“When you make a choice, you also choose the consequences.” – Unknown.
Most American householders carry homeowner’s insurance because it’s required by their mortgage lender. However, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, an estimated 12% of homeowners, approximately 11 million Americans across the country, don’t have homeowner’s insurance coverage.
Why don’t property owners have homeowner’s insurance?
Sometimes it’s a matter of choice: you don’t have a mortgage, so there’s no lender obligation to have homeowner’s insurance in place. You’re willing to mitigate your own risk and gamble that you can cover out-of-pocket expenses if any type of disaster should occur. But, this generally applies only to those who have substantial savings or believe that cumulative insurance premiums paid over the years outweigh the risk of experiencing catastrophic loss.
Other times it’s a sordid combination of:
- Rising premiums from an increase in natural disaster occurrences
- Soaring material and labor costs
- A lack of available insurance for consumers in high-risk areas prone to climate-related disasters
- Having a past claims history
- Owning a home that’s in poor condition and is deemed too risky to be covered
- Belonging to a lower-income or disadvantaged group
Documenting for Disaster: Proactive Preparedness is Key
What would happen if you lost your entire home today? Knowing what homeowner documents you’ll need and where they’re located could be the difference between recovering and not recovering after a natural disaster. You can implement Documenting for Disaster with 2 easy steps:
- Sign up and build your property profile on DomiDocs.com®.
- You can then store all your vital home documents on the free DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform®. You’ll have easy access to your information at any time from anywhere in the world. Your property profile should incorporate 2 important document dossiers:
- Disaster Bundle (Home) – including everything from the deed/title and home inventory list to photos/videos of the interior and exterior
- Digital Go Bundle (Personal) – encompassing everything from birth certificates to wills and testaments
It’s a fact that those without proper homeowner documentation often suffer the most after disasters. By uploading photos and videos of your home into the DomiDocs® secure cloud-based platform, you can help level the playing field and maximize your homeowner’s insurance claim payout.
For uninsured homeowners, here are the key actionable steps to take for post-disaster recovery.
Immediately after a disaster, focus on your family’s safety and security. Remember that your home can be replaced or repaired, but lives cannot. This means that above all else, you need to:
- Ensure everyone, including pets, is accounted for
- Check for injuries
- Beware of new hazards, such as gas leaks, downed power lines, debris, floodwaters, and displaced animals
- Evacuate to a safer location, if necessary
- Understand that disasters are often fluid situations that can change at a moment’s notice, so listening and following official information is crucial
Get ready to document all actions and communications. Start a detailed chronological log of all communications you’re about to embark on during your post-recovery process. Make sure to include:
- Dates and times of contact
- Names and titles of the people you speak to
- How you contacted them, ie., via phone, email, in-person
- A brief summary of what you discussed and any next steps that were agreed upon
- Your claim number on all documentation
- Keep your expense receipts and documents you received from all concerned parties
Mitigate further damage. When it’s safe to do so, it’s reasonable to take steps to prevent further damage to your home, contents, and structures. Emergency repairs could include covering a damaged roof with a tarp, nailing plywood over broken windows, or piling sandbags to divert running water. Be sure to save and upload all your emergency repair receipts, including those for immediate needs like food and temporary lodging, into the DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform®. Then, with the touch of a button, you can submit everything, including documents, photos, and videos, to the organization of your choice.
