While preparing for a storm, experts say one of the best things you can do is take photos of your home beforehand.
Stephen Hadhazi, a public insurance adjuster, told Hawaii News Now that some insurers do not automatically pay homeowners for wind or water damage after a hurricane or other big storm.
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"You need to walk around your entire exterior of your home, front yard, side yard and take as many photos as you possibly can," Hadhazi said. "Your roof shingles, you want to take good pictures of your roof shingles so you can show exactly what it looked like before the storm. You want to take good close up photos of your siding."
Having photos of what the property looked like before a storm hits can help prove that the damage wasn’t there beforehand.
It’s also a good idea to photograph every room, in case of flooding or other damage.
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"If you're able to show the insurance company that this is what it looked like the day before the storm, then your claim is going to get settled a whole lot faster," Hadhazi said.
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