Here in the Chicagoland area, damaging weather can occur year round. From thunderstorms in summer to blizzards in winter, Illinois homeowners need to be ready for just about anything. 

Weather events can cause major damage that can be expensive to repair, and many homeowners will turn to their insurance policies for help. Fortunately, in many cases, insurance will cover storm damage to your home. 

At McMahon Services, we often partner with insurance agencies to help local homeowners with water damage, fire damage, mold remediation, roof damage, and siding problems caused by storms. In this article, we will answer some common questions on this topic. This will help you make the right decisions if you are faced with a sudden, destructive storm.

Question One: What Types Of Storm Damage are Covered By My Insurance?

Typically, your homeowners insurance policy covers damage to your property from:

• Windstorms and tornadoes
• Ice storms
• Hail damage
• Water damage caused by storms
• Lightning strikes
• Wildfires
• Fallen trees knocked down by storms
• Power surges caused by lighting strikes
• Fire or smoke damage caused by lightning strikes and power surges

Home damage caused by floods and earthquakes typically is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy. It’s important to read your individual policy (and talk to your agent) to make sure you understand what types of storm damage are (and are not) covered.

Question Two: How Do Insurance Companies Define Storm Damage & Storm Insurance?

When it comes to insurance policies (and what they cover), words have a lot of power. Here’s how to understand the difference between storm damage and storm insurance. 

Most insurance companies define storm damage as the destructive result of weather-related events. Storm damage can include issues with the exterior of your home, such as your roof shingles blowing off in severe winds, or the siding of your home being dented by hail. Storm damage may even affect the interior of your home, like water leaks from your roof, or a fire caused by power surge damage from a lightning strike. 

Storm insurance is the part of your homeowners policy that can help cover the cost of restoring and rebuilding your home after it suffers from storm damage. Storm Insurance typically covers wind damage, such as the shingle example above. It also usually covers damage from hail, and water damage from wind-driven rain or snow that enters your home when it is damaged due to wind. Storm insurance can also cover damage from fallen trees that damage your home, if the tree fell due to a storm or wind.

Question Three: What Steps Should I Take During A Weather-Related Insurance Claim?

When you experience damage to your home due to severe weather, the first thing you should always do is get your family to safety right away. Consider making an emergency plan that everyone understands. Next, you should contact your insurer to start the claim process. Quick action will make it easy for you to start the restoration and reconstruction process. 

Once your insurance agent is aware of the situation, it’s time to get help with cleanup and repairs. Contact a disaster restoration contractor who is experienced at making these types of repairs – and managing these types of insurance claims. At McMahon Services and Construction, We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to emergency situations. We are an experienced storm damage restoration contractor, and our knowledgeable team can handle water damage, mold remediation, fire and smoke damage, and roofing and siding repairs. 

Severe weather damage to your home may seem like something that only happens rarely, but unfortunately every homeowner should be prepared to address these scary situations. In the United States, winter storms caused almost $6 billion in insured losses in 2022, and lightning damage was the reason for more than 71,000 homeowners insurance claims in 2020, with an average cost of almost $30,000 per claim. 

Don’t let spring hail or winter winds scare you – we can handle any type of storm damage, and will get your home or commercial property back to normal, as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Contact us today to learn how we can help you through the storm damage repair process.