Thoroughly documenting your home’s damage. To document your home’s damage, take your time and walk from room to room, and then to the exterior and surroundings. Use your smartphone or digital camera to capture the best high-resolution photos/videos, including:
- Wide shots showing each room and the exterior of your home, which relays the general scope of damage
- Mid-range shots to show context of the damage and close-ups to showcase damaged items or specific structural damage
- Take photos from multiple angles, and if you’re finding it hard to get a good pic of something like a crack, placing a coin or your foot next to the damage can help provide a sense of scale
- If it’s likely there’s hidden damage behind a wall, as with flooding, document the area even though you can’t see the full damage yet
- Ensuring the photos generate time and date stamps
- Damages to exterior features, like:
- utility lines
- meter boxes (for damage and meter reading references)
- accumulated debris
- fencing/siding/windows/roofing/outbuildings
- If you have a previous home inventory list, go through and detail all damaged items
Seek financial and recovery assistance. If you don’t have insurance and a disaster affects your home, your situation is significantly more challenging, but there are still ways you can seek assistance and begin post-disaster recovery. Non-profit and government agencies can offer assistance. If you’re not sure who to contact, visit 211.org, which can help connect you to services and disaster relief programs in your area. Help can be sought from:
- The American Red Cross/Salvation Army – they can assist with immediate needs and support, including shelter, food, water, clothing, comfort kits, emotional support, and offer referrals to other resources. Information resources:
- American Red Cross:
- Redcross.org/get-help.html offers direction to Searching Red Cross Locations, Finding Open Shelters, accessing the Red Cross Resource Directory, and offering assistance in contacting family members
- The American Red Cross offers specific services for military members, veterans, and military families through the Hero Care Network
- American Red Cross:
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – if your area is a Presidentially declared major disaster area, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance, so registering with them asap is key. They can assist with temporary housing, home repairs/replacements for basic needs, and other possible needs like medical/dental, moving/storage, childcare, transportation, and funerals. Information resources:
- The quickest way to apply for aid from FEMA is via DisasterAssistance.gov
- You can also call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362
- If there is a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) open in your area, you can apply for FEMA assistance in person; the above website provides a DRC location service
- However, it’s vital to note that FEMA generally will not cover any losses if a reasonably available and affordable insurance policy would have covered the losses incurred. If insurance wasn’t available for the specific peril that occurred, you may still qualify for assistance.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) – if you own a small business, seek help from the SBA through their disaster loan program, which offers low-interest loans to repair real estate and personal property damaged in a presidentially declared disaster. If you own a small business and have applied for FEMA already, you’ll typically then be referred to the SBA
- Local and state emergency management agencies – can offer information on any local or state-specific resources you may be able to access
- Non-profits – the United Way, or local faith-based charities, may also be able to offer aid towards long-term recovery
- The American Red Cross/Salvation Army – they can assist with immediate needs and support, including shelter, food, water, clothing, comfort kits, emotional support, and offer referrals to other resources. Information resources:
Seek legal advice if needed. Disaster survivors can sometimes access free legal assistance through organizations like FEMA’s Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program and the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). Common legal issues following disaster scenarios can include:
- Landlord-tenant disputes involving unsafe living conditions or illegal convictions
- Filing an appeal with FEMA if your application for aid was insufficient or denied
Beware of contractor scams. Emotions and scams run high after natural disasters. Some homeowners may feel desperation and be very vulnerable to unscrupulous contractors who demand upfront payments for what turns into poor or uncompleted work, or to contractors who simply vanish after receiving payment. Be cautious of unsolicited contractors and only work with reputable companies, while getting multiple estimates, and never ever pay large sums of money upfront.
How DomiDocs Can Help You Navigate Through a Disaster
The key to weathering any natural disaster is preparation—knowledge and organization are your best tools. As a homeowner, taking proactive steps to protect your family and property before disaster strikes is essential. The secure, award-winning DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® helps you stay prepared by allowing you to:
- Create a detailed home inventory – Upload receipts, photos, and videos documenting your home’s condition and contents to ensure an accurate record for insurance purposes.
- Store and manage essential insurance documents – Use the Insurance Bundle feature to securely organize policies, including company details, coverage, cost, and policy start and end dates. A calendar timeline provides quick reference, and with one click, you can share documents with your insurance agent when filing a claim.
- Prepare for and recover quickly from any disasters – Ensure quick and easy access to critical homeownership and insurance documents before and after a natural disaster. Use the Disaster Bundle to safely store everything from insurance policies and mortgage information to your home inventory list, photos & videos and emergency vendors—allowing you to recover faster when you need it most.
- Stay ready for emergencies – Keep all your most important documents—such as IDs, medical records, financial statements, and emergency contacts—securely stored and instantly accessible. The Digital Go Bundle ensures you have everything you need in one place, whether you’re evacuating or managing post-disaster recovery.
- Follow expert homeowner guidance – Access the comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, which offers best practices to help prevent insurance claims and keep your home in top condition.
By leveraging these tools, you’ll have the critical information you need at your fingertips, making it easier to recover and rebuild after a disaster.
Take Control of Your Homeownership Journey with DomiDocs®
Managing your home shouldn’t be stressful. DomiDocs® empowers homeowners with innovative technology, expert guidance, and unparalleled organization—all within a secure, cloud-based platform. From protecting your property and finances to streamlining essential tasks, our tools help you save time, reduce expenses, mitigate costly risks, and maximize your home’s value.
Explore the DomiDocs suite of solutions:
- Homeowner Enablement Platform® – A centralized, digital hub for organizing documents, tracking home value, and managing property details effortlessly.
- HomeLock™ – Protects your home from fraud and title theft with 24/7 monitoring and instant alerts.
- TrueValueIndex® – Provides real-time insights into your home’s value to help you make informed financial decisions.
- propRtax® – Identifies potential property tax savings and ensures you’re not overpaying.
- Documenting for Disaster® – Securely stores critical homeownership documents, ensuring quick access before and after a disaster.
Join the home management revolution today and experience the confidence that comes with having everything you need in one place.
Author – Connie Motz
