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Contractors in East Baton Rouge, LA, remove debris from a home damaged in the August 2016 flooding that left thousands of residents with substantially damaged or uninhabitable homes. Photo Courtesy of FEMA.

Returning to your home after weathering a natural disaster is not always a simple process. However, having the legal documentation and insurance information for your home up-to-date and on-hand before a disaster can help avoid delays in the reconstruction process and allow you to return to your home more quickly.

These tips provide a primer on the documentation and insurance information for your home that will likely be needed during post-disaster repairs and reconstruction, saving you time and money, and giving you peace of mind.

Be informed of your home’s characteristics.

• Know your flood zone area, fire district, and other natural disaster classifications.
• Check your local building department’s website and FEMA’s flood zone map to find this information.

Ensure you have proper insurance coverage.

• Many homeowner’s insurance policies cover water damage from events like sewer main breaks, but don’t cover damage from flood water.
• Flood insurance will provide coverage even if a presidential disaster declaration is not made and can prevent post-disaster repair costs from becoming too expensive to handle. Consider purchasing coverage even if it is not a requirement for your home.

Have access to your insurance agent’s phone number.

• Store you agent’s number in your cell phone and write it down.
• Any damage to your home as a result of natural disaster must be reported to your insurance agent before you can apply for FEMA assistance.

Keep hard copies of legal documents pertaining to your home in a waterproof location.

• This includes the certificate of occupancy for your home, title/deed to your home, homeowner’s or weather-specific insurance policies, and a copy of your most recent home appraisal.
• If you have to evacuate your home, bring these documents with you.

Resolve any violations in place on your property, before a natural disaster.

• Outstanding violations can cause delays in the construction permit process, and increase how long it takes to return to your home.
• You can find violations on your property by searching your address on your local building department website.

Keep a file of all insurance claims and other disaster recovery assistance notifications. 

• To be eligible for CDBG-DR funding, you will need to provide your homeowner’s and flood insurance claims and benefits, in addition to your FEMA and other disaster recovery assistance acceptance, appeal, or denial letters.

See Advice for Homeowners: Be Prepared for Post-Disaster Repairs and Reconstruction to learn more about IBTS’s experiences gained working with homeowners to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.