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This week, icy weather toppled trees and branches around Austin. If they caused damage to your property, you may consider filing an Insurance claim.

What should I do?

First, consider whether the cost of repairing or replacing property covered by your policy is more than your deductible. If so, Ben Gonzalez, spokesman for the Texas Insurance Department, recommends filing a claim immediately. And document everything.

“Make a list of all damaged property,” Gonzalez said. “You can also take photos or videos with your phone. Just walk around and show how much damage you can do.”

Make temporary fixes where necessary. For example, if part of your fence has been torn down, fix it so the dog doesn’t get out. Also, take reasonable steps to prevent further damage.

“You want to close any broken windows or holes in the roof or things like skylights to keep the rain from getting in,” Gonzalez said. “Use plywood, a tarp, or whatever you want to cover these holes.”

He said you should also remove any wet furniture or rugs from the house to prevent mold from growing inside, but don’t throw them away until the insurance company tells you to.

For any corrections you make, be sure to keep your receipts to add to your insurance claim.

What is covered?

Coverage varies from policy to policy. Read your policy or ask your insurance agent what is covered by yours.

Some policies may provide temporary living expenses if your home is uninhabitable. Some cover the cost of food spoilage. Tree removal may be covered if the tree has fallen on your home or is blocking access to your home, such as if it has fallen on your driveway. Homeowners insurance or comprehensive car insurance can cover a tree falling on your car.

What happens after I file a claim?

After you have filed a claim, an insurance appraiser may come to assess the damage. Gonzalez recommends that you be present at your visit so that you can point out your specific concerns. Depending on the claim and your documentation, everything can be processed online. If you don’t get a prompt response from your insurance company, you can file a complaint with the Texas Insurance Department.

Will filing a claim affect my insurance prices in the future?

Gonzalez said filing a single weather-related incident claim would have a minimal impact on your insurance rates, though they could increase if you’ve filed multiple claims over the past few years.

Rich Johnson, a spokesman for the Texas Insurance Board, an insurance industry trade group, said that while your claims history is a factor in determining your rates and premiums, insurance rates have risen over the past five years, and especially in recent years. 18 months due to such weather events.

“The insurance companies are also looking at the whole scenario that we have seen over the past few years,” Johnson said. “Texas now [has] to assess their risk of event freezing, because we already had three such events in a row, which they never considered before. For the past couple of years, a hurricane has been raging on the coast. We had a flood in Dallas. And it’s sort of a combination of what’s happening in this area and the risks that insurance companies take on in one area or another.”

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