storm Damage Public Adjuster do?
As a result, claim adjusters are brought in by the insurance companies from remote locations that are sometimes just part-time adjusters, overburdened with claim assignments, or uninformed about local building codes. Plus claim adjusters aren’t working in the best interest of the property owner but the insurance company. They want to pay out for the less amount possible as quickly as possible.
As a result, property and business owners are at a huge disadvantage. When working with an insurance company’s claims adjusters, you will find that claims are routinely denied or underpaid. It can take weeks or months to have your claim investigated much less settled. After a hurricane, there couldn’t be a more necessary time to hire your own adjuster to ensure your claim is settled for the maximum benefits you are owed.
Why is understanding the damage of a hurricane can do be so important?
Did you know that of the 258 U.S. weather disasters since 1980, tropical cyclones (also known as hurricanes) have caused the most damage: $945.9 billion total, with an average cost of almost $21.5 billion per event. They are also responsible for the highest number of deaths: 6,593 between 1980 and 2020. The major hazards associated with hurricanes are storm surge and storm tide. heavy rainfall and inland flooding.
The majority of the damage from hurricanes comes from the sustained winds of the hurricane. The major damage caused by hurricanes comes from a combination of wind, storm surges, and inland flooding. Power outages are a loss of electricity due to storm damage or other means.
What is the most damage-causing part of the actual hurricane?
Hurricanes can be broken down into four quadrants and while all sides are dangerous, the most destructive is the right front quadrant. This is due to the forward motion contributing to the rotation of the storm. This side of the storm tends to have higher winds, higher storm surge, seas, and the highest rainfall.
Thus, when the right front quadrant directly hits a community, it leaves an obvious path of destruction. As a result of high winds and water from a storm surge, homes, businesses, and crops may be destroyed or damaged, public infrastructure may also be compromised, and people may suffer injuries or loss of life.
So what is the difference between a Category 1 hurricane versus a Category 5 hurricane?
There actually is a big difference between a category 1 hurricane and a category 5 hurricane. The main difference is the amount of overall damage the hurricane can do to a community. A Category 1 hurricane has very dangerous winds that will produce some damage. These winds can cause some damage to buildings, including tearing off roof shingles, siding, soffits, and gutters. Additionally, tree branches can break off of trees.
Whereas, a Category 5 hurricane packs winds at 157 mph or greater. Category 5 hurricanes can cause absolute devastation. Most buildings in the path of the eye of a landfalling Category 5 hurricane are damaged or completely destroyed. Trees are blown over.
What are the five categories of a hurricane?
Category 1 Hurricane
Hurricanes with sustained wind speeds of 74 mph to 95 mph are classified as Category 1 strength. Category 1 hurricanes can cause damage to unanchored mobile homes and signs. Loose outdoor objects (like lawn furniture) can become projectiles.
These loose objects can become flying debris can break windows and strike people and cars. Trees can also be severely damaged by Category 1 hurricane winds, with large branches breaking and some trees being completely uprooted. Power outages may result as well in or around the community hit by a Category 1 hurricane.
Category 2 Hurricane
Category 2 hurricanes have winds of 96 mph to 110 mph. A major problem with Category 2 hurricanes is that winds are strong enough to break power poles. That is right, you read that correctly, it can break power poles which in turn means that the downed powerlines will create blackouts. Plus, downed powerlines will cause people to be electrocuted by standing in flood waters that have a power line in them.
Category 2 hurricane winds can also cause damage to residential roofs, windows, and doors. Even windows in big buildings like skyscrapers can be damaged and broken. Residents should expect near-total power loss after a Category 2 hurricane, with outages lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Remember that Category 2 storms bring torrential rains, storm surge, and flooding that may extend for many miles inland. They also bring the increased probability of evacuation of neighborhoods close to the coastline, so residents living there are advised to have an evacuation plan in place and be prepared to execute it.
Category 3 Hurricane
Did you know that any hurricane of Category 3 strength or higher is considered a “major” hurricane? It is true and most people need to be aware that calling a public adjuster prior to landfall is a good idea. If you are about to experience a hurricane of this size – feel free to give us a call at 407-486-1637
A Category 3 hurricane has winds of 111 mph to 129 mph. Along with the type of damage noted above, also comes the destruction of some buildings — particularly unanchored and/or older mobile homes. Other small buildings (like sheds and detached garages) can also be damaged and destroyed by Category 3 hurricane winds.
A Category 3 hurricane can blow the roof off buildings. Did you know that a garage door is the most frequent source of damage due to collapse or failure from storm surge or wind? It is true. The winds of a Category 3 hurricane will also uproot strong trees or cause them to snap. Affected areas will experience near-total power losses that could last days or weeks.
