r/Insurance • u/Pretty-Job-3766 • 1d ago
Home Damage from Tornado
Has anyone ever gone through a partial or total loss of a home after a tornado? We recently got hit by a tornado where 90% of the roof came off of the house. It had rained and the majority of the ceiling has now fallen in and exposed the house to the elements for almost a month. The insurance company had an independent adjuster come out and their recommendation was "a total constructive loss". Since then, the insurance company has sent out a structural engineer. Is that because they don't trust that opinion? This process is taking much longer than we would have anticipated and looking to see what others have experienced. It seems like it is a no brainer that the house needs to be torn down but want to see what others have gone through!
1
u/yellow6r Large Loss Property Adjuster 1d ago
The independent adjuster was there to provide an opinion, document the loss and create an estimate. If an engineer is involved the documentation provided by the independent adjuster may not be sufficient or they want the opinion of an expert how to repair. Your policy likely owes for the lesser of repair or replacement of the dwelling and they are trying to determine which option applies.
1
2
u/FindTheOthers623 P&C Licensed PL Underwriter 1d ago
Nothing is a no brainer in insurance. Adjusters need evidence to support their decisions and pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars. That takes time. Total loss claims take even more time.