In June of 2021, a massive tornado swept through multiple suburban communities in Chicago, Illinois causing significant damage to many neighborhoods and homes. The tornado wrecked more than 100 homes in the area, damaged surrounding trees and wildlife,and caused a long-term power outage for many homes undamaged by the tornado itself. Though there were around 10 individuals who experienced moderate to severe injuries following the storm, there were no reported deaths.

Those who were in affected areas received notification of the impending storm late in the night, causing many to miss the initial notifications and have limited time to evacuate their homes before the tornado hit. Winds reached over 100 miles per hour, causing many to take immediate action to find shelter in their own homes to avoid injury from the tornado. 

Tornado Insurance Coverage

Insurance coverage for tornadoes are typically included in most homeowners insurance plans. Unlike floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters that cause damage to homes, tornado damage is often covered by basic homeowners insurance plans. 

Because of the high winds tornadoes often reach, they can cause significant long-term damage to homes and surrounding property, sometimes even destroying multiple houses and buildings in its wake. If your own home is affected by a tornado, you will want to file a claim with your insurance agency immediately to get the coverage you need to support you following this disastrous event.

As you are working on filing your claim, it is important to keep a record of everything throughout the entire insurance process. This includes keeping track of the damage to your property through receipts of your living expenses and photos of the damage, as well as a log of the communication you have with your insurance provider and agent handling your claim. This will come in handy for referencing the full extent of all that you need covered, and will be useful should you need to dispute any part of your claim. Working with an insurance lawyer will help you to file a legitimate claim easier.

First-Party Insurance Claims Lawsuits

If you are paying for your home insurance coverage each month in good faith, you will expect your insurance provider to provide the appropriate coverage following a disastrous event. However, even if you’ve done everything right – from paying your insurance premiums on time, to providing thorough and accurate detail of your insurance claim following damage to your home – some insurance providers will not process your claim in good faith.

This can be a confusing, frustrating experience that requires a certain level of knowledge regarding insurance law to move forward. Contacting an insurance lawyer to assist you through this difficult process will help to get the coverage you need. Insurance attorneys can support you throughout the entire process, helping you bring a bad case to court to get the money you deserve.

The law offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., have expert Illinois insurance lawyers available that understand the state’s laws surrounding first-party insurance claims. Their experienced insurance lawyers will help you take your claim and ensure it gets the attention it needs so you can get your life back as soon as possible.