“We want everyone in the state to be cautious and vigilant. We don’t want to downplay this event but we also don’t want people to panic,” words from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as Hurricane Francine continues strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico with anticipated landfall expected to take place Wednesday afternoon into the night.
The governor’s office says the storm is expected to turn into a category 1 hurricane by Tuesday around 7 p.m. and could possibly grow into a category 2 storm before landfall.
The storm is expected to bring as much as 7-9 inches of rainfall over 12 hours once it makes landfall.
Tracking metrics show the storm’s speed has increased to seven miles per hour from five mph, which is a good sign because it may reduce storm surge due to its faster movement.
Already saturated ground and potential for trees to fall
With Tropical Storm Francise eyeing Louisiana for a landfall, concerns about trees falling near your property have a much higher chance. Unfiltered with Kiran spoke with a tree expert about steps to protect your family and home. If trees on your property need removal, Jose Espinosa with Overgrown Lawn Care Services LLC recommends giving companies at least two weeks to schedule removal notice, so being proactive before storms is key.
“It depends on how busy the company is, but the larger companies are going to be busier (ahead of a storm),” Jose said, explaining the more notice you can give, the better.
Signs a tree may need removal include holes, peeling bark, or mushrooms growing on the tree.
“You’ll see bark starting to peel. You could see dead leaves. If the tree is growing mushrooms, then that’s really rotten and has been there for a while. Those are the most dangerous ones, the ones that a human can’t go up and climb. Everything has to be done with a machine in those situations,” Jose said. “If mushrooms are growing on the tree then it’s been dead for years. Those are just super dangerous, the ones that go out first.”
If you can’t schedule removal before a storm, Jose advises staying in areas of the house without trees nearby to ride out the storm.
“The rule of thumb is if you have a lot of trees and it covers your house 360 degrees, then you need to find somewhere else to sleep, especially if you have little ones or if you have dogs and cats,” Jose said.
In severe winds, the safest place in a home is often the bathroom, so Jose suggests sheltering in a bathtub.
In case of evacuation, prioritize irreplaceable keepsakes, particularly from rooms at risk of tree damage.
“Let’s say that I know that tree is going to come down and we have a category 2 or 3 hurricane coming, I’m going to try to remove all of the most important things from that bedroom and carry them with me. Things that can’t be replaced like memorabilia or childhood photos, photos of your grandma or mother, pictures from World War 2, whatever,” Jose said.
Additionally, be mindful of trees on neighboring properties. If a tree crosses onto your property, you’re responsible for its removal.
“In the state of Louisiana, it’s considered an Act of God, meaning that whatever falls and crosses your property line, you are 100% responsible for that.”
Jose advises discussing dead trees with neighbors and encouraging prompt action before the worst happens.
“As soon as you see a dead tree, let them (neighbors) know. You guys talk about it. Say ‘Hey, I’m giving you two weeks to take care of it. If not, I’m forwarding this to my insurance company so my insurance company can contact yours because I don’t want to be liable’,” Jose said.
Local Insurance Agent’s advice before, during & after storm
UWK also spoke with Baton Rouge area State Farm insurance agent, Meagan Faulk, to learn what precautions people can take right now.
While waiting for the storm’s approach or before evacuating, Faulk recommends people take pictures of all the rooms in their house, along with the outside of the home.
“It’s the easiest way to prove to an insurance company that there wasn’t damage before the storm and that the damage was caused by the storm,” Faulk advises. “The other thing is if there is a major catastrophe like a big tree falling or your house catches on fire for some reason, it is really hard to remember all the items that were in your house.”
Faulk said some insurance companies will pay out replacement costs on some forms of personal property, though that excludes some items like jewelry.
It’s also important to save all your receipts. Faulk said it’s best to take pictures of them and save them somewhere like a shared folder or drive so they are accessible when you should need them.
“Just document everything. Document the items that you’ve lost or the hours that you’ve worked in the yard or taking trees off if you’re personally taking the tree off and that could be a service that you could be paid for,” Faulk explained.
If your home only experiences minimal damage from a storm, then Faulk says it’s best to directly call your agent, explain the damage, and have them give you directions for what to do next.
“It’s just sometimes you have to be aware of what your deductible is so like if you’re missing five shingles, that’s going to be well below your deductible and if your roof isn’t that old, then it’s going to be very easy to fix that,” Faulk said.
Some insurance companies like State Farm also have cellphone apps. Faulk said if your company has one, filing your claim through the app is usually the fastest way.
“You can upload documents, receipts, and pictures directly to your claim through the app and, you can also see the status of things like when you’ve been paid. You can also do electronic payments to where your payments are dropped into your bank account and not have a check mailed to you,” Faulk said.
For those who no longer have mortgages, Faulk also advised ensuring you don’t have a lien holder on your homeowner’s policy.
“There are so many times a customer will pay out their mortgage but they don’t call their insurance company and ask to have the lien holder removed,” Faulk said.
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