If you live in Rochester, MN you need to know what to do if your home is damaged by a storm. Safechoice Insurance Agency will help you with your claim as soon as possible. However, you should use these tips to ensure that your claim is paid out.

• Make sure that the home is safe to enter and turn off the electricity if the damage is extensive.
• Take photos of the damage as soon as possible to document the damage.
• Perform temporary repairs to protect the integrity of the home. For instance, if shingles are missing, cover the gaps with a tarp or plywood to keep water out of the house until permanent repairs are completed. Insurance may not cover damage that occurs after the initial storm if you haven’t tried to protect your home.
• Don’t start tossing damaged items until the insurance adjuster has come by to see what happened.
• Do not start on permanent repairs until after you have contacted your insurance company. They will want to send an adjuster out to see the damage before it is corrected.
• Call your insurance company or agent with your policy number. They will instruct you on what to do next. You may want to keep a log of your phone calls to the insurance company, including the time of day and the person to whom you spoke.
• Save every receipt related to the storm damage, even those for temporary repairs. You may be reimbursed for these costs.
• Contractors may come to your door offering to repair your home. It is wiser to use the contractor that is recommended by the insurance agency, even if it seems more expensive. You don’t want an unscrupulous repairman using sub-par materials on your home.
• After you’ve spoken to your insurance agency, they will send an insurance adjuster to your home to inspect the damage. Be sure to ask for his identification and his business card so you can contact him with any questions.
• If your home is uninhabitable, you may be able to receive payment for your housing costs. Ask your insurance adjuster for an advance payment for your expenses. Save your receipts for hotel costs.

Storms can be rough in Rochester, MN, but with Safechoice Insurance Agency, your home will be protected.