What to do if your home or property is destroyed

March 11--Communication is key right after a storm of any kind brings havoc to a community.

Everything is in disarray from the storm's impact, whether it be the tornadoes that ripped through San Antonio last month or the 2014 hail storm that struck Abilene during the Children Arts and Literacy Festival parade downtown.

Mark Hanna, of the Insurance Council of Texas, said these periods can be rife with scam artists trying to make a quick buck at the expense of the property owner. Unlicensed roofers, repairmen and even public insurance adjusters are just some of the individuals looking to take advantage of an already disastrous situation.

"No matter hail, tornado, some form of damage to your home, your first step should always be to assess the damage," Hanna said. "Take photos, take videos. You're allowed to make basic emergency repairs if able. But then you should contact your insurance adjuster. Do it as quickly as possible, because everyone's going to be doing it. And when the adjuster shows up, show them photos, videos, whatever you have. These are the people who know exactly what your policy entails."

Hanna said insurance adjusters are likely going to be among the first to respond to these disaster situations after emergency crews and will be well aware of the potential for damaged property in the areas affected.

But there's another issue Hanna is growing more and more concerned with, he said. More and more attorneys are filing suit against insurance companies on behalf of clients seeking more money than what is supposedly available in policy coverage.

A bill on the floor of the Texas Senate, Senate Bill 10, is attempting to mitigate these lawsuits and curtail the number that insurance companies face.

While Hanna works to promote the insurance business, though, he said he's not just promoting insurance companies and saying all lawsuits are bad. He's a former employee of the Texas Department of Insurance, a state agency tasked with regulating the insurance business across all of its forms.

If individuals have issues with their coverage, he said, that office is where consumers should visit first. The office can be contacted by calling 800-252-3539.

Hanna said the office last year received only 270 complaints across the entire state despite more than 550,000 claims filed just from hail-related damage to residences.

Consumers are also encouraged to visit or contact the Better Business Bureau whenever anyone attempts to sell them services, Hanna said, whether it be roofing, insurance, painting or attorney work.

Chris Pilcic, media specialist at State Farm based in Dallas, said the key is to be an informed consumer to avoid being taken advantage of or purchasing a product that's not necessarily the one that's needed.

"For a little bit more expensive roof, it could end up saving money over the long-term," Pilcic said. "You need to arm yourself with information. Know what coverage you have and what you don't have.

"We want everyone to be prepared."

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