In the winter of 2021, Texans across the state were deeply impacted by a strong winter storm that lasted nearly a week and a half. The storm consisted of arctic blasts of heavy precipitation that covered homes and communities in inches of thick ice and snow. Because the state of Texas being so warm all the time, people everywhere were unprepared for the impact the storm had. Many homes were severely affected, with their heat being unable to keep up with the consistently low temperatures and freezing cold ice and snow around the house. 

Following the storm, many people were left without power for long periods, causing more damage to their homes including burst pipes and other issues. The heavy snow and ice accumulated caused damage to some homes’ roofing and exterior, which left some with uninhabitable homes for long periods of time.

Insurance Claims Following the Texas Winter Storm

After the storm passed, there were thousands of homeowners insurance claims submitted to various insurance providers. Nearly 20 billion dollars in damage was done throughout the course of the storm, leaving many in situations where they needed coverage to move forward with reparation efforts.

Homeowners insurance policies typically cover many types of damage related to winter storms. Issues caused by ice, snow, and freezing rain or hail are often covered under insurance plans, helping those affected be able to rebuild anything affected following.

Insurance Issues Following the Storm

Because this storm caused tons of people to submit insurance claims, many insurance providers were overwhelmed with the amount of claims that came in. Because of all the money required to cover each individual legitimate claim, there were many instances where providers were trying to find loopholes in coverage expectations. They often worked to find areas in individual contracts where they could attempt to pay out less coverage to families that filed claims.

This is why it is important to have a strong understanding of your insurance coverage ahead of a storm, and be sure to review your contract thoroughly after submitting a claim. If something looks wrong with your coverage following a claim submission, and your insurance provider does not respond appropriately, you will want to have a full understanding of what you should have received in your contract.

However, understanding what is fully expected of your insurance provider often requires knowledge of insurance law. This is where it is helpful to contact an insurance lawyer. An insurance lawyer will help you understand if and how your provider breached a contract, and how to proceed following a poor experience. Some insurance agencies may prove to be especially difficult, refusing to pay in full for claims, or ignoring submitted claims from policyholders altogether.

The law offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., have a team of Texas insurance lawyers that can help you in these situations as you navigate legal proceedings for insurance coverage. Their expert insurance attorneys are knowledgeable in insurance law and can help you get the coverage you need following a disaster.