A severe storm caused damage to my home. Am I covered?

Most home insurance policies cover damage to your home caused by tornadoes, high winds, lightning strikes and ice storms. It also covers all the personal stuff inside your home. For information about water damage from heavy rain and spring melt, check out our water damage claims page.

If the weather damage is minor and it’s safe to stay in my home, what do I need to do?

If there’s been a storm and the worst damage is something like a broken window, or a downed fence, and there doesn’t seem to be any danger to you or your family, here are some tips for next steps:

  1. Minimize any further damage. If you can, board up broken windows to avoid water getting in and causing damage to the inside of your house. Keep receipts for all materials and labour if you have someone do it for you. You can claim those costs later.
  2. Do a rough calculation of what it will cost to repair the damage.
  3. Give us a call to see if it’s worth making a claim.
  4. If you decide to start a claim, call the insurance company we placed you with to get you started.

What do I do if I have structural or major damage to my home? 

Severe wind, ice or lightning storms sometimes cause trees, power lines or other objects to fall into your home. If there’s a hole in your roof or a large tree is leaning on your home, play it safe:

  1. Don’t enter the home or try to clear debris.
  2. Get to a safe place away from your home
  3. Call us or the insurance company we placed you with to start your claim and walk you through next steps, like:
    1. Helping you find a place to stay while your home is being evaluated for safety or repaired (most home insurance policies will cover the costs for accommodations and food while you’re unable to stay in your home).
    2. Arranging for temporary fixes to avoid further damage.
    3. Arranging for an adjuster to assess the damage to your home and start repairs.

What do I do if the stuff inside my home is damaged?

If any personal belongings inside your home have been damaged, when it’s safe, try to get photos of the damaged items. Have the photos show where the items were and how they were damaged. (If there’s a big hole in the roof directly above your damaged table, take a photo that shows both the hole and the table). 

Good to know: Keep a home inventory.

It’s always a good idea to keep an up-to-date inventory of your possessions, in case your personal belongings are damaged or destroyed. The more detailed, the better. Receipts are helpful too – so are photos and videos. Keep all this documentation in some place other than your home. If you have to make a claim it will help make sure nothing has been missed, reduce your stress and keep things smooth.

If you have a claim, call us at 1(403)8000267 or email us at claims@nullmitchinsurance.com. We’re here to help you with the claims process if you need help.