Category 4 Hurricane
Category 4 hurricanes are very strong, with winds of 130 mph to 156 mph. Catastrophic damage will occur: Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas.
Many types of buildings — including houses, mobile homes, and stores — can suffer extreme damage and even destruction. Commercial signs and roadside signs are also destroyed. Blackouts will be long and widespread.
Category 4 storms are considered extreme hurricanes. It is the second-highest hurricane classification category on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, and storms that are of this intensity maintain maximum sustained winds of 113–136 knots. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is used to translate wind speed into the level of potential property damage a storm with that wind speed can inflict.
It’s highly unusual for a hurricane to make landfall as a Category 4 storm in the United States. Only 14 have done it since 1924. In the event you are in the path of a Category 4 hurricane, evacuation is your best bet. Secure your home, batten down the hatches, and get out of town. Pack enough provisions for an extended stay away from home, and be sure to let a family member out of state know you’re alright and uninjured.
Category 5 Hurricane
A Category 5 hurricane packs winds at 157 mph or greater. Category 5 hurricanes cause absolute devastation. Most buildings in the path of the eye of a landfalling Category 5 hurricane are damaged or destroyed. A large number of homes and buildings will be completely destroyed. Areas hit by this level of the hurricane will lack power and water and be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Furthermore, trees will be blown over and become flying debris as well as signs too. Power lines are knocked over. Structures are likely to experience total or near-total failure, with the only structures likely to survive being the most solid constructs located no less than 5 or 6 miles inland. When an evacuation order is given, it must be taken very seriously, and you should proceed without hesitation.
Category 5 hurricanes produce unimaginable destruction at landfall. So, if you become trapped in the hurricane zone be prepared to stay inside and keep away from all windows, skylights, and glass doors. Go to a safe area, such as an interior room, closet, or downstairs bathroom. Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object. Never go outside the protection of your home or shelter before there is confirmation that the storm has passed the area.
Remember that the storm surge is topped by high waves driven by a hurricane`s wind. Reaching at least 10 feet high in a category 5 storm, these waves can slam into seawalls, piers, jetties, and coastal dunes, destroying everything in their way. Some towns hit by Category 5 hurricanes take years to recover — as was the case with Homestead, Florida which suffered catastrophic devastation after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992.
How far inland can a hurricane go?
If are attempting to evacuate from a hurricane event. Be aware that a category 5 hurricane can produce a storm surge 20 to 25 feet high that can go miles inland. So consider evacuating 50 to 200 miles inland, depending upon the hurricane and its predicted path, terrain and elevation, and the quality of your shelter. This will get you out of the worst winds and away from the immediate coastal storm surge.
Hurricane Storm Damage – wind vs flood after a hurricane makes landfall.
Often with hurricanes, properties are damaged by both floodwaters associated with storm surge, broken levees, or flooding that occurs from the massive amounts of rainfall as well as extremely high winds. As a result, homeowners and business owners can expect severe property damages.
Did you know that regular and wind-only insurance policies do not cover flooding and vice versa, insurance companies often point to the other as the cause of loss. This is when having an expert opinion to sort through the various damages can be so beneficial. If you have experienced hurricane damage, we can help.
If your repairs did not cover what the insurance company sent, we can re-open your claim readjust it, and get you the money you deserve. No matter what sort of hurricane you may be dealing with having a public adjuster on your side during the discovery phase of your property loss can make all the difference in the world.
The SWAT Public Adjusters is your solution to the most exceptional representation and maximum recovery in the claim process. We are the premier public adjusting firm handling hundreds of public adjusting projects adding up to millions of dollars in commercial and residential insurance claim’s throughout the years.
Thanks for reading What does a Hurricane Storm Damage Public Adjuster do?
Public adjusting solutions are possible with S.W.A.T., we work for you. We hope you have learned a little bit from this blog article and if you liked it – we have many more like this one to share with you. Remember to follow us on Facebook!
A little bit about us, we can work with people in support of any claim adjusting issues through our custom insurance claims public adjusting approach. This can be achieved through a blend of professional service offerings, as well as through outsourcing, data analysis, and the development of customized solutions focused on gaining a greater understanding of the program
issues and the overall program cost reduction potential. We know this sounds confusing but when it comes to getting the outcome that you desire from the insurance company – we work on many different public adjusting strategies to get it done.
Our team also can focus on medical treatment and medical costs, helping a small business owner develop strategies, address cost drivers, and integrate solutions into its workers’ compensation while the small business is closed due to hurricane storm damage issues. So reach out to us today via our contact page to get started.
