Is your tornado damage covered by insurance in Bentonville, AR?

It’s a little-known fact that tornadoes touch down here in the United States more than any other country in the entire world. The majority of our tornadoes are isolated in what is known as “Tornado Alley” – a strip of land spanning from Texas to North Dakota and all through the Midwest region. Here in Arkansas, we are not normally considered part of Tornado Alley, and yet we suffer countless devastating outbreaks each year. Many homeowners and business owners do not carry enough insurance to cover tornado damage. It’s time to start.

A History of Arkansas’ Tornadoes

According to the Tornado History Project:

• January of 1999 saw 56 recorded tornadoes in a single day (January 21), which is the most tornadoes on a single day, the most in the month of January, and the single largest tornado outbreak in the entire state.
• The deadliest tornado in the history of the state occurred on March 1, 1997, with 25 confirmed fatalities.
• Within the first decade of the 21st century, around 622 tornadoes in Arkansas killed a total of 39 people, injured 540, and caused more than $650 million in property/infrastructure damage.

All About Tornado Insurance

When you’re researching homeowners’ insurance policies, you’ll soon learn that floods and earthquakes are typically not covered under a traditional policy. Unlike these catastrophic storms, tornado damage is covered. A twister can lead to extensive wind damage, which is often strong enough to destroy an entire home or vehicle with ease. As such, it is recommended that homeowners in the area closely review their policy every year or two to determine if there is enough coverage in place for tornado damage.

Now, determining if you have enough coverage is a chore all its own. It is highly recommended that you go room to room in your home or business and inventory every item you own. You need to assign a dollar value to every possession, including furniture, electronics, jewelry, and sentimental items. The total value will give you some insight into how much contents coverage you require.

It is also smart to have your home assessed by an expert to ensure property damage limits are where they should be, too. If you’ve recently completed renovations, then your insurance policy likely does not cover the additional value. You’ll want to adjust your coverage.

Tornado Damage and Flooding

A serious tornado is often accompanied by heavy rain. But, if this heavy rain causes flooding in your home, know that you are likely not covered for the water damage. In this case, it’s not your typical water damage; it would be classified as flood damage. Your homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage. For that, you need a separate policy. A flood insurance policy through a private carrier of the government’s federal flood insurance program will provide adequate coverage.

When dealing with tornado damage, know that Restoration 1 of Northwest Arkansas has been in your shoes before. We know how to deal with storm damage of any kind. Just give us a call.