Key Takeaways: Here comes winter! Are you prepared for the seasonal changes that we experience this time of year? Beyond the typical cold weather, icy streets, and missed school days, our weather patterns are getting more extreme and massive snowstorms and full-scale blizzards are becoming more common place.Where the United States used to see an average of 13 blizzards per season, we now , each impacting multiple states and millions of people.With this increase in snowfall and severity, the economic and societal impacts have also increased with each storm having associated losses of over $1 Billion per storm.

These damages can impact homeowners due to aging home infrastructure, e.g., roofs that leak or collapse under excess weight, aged fences that blow down, freeze or water damage, as well as losses experienced community-wide, such as power outages and downed trees that impact travel.Having an annual Blizzard Prep Checklist can help you mitigate the risks associated with winter storms and improve your blizzard readiness.Being prepared can significantly impact your family’s safety and well-being.

We’ll take a look at what you should include in your Blizzard Prep Checklist and how to respond if you should suffer damage to your home or automobile from a blizzard or major snowstorm, including : Understanding Blizzard Risk Through the Insurance Lens Generally speaking, a snowstorm can be anything from light snow to heavy downfall.However, a blizzard is defined as a severe snowstorm with strong winds (35+ mph), accompanied by heavy downfall, low visibility (less than ¼ mile) due to blowing snow, and whiteout conditions.Blizzards also usually last at least three hours or more.

Most homeowners insurance policies cover the damage from snowstorms and blizzards, but  insurance companies may investigate damages to ensure they are not caused by neglect or lack of required maintenance.Examples include: As a good rule of thumb, keep in mind that insurance companies will cover sudden and unexpected damage caused by a storm but not damage that was caused by maintenance neglect or damage allowed to go unrepaired.Preventing winter weather damage allows you to sit back and enjoy that snowy weather.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Blizzard Before the Forecast Turns Critical – Your Blizzard Prep Checklist Each year, it’s important to prepare your home for winter, whether you’re in a temperate climate like the Southwest or Florida or in the Northern reaches of the country where severe winter weather is the norm.That means ensuring that—whether you do the work yourself or hire it out—it’s completed before bad weather is expected.The following outlines steps needed to be ready for any winter storms.

By completing these steps, you create the documentation that your insurance company will need to assess your claim if needed.Blizzard Prep Checklist Home Exterior Home Interior Preventing Winter Weather Damage During the Blizzard Itself During a severe snowstorm, the last thing you want to do is get suited up and brave the weather outside.As a homeowner, you may have to do exactly that.

First, safety is paramount.If you do go out, be sure you are adequately dressed to face the severe wind and temperatures that accompany blizzards, as well as to be able to move unimpeded while you complete tasks.You may be faced with removing snow from the sidewalks, around the base of your home, or off of the roof to prevent strain on the structure itself.

Should your home sustain damage, be sure to document the damage through photos and commentary during and after the storm.It will be helpful if you need to file an insurance claim later.Winter Storm Home Protection Tips – What Insurers Expect Homeowners to Know When your insurance agent or company sells you a policy or coverage, there is a certain expectation that you understand what you are responsible for when it comes to ‘reasonable care’.

As a legal concept, ‘reasonable care’ means you are a prudent, rational person and can be expected to use reasonable judgment under normal circumstances.This doesn’t mean that you have to exhibit perfect judgment in all circumstances, however it does anticipate/expect that you will use sound judgment and common sense to avoid harm and mitigate risk.In other words, within the insurance transaction, your insurance company commits to cover unexpected losses for the property/life that they are covering, while expecting you to exercise reasonable care to protect your assets to the best of your ability, to mitigate damage, and to avoid reckless or careless behavior.

In terms of blizzards and extreme winter weather, this includes: Knowing Your Policies Coverages, Limits, and Deductibles It’s important to know your policies and their limits as they relate to blizzards and winter storms.Some insurance companies have differing details, .Standard insurance policies cover the following: Filing a Homeowners Insurance Claim After a Storm If your home experiences damage during a blizzard, follow this step-by-step process: Document the immediate damage during and after the storm.

Photographs and commentary will help the claims adjuster ascertain the damage and the expected outcome from the claim.Remember, it’s critical that your inventory of all property damage or destroyed personal property is as thorough as possible.Secure immediate temporary repairs to mitigate further damage or to make the home habitable.

Don’t wait – those repair costs can be submitted with the claim.Additionally, if your home sustains additional damage that could have been avoided by repairs that weren’t made, the insurance company can disallow or prorate repairs for all damage.Contact your insurance agent or company immediately to open a claim – and be patient – they could be overwhelmed.

Remember, there may be a lot of people with claims following a major blizzard.It’s important to get in the queue early so your payout isn’t delayed or reduced.The Effect of Blizzard Claims on Premiums and Coverage Like other claims, claims for blizzards and winter storms can impact your premiums and coverages in the future.

Insurance actuaries are acutely aware of the long-term outlook for weather patterns and conditions in all parts of the country.If your area has been impacted by a recent weather event, there is a good chance that premiums will increase for the coming year.At the least, policies will undergo underwriting reviews prior to renewals with potential non-renewals possible in high risk areas or for individual customers with multiple claims over a short time.

Prepared Homes Lead to Stronger Claims and Fewer Surprises Proactive planning is the core message here.Know your home and your insurance coverage and be prepared for extreme weather conditions this winter.This will reduce stress for you and your family and give everyone peace of mind if bad weather is expected.

It’s important to do an annual insurance review to ensure you have the optimal coverage for your situation.Be sure to visit to compare rates and find top insurance providers in your area.