Tornadoes and other severe weather occurrences are an especially real threat for Oklahoma residents. This makes it even more devastating when insurance companies refuse coverage to diligent policyholders whose properties have been damaged and, in some cases, destroyed. An insurer’s bad faith practices can cost homeowners thousands of dollars, so if your property was damaged by a tornado or other catastrophic event, it is important to contact an experienced bad faith insurance attorney who is familiar with this area of the law and can protect your interests.
Damage caused by a tornado is usually related to high-speed winds. For this reason, residents in the path of a tornado are especially at risk of losing a roof or sustaining other structural damage to their homes. Oftentimes, this leaves many homeowners’ possessions open to the elements, resulting in even more loss from water and fire damage.
Tornadoes are likely to cause a wide range of damage, including:
Preventing damage can be much simpler and cheaper in the long-run than attempting to recover from major loss, so it is important for homeowners whose properties are at risk of sustaining tornado damage to take a few precautions to help protect their homes, including:
Most homeowners insurance policies cover damage caused by wind, trees, falling objects, wind-driven rain, structural collapse, and tornadoes. However, homeowners insurance policies do not always cover other types of storm-related damage, including:
Those with homeowners insurance policies should review their policies in advance to discover the extent of their coverage.
While an insurance company’s decision to act in bad faith cannot always be predicted or forestalled, there are a few steps that homeowners can take to support their claim, such as:
While property damage can be devastating to a family’s finances, preventing personal injury is of primary importance. Although homeowners may feel helpless in the face of a natural disaster, there are some steps that can help mitigate physical injury, including:
An insurance company’s refusal to cover damage caused by a tornado can take an extreme emotional and financial toll on homeowners. If you sustained property damage in a tornado or during another type of severe storm, it is important to contact an experienced attorney who can protect your interests. Please contact a dedicated member of our legal team at the Bennett Law Firm at 405-272-0303, and we will help you schedule an initial consultation.
