A Florida real estate attorney has offered tips to help you deal with the aftermath of a “monstrous” storm as the Sunshine State is battered by “monstrous” Hurricane Ian.
Kailey, a Florida real estate attorney who represents homeowners who have claims against their insurance company for any form of property damage, usually caused by a storm, gave tips to her roommates whose lives were upset by Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that has just reached the southwestern tip of the state. .
The hurricane has prompted mandatory evacuations for more than 300,000 people in the Tampa Bay area and resulted in many local Floridians like Kailey sharing their tips on TikTok to save both their lives and their homes.
Dozens of homes are already under water and more damage is expected to be done before the storm moves on – prompting Kailey to share some basic tips and tricks on what to do if your home is one of the many who bear the brunt of the terrible hurricane.
Kailey, a Florida real estate attorney, has provided helpful home tips for coping with the aftermath of the home damage caused by Hurricane Ian
Ian progressed from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane early Monday, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned it could reach Category 5 soon
Kailey recommends Floridians keep pictures of their property before the storm and take photos of damage to their homes for their insurance company before attempting repairs
The attorney begins her video by sharing that she primarily handles “roof claims,” before first recommending homeowners go outside and take photos of their property when they have the opportunity to do so safely.
Weathering the Storm: What to do if Hurricane Ian damages your home
- If your home was damaged by Hurricane Ian, the real estate attorney has advised residents to photograph any damage before attempting repairs
- She recommends Floridians send the photos to their insurance company along with any other documents they need to make a claim
- Residents should contact a local FEMA representative for assistance with repairs, meals for their families, and temporary housing
She then explains that whatever is outside should be brought into your home.
“Anything light enough to pick up, bring it inside if it’s outside,” she advises.
“If it’s light enough for you to pick it up, it would also be light enough for winds to pick it up, and these can become projectiles and damage your property or someone else’s property.”
Kailey then urged anyone whose home was damaged by the storm to take photos of the property – before attempting any repairs or cleanup themselves.
She warns that no one should “climb onto their actual roof” to take photos of their home and advises everyone to stay safe, but notes that you should take as many photos as possible.
Finally, Kailey recommends homeowners review their insurance policies to make sure their insurance covers damage from the storm and advises you to keep a copy of your insurance policy with you at all times.
She adds that you should contact your insurance company immediately after the storm if you’re applying for coverage and be prepared to provide any necessary documents, including before and after photos of your home.
If your home was damaged by the storm, be sure to take photos of the damage before you begin the cleanup and repairs.
Hurricane Ian has resulted in mandatory evacuations for over 300,000 people in Tampa Bay and has caused traffic jams on I75 as residents evacuated their homes before Ian
After Floridians prepared and evacuated their homes for the hurricane, Kailey shared her tips for staying calm despite the damage
Hurricane Ian was expected to hit Florida midweek, either late Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, bringing winds of 130 mph; However, it made landfall early Wednesday
Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all of Florida on Saturday. He is pictured with Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie during a news conference Monday
Next, you should inform your damage specialist of any mitigation measures you may be taking and make temporary repairs to prevent additional damage.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, provides assistance to victims of storm damage.
FEMA can provide temporary housing, help with repairs, even meals for your family and help you file your insurance claims.
During a life-threatening hurricane like Hurricane Ian, a FEMA representative will often travel through your area to assess damage and assist those in need.
During this time, be sure to speak to your local representative for assistance.
Ahead of the evacuation, other Floridians came forward to share their helpful home tips on the social media platform as the National Hurricane Center warned that Hurricane Ian would result in “life-threatening storm surges, catastrophic winds and flooding on the Florida Peninsula.” .
Florida native Matt Miller shared a video of his furniture in his backyard pool, as many on the video-sharing app have advised others to throw their furniture in their pool.
Another user walking by Annalize documented how she installed metal hurricane shutters on her windows in preparation.
Lauren, a woman new to the Florida area, took to TikTok to reveal she was staying despite the evacuation order.
In a viral video, she shared that she and her husband had put their patio furniture in their pool, lowered the pool and boarded their windows with wood because they couldn’t find hurricane shutters in time.
Hurricane Ian is considered one of the world’s deadliest and most destructive storms, and as the Sun State’s population has skyrocketed in recent years, many will face the adverse effects of the deadly storm.
Hurricane Ian is considered one of the most destructive storms, and with Florida’s population having skyrocketed recently, many will face the adverse effects of the deadly storm
Before Hurricane Ian targeted the Sunshine State, it left Cuba in ruins as it smashed over the coast
Officials conducted evacuations to Cuba on Monday in preparation for the deadly storm, and residents faced the adverse effects on Tuesday
Hurricane Ian cut power to over a million Cubans when high winds toppled telephone poles and other cables
At a time when population growth has been slowing, Florida has defied the odds and several cities have seen population surges.
According to the United States Census Bureau, no eastern city with a population of at least 50,000 has grown faster than Fort Myers.
In 2021, nearly 221,000 Americans moved to Florida — an average of over 600 people per day — more than any other state in the country.
However, the population boom in hurricane-prone Florida means more damage from hurricanes, which has become the costliest natural disaster, according to the Office for Coastal Management.
Over a million homes are in the path of Hurricane Ian, according to an estimate released earlier this week by CoreLogic, a real estate analytics firm.
In addition to the thousands of lives that could be lost, the estimate indicated that the reconstruction value could exceed $258 billion.
Before Hurricane Ian targeted the Sun State, it left Cuba in tatters as it smashed through the coast, destroying property and buildings and killing residents.
On Monday, officials conducted evacuations to Cuba in preparation for the deadly storm.
Hurricane Ian cut power to over a million Cubans when high winds toppled telephone poles and other cables.