MUSKOGEE, Okla. — When severe storms leave damage in their wake, homeowners want fast help making repairs, but experts warn against rushing into costly mistakes.
"I heard a lot of roaring. It sounded like a train when it come through," David Crenshaw said.
"You know, you hear about it. But you never expect it to hit home. We took a pretty good hit," Crenshaw said.
The first step after a storm is to tarp damaged roofs, board up broken windows, and check around the perimeter for damaged walls.
"Secure your property from any future damage," Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready said.
Next, homeowners should get repair estimates. Experts warn against fly-by-night companies that knock on doors claiming they can quickly do the work. These companies often ask homeowners to sign a contract and provide upfront payment for materials. Homeowners risk losing their money or being held to costly contract terms they do not understand.
"Seek out reputable contractors, talk to your insurance agent for referrals, or to friends or neighbors who have used someone and had good experiences," Mulready said.
Once homeowners know what reputable contractors charge for repairs, they can make an informed choice about whether to pay out-of-pocket for repairs or file a claim with their homeowner's insurance.
"If you can get some estimates and then figure out, is it over my deductible? Is it under my deductible? If it’s even over your deductible, but not by a lot, you're probably much better off in the market that we have today with homeowners insurance to just pay for that out of pocket, rather than filing a claim and getting a very small check," Mulready said.
Filing a claim for a small amount could result in a policy not being renewed or only being renewed with a steep increase in premiums.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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